July-August 2016 Issue of Inside Northside Magazine

450

$

ROSEMARY BEACH GETAWAY • TWO MISSIONS • ARTIST JED MALITZ • NORTHSHORE’S FINEST

JULY-AUGUST 2016 VOL. 31, NO. 4

July-August 2016

Vol. 31, No. 4

Publisher Lori Murphy –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Editor-in-Chief Anne Honeywell

Senior Editor Jan Murphy

Associate Editor Maggie Murphy

Managing Editor Leah Draffen

Contributors are featured on page 16.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Art Director Brad Growden

Graphic Designer Jennifer Starkey

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Business Manager Jane Quillin

Senior Account Executives Poki Hampton

Candice Laizer Barbara Roscoe

Account Executives Barbara Bossier

Kim Camet Amy Taylor

Advertising Coordinator Margaret Rivera –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For advertising information phone (985) 626-9684 fax (985) 674-7721 email sales@insidepub.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Please send items for Inside Scoop to scoop@insidepub.com.

Photos for Inside Peek, with captions, should be sent to peek@insidepub.com. Submit items for Inside Input or Dining Guide to editor@insidepub.com.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Contact Inside Northside P.O. Box 9148

Mandeville, LA 70470-9148 phone (985) 626-9684 fax (985) 674-7721 website www.insidenorthside.com

Subscriptions 1 Year $18 2 Years $30 email subscriptions@insidepub.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

On the cover

Artist Cindi Guillot

Ramble On

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– INSIDE NORTHSIDE MAGAZINE is published bi-monthly (January, March, May, July, September, November) by M and L Publishing, LLC, PO Box 9148, Mandeville, LA 70470-9148 as a means of communication and information for St. Tam­ many and Tangipahoa Parishes, Louisiana. Bulk Postage paid at Mandeville, LA. Copy­right ©2016 by M & L Publishing, LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent of publisher. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and artwork. Inside Northside Magazine is created using the Adobe Creative Suite on Apple Macintosh computers.

page 34

contents table of

page 81

Features 18 Art From Simple Pleasures Cover Artist Cindi Guillot 34 Rosemary Beach Getaway 42 A Tale of Two Missions Two New Orleanians Meet in a Most Unlikely Circumstance page 42

page 70 8

Inside Northside

58 Northshore’s Finest 70 Sculpting Windows into Souls

Artist Jed Malitz 76 Generous Hearts The Science Behind Selflessness

Business & Leadership Follows page 98.

contents table of

page 87

Departments 12 Publisher’s Note 14 Editor’s Note 14 Reader Resources

page 128

16 Contributors 22 INside Scoop 32 IN Other Words A House Divided 40 Wine Cellar Rosé 56 IN the Bookcase

Junk, by Alison Stewart 66 At the Table Barbecue on the Northshore 81 Flourishes Extraordinary gifts and home accents 86 Design

Fresh Summer Style 89 INside Look

Snorkel Blue 96 Traces Geaux Mambo!

Seasoning Guru Chris Freret 107 Traces

The Healing Power of Art Lakeview Regional Medical Center’s Arts Exhibit

112 IN Development Workforce Development: equipping job-seekers for future industry 114 IN Great Taste One Brine That Will Get You Out of a Pickle 116 INside Dining 120 IN Love and Marriage 121 INside Peek Featuring Blue Jeans Ball Crawfish and Roses Fidelity Bank’s Crawfish Boil Women IN Business Luncheon Inside Northside’s Meet the Artists Party Armbruster Artworks Ribbon Cutting 130 Last Bite Antoine’s Restaurant page 114

page 114

10

Inside Northside

So much is possible.

by Lori Murphy

We expected Kim Camet to be up to her barbells in the Lose Dat Team Fitness Challenge at Franco’s this spring. She is a fitness trainer there in her “spare” time … when she is not working with Inside Publications. And when Candice Laizer jumped in, none of us were surprised. Both are moms to three young girls, and keeping fit helps them keep up with all of that sparkle. They are also both account executives with Inside Northside and Inside New Orleans who are generally enthusiastic and competitive by nature. When they set their mind to something, Katie bar the door!

This 10-week program is now in its 14th season and the cumulative results are staggering. Starting in the spring of 2010, there have been two sessions a year with a total of 1,550 participants. Even more impressive is the 23,000 pounds that have been lost! Is it possible that the northshore is a bit less below sea level these days?

What I’ve seen watching the program from the cheap seats is that the team nature of the challenge is a great way to get people on track and keep them there. Knowing your efforts will affect the way your team is judged as a whole can make you less likely to skip a workout or add an ice cream. After all, peer pressure is an undeniable driving force. It is also fun to celebrate milestones together. What seemed impossible during week one can give you a rush of enthusiasm in week five. Sharing the workout schedule, the diet tips, the personal hurdles and the combined success is powerful.

My 54-year-old excuse against a good workout schedule is put to shame by Candice and Kim—and the rest of the participants of this season’s challenge. Am I actually busier than a young mother of three who works full time? Maybe it just feels like it. Who knows. But this year there was an 81-year-old competitor, so I can’t use age as a reason!

What I do know is that the Royal PM team that Candice was on and was lead by Kim won the Challenge by losing over 310 pounds or 14.4 percent. Overall, the nine participating teams lost a combined 1,585.6 pounds. Congratulations to everyone who poured their heart and soul into the effort.

The results in the cheap seats were not nearly as impressive!

ps. The fall program starts in September and has been adjusted to only eight weeks.

Maybe I won’t be too busy for that!

12

Inside Northside

Editor’s Note

by Anne Honeywell

Reader Resources

You really can learn something new every day.

I found this to be particularly true with this issue.

Through the editorial journey of building this magazine, I

Contact Us: You may contact us by mail, phone, fax or on our website:

have learned something new almost every step of the way.

I am embarrassed to say I really didn’t know much about the Doolittle raid in 1942. I enjoyed learning more about this historic bombing—albeit short but effective—

Telephone: 985-626-9684

and the fascinating personal tale of two New Orleanians

Fax: 985-674-7721

who have an unlikely encounter thousands of miles from home. Angelle Albright tells us the story of a family member on page 42.

And the sculpture of artist Jed Malitz! Well, it is definitely something I have never seen before, and I dare say this is true for many of you as well. Karen Gibbs takes us inside the art of Jed and Jed himself on page 70.

I always learn something new about food from Tom Fitzmorris in every issue. This time, it is where to get good barbecue on the northshore. Tom tells all on page 66.

Pickled berries? Who knew? Not me, but I am going to try Yvette Jemison’s brine and her summer recipes.

These can add so much to so many meals this summer— enjoy on page 114.

And though I have known Becky Slatten for years, I learned more about her deep-rooted passion for her LSU Tigers in her In Other Words “A House Divided” on page 32.

Here’s hoping that you will learn something you didn’t know before reading this summer issue!

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July—and enjoy the rest of your summer!

14

Mail: Inside Northside P.O. Box 9148 Mandeville, LA 70470-9148

Inside Northside

Website: insidenorthside.com Receiving Inside Northside in Your Mailbox?

You are on our mailing list, and you will continue to receive Inside Northside every other month at no charge.

Please join us in thanking our advertisers, who make this possible.

Pick Up a Copy: At one of our advertisers’ locations or at Barnes & Noble, 3414 Highway 190, Premier Centre, Mandeville, La. Subscribe: To subscribe to Inside Northside, to our sister publication Inside New Orleans, or if you have a question about your subscription, please contact us by telephone or e-mail us at subscriptions@insidepub.com.

Subscriptions are $18 for one year or $30 for two years. To change your address, please send us both your old address and your new address. The post office does not forward magazines.

Advertising Information: For advertising information, please contact us by telephone or e-mail us at sales@insidepub.com.

Inquire and Share Ideas: Do you know a person, organization or endeavor we might consider featuring in our pages? Or a great storyteller who might want to write for us? Please contact the editor@insidepub.com.

Contributors Our contributors give Inside Northside its voice, its personality and its feel. Here we are proud to highlight a few of them so that you can put a face with a name and get to know them.

Stacey Rase Stacey Rase has been associated with Inside Northside for nearly two decades as both a contributing writer and as past managing editor.

These days you’re likely to find her cheering on either the LSU Tigers or the Archbishop Hannan High Hawks, where she serves as the school’s cheerleading coach. On page 107, she writes about the new Healing Arts Exhibit at Lakeview Regional Medical Center. Stacey and her husband Mike live in Covington with their four children.

Angelle Albright

Karen B. Gibbs

Yvette Jemison

Becky Slatten

Angelle Albright is the founder and chief marketing officer of Chemo Beanies, which supplies head coverings to women with cancer, a company she co-created with her niece after battling cancer herself. She has a BA in mass communications from Loyola University and was chief news editor at WVUE. A branding expert for independent businesses, Angelle is also a photographer, videographer, speaker, social media expert and Huffington Post blogger. She lives on the northshore with her husband, Dr. Anthony Albright, and their three children. On page 42, she tells a WWII story with a unique family connection.

Longtime contributor and former managing editor of Inside Northside, Karen B. Gibbs enjoys writing about the fascinating people and places of the northshore.

On page 70, she tells the story of artist Jed Malitz. A contributor to Today.com and iVillage.com, Karen recently completed the biography of her father-in-law, a WWII paratrooper. When not writing, she enjoys traveling with her husband and spoiling their grandchild.

Yvette’s passion for all things culinary extends back to her childhood growing up in a military family. Her recipes and home cooking are influenced by the many places she has lived. She was immersed in the Tex-Mex cuisine of South Texas and has experienced food from Native American Indian reservations to the street food of Turkey. She often attends cooking classes while traveling with her husband and two daughters and has truly enjoyed a well-seasoned life. Yvette presents “One Brine That Will Get You Out of a Pickle” on page 114.

Becky Slatten is a native of Natchitoches, an LSU alumna, the mother of three children and a newlywed.

She divides her time between the northshore and New Orleans, writing for both Inside Northside (since 2007) and Inside New Orleans. Becky loves telling the stories of people and events unique to the area and puts her own twist on topics in IN Other Words (page 32).

Other Voices: Gretchen Armbruster, Susan Bonnett, Susan Currie, Leah Draffen, Tom Fitzmorris, Candra George, Anne Honeywell, Bill Kearney, Julie Landry, Lori Murphy, Maggie Murphy and Terri Schlichenmeyer.

16

Inside Northside

by Anne Honeywell

CINDI GUILLOT ENJOYS listening to music.

All kinds of music. “I have thousands of songs on my iPod of all types and genres.”

The rhythms and the lyrics serve to inspire this local artist. “I have gotten in the habit of having great music playing in the background when I paint. It really moves me to create certain works; it is very inspiring for me.”

Cindi moved to the Northshore about 35 years ago. It is here this New Orleans native discovered her ‘real bliss’—painting. “I love living in Mandeville and all the local festivals and art shows. I treasure our vibrant art community. Over the years, we have added more and more galleries and museums to our

18

Inside Northside

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Art from Simple Cover Artist Cindi Guillot Peasures

area, and, of course, New Orleans is just a hop, skip and a jump away.”

When Cindi first tapped into her talent, she painted canvases for her home and herself. “People would admire my work and ask who the artist was. I would answer, ‘Me!’” And so it began. >>

“I never really prepared myself to be an artist. I have had no formal schooling or training. I’ve always had raw talent, but didn’t expect my career would evolve as it has,” says Cindi with a smile.

And evolve it has. Her works includes powerful abstract landscapes, personable silhouettes, minimalism and expressionism. “If I had to describe my paintings, I’d say they are ‘expressionist.’ Many of them represent the passion I have for nature.” Her landscapes are from places she has visited or would like to visit. “My horizons and landscapes come from the Southwest—intense sunsets and the natural beauty of the desert.

Hiking in Utah and Arizona was a real inspiration.”

Guillot uses texture to accentuate her colors and create movement on the canvas. Over the years, she has continued to develop her art and build her technique. “I feel I have created my own style and found my niche,” she says. “It is very exciting for people to know and recognize my work. I couldn’t be happier.”

The colors and content of her paintings are what Guillot feels set her apart from other artists. And her asking prices. “My paintings will go with virtually any motif and can hang almost anywhere. I believe that my price point is also key. My original paintings are affordable. In this economy, it is hard for some people to justify spending a great deal of money on art,” she says. “I’m not interested in a high price. I take more satisfaction in my art being the first original many of my clients have ever purchased—often people who never imagined purchasing real art. I call them ‘art virgins.’

Afterwards, they have a new interest in culture; I am honored to help bring art

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

into their lives.”

Several years ago, Guillot tried something new: painting people. “This was new for me, but I began to study and do research, and I found a figure that I thought I could work with. In my first commission of people, the depicted figures were walking in one direction. I continued to paint my “people,” and so began my Cindi Guillot Urban Village Collection, which has become very popular.”

Most of Guillot’s work can be identified either as figurative, landscape portrayals, or abstract, but the process is a continual learning experience. “I often feel like I have learned something new about myself through the process of creating art, and I like that.”

Guillot’s creativity does not end with painting. “I like beading and creating pieces of wire jewelry. I am always designing new pieces— all kinds of jewelry, from earrings to bracelets. I’ve also dabbled with pottery, namely terra cotta clay and gold leaf.”

Guillot finds motivation to continue to get in tune with her inner artist in her everyday interactions. “Simple pleasures inspire me to keep creating beautiful art, such as enjoying good food

and drink with good friends. And, of course, good music!”

Our cover painting is titled Ramble On, which was inspired by Led Zeppelin. “How awesome is that?” asks Cindi.

It’s awesome, Cindi. Really awesome. Rock on.

Cindi’s works are featured at Simply Southern, Highway 21, in Covington.

July-August 2016 21

INSIDE the definitive guide to northshore events and entertainment

Mandeville Trailhead Market July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and August 6, 13, 20, 27 Produce, crafts, art and more. 675 Lafitte St. 9am-1pm. Free. 845-4515. mandevilletrailheadmarket.com.

22

I n s i d e N o rt h s i d e

Superlounge inside Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Doors open, 6pm; ticket required. Daytime events free at the New Orleans Convention Center. Doors open, 9am. (504) 582-3023, (504) 587-3663. essence.com.

1-31 Golden Lithographs at Rolland Golden Gallery. 325 E. Lockwood St, Covington. Tues-Sat, 11am-6pm or by appointment. 888-6588. rollandgoldengallery.com.

1-Sept 11 Voices of Progress: Twenty Women Who Changed New Orleans.

Highlights 19th- and 20th-century New Orleanians, including Henriette Delille, Oretha Castle Haley, Eliza Jane Nicholson and Sophie B. Wright. The Historic New Orleans Collection, 533 Royal St, New Orleans. Tues-Sat, 9:30am-4:30pm; Sun, 10:30am-4:30pm.

Free. (504) 523-4662. hnoc.org.

1-Sept 18 In Time We Shall Know Ourselves: Photographs by Raymond Smith. Ogden Museum of Southern Art, 925 Camp St, New Orleans. 11am-5pm.

(504) 539-9650. ogdenmuseum.org.

1-Oct 1 Tujague’s: 160 Years of

photo: JOHN PAUL DUET

Tradition. A Retrospective Exhibit from

July 1 Sparks in the Park. City of

the second-oldest restaurant in New Orleans. Southern Food and Beverage Museum, 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans. 11am-5:30pm; closed Tues. (504) 267-7490. natfab.org/ exhibits/tujagues-160-years-of-tradition.

1-Oct 29 Money, Money, Money!

Covington celebrates Independence

Currency Holdings from The Historic

Day. Bogue Falaya Park, 213 Park

New Orleans Collection. History of

Dr, Covington. 7pm; fireworks at

18th- and 19th-century currency.

dusk. 892-1873. covla.com.

THNOC’s Williams Research Center, 410

1 Stars & Stripes Independence

Chartres St, New Orleans. Tues-Sat,

Day Celebration. 6-9pm. Terra

9:30am-4:30pm. Free. (504) 523-4662.

Bella Village, 100 TerraBella

hnoc.org.

Blvd, Covington. 871-7171.

2 CDN Clothing Celebrates 5 Years.

terrabellavillage.com.

Enjoy champagne, sweets, treats and a

1-3 2016 Essence Festival.

10 percent lagniappe on your purchase.

Daytime activities; evening musical

CDN Clothing, 221 Lee Ln, Covington.

performances. Main Stage and

327-7300.

>>

July-August 2016 23

Inside Scoop 2 Slidell Heritage Festival. Music, food,

be offered for purchase beginning at

arts and crafts and fireworks at 9pm.

4pm by the Old Mandeville Business

Heritage Park, 1701 Bayou Ln, Slidell.

Association and the Mandeville A.R.T.

4-11pm. Adults, $8; 12 and under, free.

Collaborative. Free. 4pm-dusk. 624-3147.

643-1234. slidellheritagefest.org.

cityofmandeville.com.

2-4 4th of July Celebration at Palm

4 4th of July Fireworks in Abita Springs.

Village. Gifts and party. Palm Village,

Live music and family-friendly fireworks,

The Village Shopping Center, 2735 US

food, drinks, face painting, and more; all

190, Mandeville. 10am-6pm. 778-2547.

ages. Abita Springs Trailhead Park, 22049

shoppalmvillage.com.

Main St. 4:30-dusk. Free. 892-0711.

2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27 and 30

townofabitasprings.com.

Covington Farmers Market. Sat: 609

5-10 Patchwork Players Rumpelstiltskin.

N. Columbia St, 8am-12pm; Wed: 419

Rivertown Theaters for the Performing

N. New Hampshire St. 10am-2pm. 892-

Arts, 325 Minor St, Kenner. Mon-Fri,

1873. covingtonfarmersmarket.org.

10am and 11:30am; Sat-Sun, 11am

2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Camellia City Farmer’s Market. Griffith Park, 1808 Front St (Hwy. 11), Slidell. Rain or shine. 8am-12pm.

Free. 604-7112. camelliacitymarket.org.

2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Hammond Farmers

and 2pm. $8.50. (504) 461-9475. rivertowntheaters.com.

6-23 Junior Lyric Summer Musical Theater Workshop. Workshop and performance of Into the Woods Jr for

Market. #2 West Thomas St. 8am-12pm.

ages 12-16. Summer Lyric Theater, Dixon

Free. dddhammond.com.

Hall, Tulane University, New Orleans.

2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Mandeville Trailhead Market. 675 Lafitte St. 9am-1pm. Free.

845-4515. mandevilletrailheadmarket.com.

3 Madisonville Old Fashioned 4th of

Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm. $475. (504) 8655269. summerlyric.tulane.edu.

7 Dive-in Movie. Swim in the pool while watching summer thrillers. Themed

July Celebration. The Madisonville

cocktails, small bites and complimentary

Community Benefit Organization

popcorn. W French Quarter, 316 Chartres

hosts a celebration on the banks of

St, New Orleans. Pool opens, 6:30pm;

the Tchefuncte River. DJ music, hot

movie begins at sundown. Free. RSVP by

dogs, corn-on-the-cob, watermeloneating contest, decorated bike

emailing wnolarsvp@whotels.com.

7 Fourteenth Les Comédiens Français

contest. Fireworks begin just after

Lecture: “Rediscovering Victor

dark. Free. 2pm-dark. 237-1688.

Séjour.” Lecture by Williams Research

madisonville4thofjuly.org.

Center Director Alfred E. Lemmon, with

3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Abita Springs

readings from the author’s works. The

Farmers Market. Live music. 22049

Historic New Orleans Collection, Williams

Main St. Free. 12-4pm. 871-5327.

Research Center, 410 Chartres St, New

townofabitasprings.com.

Orleans. 6:30pm. Free. For reservations,

4 4th of July Celebration on the Lake.

The City of Mandeville, Chevron and

(504) 523-4662. wrc@hnoc.org. hnoc.org.

7-10 Thoroughly Modern Millie. Summer

The Northshore Community Foundation

Lyric Theater at Tulane University, 104

announce the return to the Mandeville

Dixon Hall, New Orleans. 8pm; Sun, 2pm.

Lakefront. Entertainment begins at 5pm.

(504) 865-5269. summerlyric.tulane.edu.

Live music on the stage between Coffee and Carroll streets; food and drinks will

8-10 San Fermin in Nueva Orleans.

Running of the Bulls in New Orleans.

Thousands of runners roam the streets escaping the Rollerbulls, roller derby skaters with horns! info@nolabulls.com. nolabulls.com.

8-24 Chicago. The musical. Playmakers Theater, 19106 Playmakers Rd, Covington. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm.

Adults, $30; students, $15. Call to reserve, 893-1671. playmakersinc.com.

9 16th Annual Mr. Legs. Beauty pageant parody featuring male contestants.

Benefits Bridge House and Grace House. Live music, silent auction, raffle.

Generations Hall, 310 Andrew Higgins, New Orleans. 6-10pm. $40 in advance; $45 at door. bridgehouse.org.

9 Madisonville Art Market. Monthly market features works by local artists. Tchefuncte River at Water Street. 10am-4pm. 8714918. madisonvilleart@gmail.com.

9 Northshore Cajun Dance. Performance

by Choupique. Abita Springs Town Hall, 22161 Level St. Dance lesson, 7-7:30; live music, 8-10:30pm. $8, members; $10, non-members. 892-0711. northshorecajundancers.com.

9 Summer of Sustainability at the Audubon Clubhouse. All-inclusive five-course dinner with wine pairings; proceeds benefiting G.U.L.F., Audubon’s sustainable seafood program. Audubon Clubhouse Cafe, 6500 Magazine St, New Orleans. 6:30-9:30pm. $100. audubongulf.org.

9 Thursdays at Twilight with Bon Operatit! Pavilion of Two Sisters in the Botanical Garden at City Park, New Orleans. Gates open, 5pm; music begins, 6pm. $10. (504) 483-9488. garden@ nocp.org. neworleanscitypark.com.

9-10 Royal Tea at Windsor Court.

Afternoon tea experience for all ages with caviar sandwiches and sweets. Le Salon at Windsor Court, 300 Gravier St, New Orleans. 11am-2pm. $37 per person, plus tax and gratuity. grillroomneworleans. >> July-August 2016 25

Inside Scoop com/le-salon.

9-Aug 20 51st National Juried Artist Exhibition, The

Saint Joseph. The Grill Room at Windsor Court, 300

Columbia St, Covington. Opening reception July 9,

Gravier St, New Orleans. 6pm. $45 per person, plus tax

6-9pm; awards presented at 7pm. Free. 892-8650.

and gratuity. grillroomneworleans.com.

9, 23 Folsom Village Market. Next to Capital One Bank,

14-24 The Wizard of Oz. Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts, 325 Minor St, Kenner. Thurs-Sat,

13401 June St, off Cleveland Ave (Hwy 40 East). 9-1.

7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. Tickets start at $36. (504) 461-9475.

Tina Pierre, 507-6496 from 10 -7.

rivertowntheaters.com.

11-15 Aquatic Robotic Camp. Sponsored by Chevron.

15 Slidell Movie Nights: Inside Out. Heritage Park, 1701

Children ages 10-17 build their own underwater remote-

Bayou Lane. Movie starts at 8:30pm. Free. concessions

operated vehicle (ROV). Activities based on science,

available for purchase. 646-4375. myslidell.com.

technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Lake

16 Northshore Cruise Nights. Hosted by the Northshore

Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum,133 Mabel Dr,

Mustang Club. Open to all cars. Door prizes,

Madisonville. For additional information, call 845-9200.

awards, live music. Coscino’s Italian Grill, 1809 N

lpbmm.org.

Causeway Blvd, Mandeville. 5-9pm. Free. 330-4390.

11-15 Summer Theater Camp: Jungle Book. The St. Tammany Art Association presents a summer

northshoremustangclub.com.

16 Outdoor Living Center Grand Opening. Grill

theater camp for ages 6-12. 9:30am-2:30pm.

demonstrations, giveaways and select items on

$185; STAA members, $175. To register, 892-8650.

sale. 1331 N Hwy 190, Covington. 893-8008.

sttammanyartassociation.org.

outdoorlivingcenter.com.

12 The Wines of Northern Rhône. Join Sommelier Bill

I n s i d e N o rt h s i d e

blends from the Côte-Rôtie, Crozes Hermitage and

Summer Show. St. Tammany Art Association, 320

sttammanyartassociation.org.

26

Burkhart to sample Viognier from Condrieu and Syrah

16 Thursdays at Twilight with New Orleans Mystics.

Pavilion of Two Sisters in the Botanical Garden at

23 Bourbon through Bluegrass Event. Cocktails;

City Park, New Orleans. Gates open, 5pm; music

Whiskey Professor Bernie Lubbers’ “Bourbon through

begins, 6pm. $10. (504) 483-9488. garden@nocp.org.

Bluegrass.” Bourbon House, 144 Bourbon St, New

neworleanscitypark.com.

Orleans. $50 plus tax and gratuity. (504) 522-0111.

17 Summer Third Sunday Concert Series. John Rankin.

Christwood Atrium, 100 Christwood Blvd, Covington.

5-6pm. Free. 892-3177.

19-24 Tales of the Cocktail. The industry’s original

bourbonhouse.com.

23 St. Anselm’s 9th Annual Gala “The Jewel of Madisonville”. Food from over 50 area restaurants; live and silent auctions; music by Swing 101; raffle of a

nonprofit cocktail festival. Various New Orleans venues.

2016 GMC Acadia. Castine Center, 63350 Pelican Dr,

For details, (504) 948-0511. talesofthecocktail.com.

Mandeville. Patron party, 6-7pm; gala, 7-11pm. Tickets

20 Friends of City Park Member Appreciation Party.

The Carousel Gardens Amusement Park and Storyland

starting at $55. 845-7342. stanselmmadisonville.org.

23 Thursdays at Twilight with Symphony Chorus of

at New Orleans City Park. Free admission for Friends

New Orleans. Pavilion of Two Sisters in the Botanical

of City Park and raffle ticket holders. (504) 483-9376.

Garden at City Park, New Orleans. Gates open, 5pm;

friendsofcitypark.com.

music begins, 6pm. $10. (504) 483-9488.

21 Yoga with Amy. Bring your own mat. Slidell Library, 555 Robert Blvd. Free. Register at 646-6470. sttammanylibrary.org.

garden@nocp.org. neworleanscitypark.com.

25 7th Annual United Way West St. Tammany Red Beans and Rice Cook-off. Proceeds benefit St.

22-23 Prohibition Tea. Cocktails in tea cups, prohibition

Tammany Suicide Prevention & Crisis Response and

style. Le Salon at Windsor Court, 300 Gravier St, New

the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. St. Scholastica

Orleans. 11am-2pm. $47 per person, plus tax and

Gym, 122 S. Massachusetts St, Covington. 11am-2pm.

gratuity. grillroomneworleans.com/le-salon.

Entry, $75 per team; general admission, $10. 778-0815. >>

July-August 2016 27

Inside Scoop unitedwaysela.org.

27 Book Signing and Lecture with Pamela Tyler. Author of New Orleans Women and the Poydras Home: More Durable than Marble. In conjunction with “Voices of Progress: Twenty Women Who Changed New Orleans.� The Historic New Orleans Collection. 533 Royal St, New Orleans.

Exhibition viewing, 5:30-6pm; program, 7-8pm. Free. (504) 523-4662. hnoc.org.

28-30 FestiGals. FestiGals Girlfriend Getaway Weekend women-centric festival offering a variety of events, seminars and experiences. JW Marriott Hotel, 614 Canal St, New Orleans. 524-1227. festigals.org.

28-31 Big River. Summer Lyric Theater at Tulane University, 104 Dixon Hall, New Orleans. 8pm; Sun, 2pm. (504) 8655269. summerlyric.tulane.edu.

28-31 The Wizard of Oz, Young Performers Edition. Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts, 325 Minor St, Kenner. Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $15. (504) 461-9475. rivertowntheaters.com.

29 Columbia Street Block Party. Classic cars, shops and art galleries open late, live and DJ entertainment, and food and drinks. Downtown Covington. 6:309:30pm. Free. 892-1873. covla.com.

29 Grapes & Grain. Benefiting the Louisiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Craft beers, wine, local restaurants, live music. Castine Center, Pelican Park, 63350 Pelican Dr, Mandeville. 8-11pm.

(504) 455-5194. louisiana.cff.org.

29 Slidell Movie Nights: The Wizard of Oz. Heritage Park, 1701 Bayou Lane.

Free, concessions available for purchase.

Movie starts at 8:30pm. 646-4375. myslidell.com.

August 1 12th Annual United Way East St. Tammany Red Beans and Rice Cookoff. Proceeds benefit St. Tammany 28

I n s i d e N o rt h s i d e

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Response and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Slidell City Auditorium, 2056 Second St. Slidell. 11am-2pm. Entry is $75 per team; general admission, $10. 778-0815. unitedwaysela.org.

1-31 “Remembering Katrina.” Exhibit at Rolland Golden Gallery, 325 E Lockwood St, Covington. Tues-Sat, 11am-6pm or by appointment. 888-6588. rollandgoldengallery.com.

3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 31 Covington Farmers Market. Sat: 609 N. Columbia St, 8am-12pm; Wed: 419 N. New Hampshire St. 10am-2pm. 892-1873. covingtonfarmersmarket.org.

4 Dive-in Movie. Swim in the pool while watching summer thrillers. Themed cocktails, small bites and complimentary popcorn. W French Quarter, 316 Chartres St, New Orleans. Pool opens, 6:30pm; movie begins at sundown. Free. RSVP by emailing wnolarsvp@whotels.com.

4-7 Dinner is Served: Decorative Arts and Dining in the South. The 2016 New Orleans Antiques Forum looks behind the doors of the Southern dining room.

The Historic New Orleans Collection, 533 Royal St, New Orleans. (800) 535-9595. hnoc.org/antiques.htm.

5-20 Disenchanted: the Musical. Cutting Edge Theater, 767 Robert Blvd, Slidell.

649-3727. cuttingedgetheater.com.

6 Northshore Cajun Dance. Performance

by Cobbie Joe. Abita Springs Town Hall, 22161 Level St. Dance lesson, 7-7:30; live music, 8-10:30pm. $8 for members, $10 for non-members. 892-0711. northshorecajundancers.com.

6, 13, 20, 27 Camellia City Farmer’s Market. Griffith Park, 1808 Front St (Hwy. 11), Slidell. Rain or shine. 8am-12pm.

Free. 604-7112. camelliacitymarket.org.

6, 13, 20, 27 Hammond Farmers Market. #2 West Thomas St. 8am-12pm. Free. dddhammond.com.

>>

July-August 2016 29

Inside Scoop 6, 13, 20, 27 Mandeville Trailhead Market.

675 Lafitte St. 9am-1pm. Free. 845-4515. mandevilletrailheadmarket.com.

7, 14, 21, 28 Abita Springs Farmers Market. Live

13 Putting on the Glitz. Benefiting the Professional Women of St. Tammany. Music, food, cocktails and silent auction. Tchefuncta Country Club, 2 Country

townofabitasprings.com.

Club Park, Covington. 7-11pm. Karen Wall, 237-

Boston St, Covington. 892-0025. ballinsltd.com.

12 Northshore’s Finest Luncheon. Honoring the work of Northshore’s Finest to fight Cystic Fibrosis. Tchefuncta Country Club, 2 Pinecrest Dr,

9343.

15-16 Lafayette 148 Fall Trunk Show. Ballin’s Ltd., 806 E. Boston St, Covington. 892-0025. ballinsltd.com.

20 Covington’s White Linen Night. Benefiting the

Covington. 11am-1pm. (504) 455-5194.

Public Art for Covington Fund. Art, music, drinks

louisiana.cff.org.

and shopping. Downtown Covington. 6-9pm.

12 The Wines of Southern Rhône. Blends of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Counoise

covla.com.

20 Northshore Cruise Nights. Hosted by the

from The Rhône. Wines from the Côtes du Rhône,

Northshore Mustang Club. Open to all cars. Door

Vacqueyras and Châteauneuf du Pape. The Grill

prizes, awards, live music. Coscino’s Italian Grill,

Room at Windsor Court, 300 Gravier St, New

1809 N Causeway Blvd, Mandeville. 5-9pm. Free.

Orleans. 6pm. $45 per person plus tax and gratuity. grillroomneworleans.com.

I n s i d e N o rt h s i d e

madisonvilleart@gmail.com.

music. 22049 Main St. Free. 12-4pm. 871-5327.

8 Marisa Fall Trunk Show. Ballin’s Ltd., 806 E.

30

Street. 10am-4pm. 871-4918.

330-4390. northshoremustangclub.com.

20 Viva La Cure: A Night of Hope. Benefits the

13 Madisonville Art Market. Monthly market features

Cancer Association of New Orleans. Fine cuisine,

works by local artists. Tchefuncte River at Water

complimentary spirits, music by Julio & Cesar and

DJ Martin, silent auction. Hampton Inn & Suites-

Fuhrmann Auditorium, Greater Covington Center,

Convention Center Riverside Ballroom, 1201

317 N Jefferson Ave. 8pm. 892-1873. covla.com.

Convention Center Blvd, New Orleans. 7:30-11pm. $75. cagno.org.

20-Sept 24 The Wonderful World of Watercolor.

Works of the Christwood watercolor class.

Christwood Atrium Gallery, 100 Christwood

27 Ultimate Tailgate Party. Auctions, raffle, BBQ competition and live music by Four Unplugged.

Tchefuncte Country Club. Patron party, 6pm; General admission, 7pm. ultimatetailgateparty.org.

29 Columbia Street Block Party. Classic cars,

Blvd, Covington. Free. Opening reception:

shops and art galleries open late, live and DJ

Sat, 4:30pm-6:30pm. Gallery hours, Mon-Fri,

entertainment, food and drinks. Downtown

8:30am-5pm. 892-3177.

Covington. 6:30-9:30pm. Free. 892-1873.

21 Summer Third Sunday Concert Series.

Performance by Encore!. Christwood Atrium,

covla.com.

29 Star Gazing. Pontchartrain Astronomy Society

100 Christwood Blvd, Covington. 5-6pm. Free.

members bring out their personal equipment to

892-3177.

share a star gazing experience. Northlake Nature

26-28 Bogue Chitto Flats: Short Stories from

Center, 23135 US 190, Mandeville. Space limited;

a Southern Town. John Case brings his

reservations required. Center members, free;

popular book, Bogue Chitto Flats, to life on

non-members, $5 donation. 626-1238.

stage. Cutting Edge Theater, 767 Robert Blvd,

rue@northlakenature.org. northlakenature.org.

Slidell. Fri. and Sat., 8pm; Sun., 2pm. 649-3727. cuttingedgetheater.com.

27 An Evening with Danny Kaye. The City of Covington presents An Evening with Danny Kaye.

Send your event information to scoop@insidepub.com to have it featured in an upcoming issue.

IN Other Words

by Becky Slatten FOOTBALL SEASON is always interesting at the Slatten home; we live in a house divided. My husband is a passionate Green Wave fan, and I am fiercely loyal to my LSU Tigers. Some of you youngsters may be thinking, “You call that a rivalry?? They don’t even play each other. Yawn.” But plenty of old-timers may still feel the old stir of hatred: “Go to Hell, (insert LSU or Tulane)!!!”

Though the win/loss record doesn’t necessarily suggest a close competition—69-22-7 in favor of the Tigers— generations of children born to the alumni of these two great schools have been indoctrinated from the cradle to despise the enemy.

My husband was raised to hate LSU just as I was raised to hate Tulane before I even knew what a Tulane was. In the interest of matrimonial harmony, he manages to hide his glee when LSU loses, and I have given up my grudge against Tulane altogether. As I like to tell him, “Who could hate Tulane? They’re adorable— and their new stadium is super cute, too!” Wink, wink.

My pedigree is actually a little muddy on the subject, and it makes for a

completely transferred his loyalties. We have evidence that he supported both schools financially, but he remained a Greenie until his death at 97 years old in 1995. My dad was a fanatical Tiger fan and taught us from an early age that Tulane was bad. We always went to Pop’s house for the LSU/Tulane game, typically an all-day event, and I would roam the neighborhood for hours out of boredom. In 1973, my dad wasn’t in the mood to socialize after the game—LSU lost to Tulane for the first time since 1948, and he was ready to go home and pout. When I finally moseyed on back, I got a swat on the butt, he kicked the tire of his car and was in a boot for a month.

I considered us even.

This old rivalry has a long, glorious history filled with interesting tidbits and traditions. LSU adopted the colors Purple and Gold in 1893 for their very first football game, a matchup with Tulane University of Louisiana.

mildly interesting story…I hope. My great-grandfather, V. L. Roy, received a BS degree from LSU in 1890 and then a MA from Tulane in 1925; he then later served as president of Northwestern State University. My grandfather began his college years at Northwestern but was expelled by his own father for giving a young lady a ride in his car during a rainstorm…unchaperoned. He transferred to LSU to finish his undergraduate degree and then went on to Tulane Medical School, where he

The first LSU football coach, Charles Coates, who also doubled as Dean Emeritus, and Ruff Pleasant, who later became governor, went to a local store, Reymond’s, to buy ribbon to adorn the team’s grey uniforms they pulled together. With Carnival season approaching, there was plenty of purple and gold in stock, but the green had yet to come in so that was that. It’s thought to be the first football game played in Baton Rouge and, sadly, the Tigers lost 34-0.

A House Divided 32 Inside Northside

But this was just the beginning of a decades-long rivalry and the quest for the trophy—a satin flag with both schools’ logo on it and the seal of the state of Louisiana in the center, known as the Tiger Rag in Baton Rouge and the Victory Flag in New Orleans. It’s believed to have been lost in a fire in 1983 while in Tulane’s possession, which I find highly suspicious since that is, coincidentally, the year they dashed LSU’s Orange Bowl hopes with an uncharacteristic victory.

A new flag was purportedly created in a collaborative effort by both schools.

The angry wave came to life in 1964 when Athletic Director Rix Yard commissioned an artist to create a more intimidating mascot for the Green Wave.

I personally love that cranky little wave with his little clenched fists and nasty snarl; he looks so ready to splash the opposition.

Another pivotal moment in Tulane football history happened in 2003 when my husband leaked plans by the administration to disband the school’s football team; the program was going through a dark phase and support for the Wave seemed to be waning. Learning of the plans from a board member (his father), he knew he had to get the word out to the Tulane fans, and the result was a tsunami of protest. The plans were scrapped and the rest is history…a brand new stadium and a program on the upswing. LSU continues to compete at the highest level in a stadium that seats 102,321 of the world’s most loyal and rabid college football fans.

And if, by chance, you’re thinking this journalistic piece seems slightly slanted—well, sometimes it’s good to be the writer. (Geaux Tigers!)

July-August 2016 33

34

Inside Northside

photos: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

Rosemary Beach Getaway

by Leah Draffen

WITH AN ECLECTIC MIX of chic lines and eyecatching colors, this beach getaway has space for family and friends. The exterior welcomes guests with a lush tropical landscape and gardens surrounding the home, which is the largest residential property in Rosemary Beach.

Erin Schaumburg of Eros Home and Clothing worked with the family to create a bright and refreshing atmosphere to replace what was once dark and somewhat gothic. Erin says, “I met the homeowners from St. Louis, Missouri, through a previous client I helped to renovate their home after Katrina. As soon as they saw their dear friends’ home, they wanted me to help. I was happy to take on a new project—especially in such a gorgeous setting. What was originally a decorating project quickly became a full renovation.”

The now-bright white exterior was once dark brown. “It didn’t feel like a beach paradise when we started,” says Erin. “Our ultimate goal was to transform it into an inviting place for the family.”

A slice of the home that Erin wanted to make sure stayed was the intricate mosaic tile in the bathrooms. “I was immediately inspired by the tile when I walked in,” she says. “It is what inspired the rest of the house. They did not love it as first, but once I showed them my vision of lighting it up, they fell in love.”

The master bath’s beautiful blue tile wall contrasts with the freestanding tub and chic bath filler. The calming sand-toned mosaic tile on the bathroom floor leads to a walk-through shower behind the tile wall. A powder room and guest bathroom also boast colorful tile work. “The only tile we removed from the home was in the kitchen, which was a complete gut job,” says Erin.

“The Mexican tile is absolutely beautiful. It automatically >>

July-August 2016 35

was custom made with the exception of the master bed. Overlooking the great room is the new kitchen with a huge island to comfortably seat twelve. The warm tile of the kitchen floor truly adds rich contrast to the cool and clean tones of the cabinets and countertops. It’s a space built for entertaining. >>

photos: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

had a factor of awe that was too great to remove.�

Another awe-factor is the breathtaking great room with espresso tongue-and-grove cathedral ceilings and grand iron chandeliers. The slipcover sofas and chaise were custom made. In fact, every piece of furniture in the home

July-August 2016 37

photos: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

Clockwise from top: A view from the rear garden toward the house; the free-standing tub in the master bath is contrasted with a colorful mosaic tile wall; the downstairs powder room has a unique curved wall of bright mosaic tiles; the calm and serene sleeping quarters; outdoor dining is a pleasure on the screen porch overlooking the pool.

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The children’s rooms feature built-in beds placed strategically in the corner for optimal space to play. The layout did not allow for a bed to be centered, so Erin thought outside the box to create functional beds that could also double as sofas for a “hang-out space.” And when the kids get restless, the pool and back yard provide plenty of room to play and soak up the sun.

So when St. Louis gets too chilly, the family will always

have a warm and sunny rendezvous in Rosemary Beach. “They were the sweetest people to work with,” says Erin. “It was a joy designing this beach getaway for them. I hope it’s the perfect place to enjoy sun, family and friends.”

July-August 2016 39

Wine Cellar

by Bill Kearney

Rosé SUMMER IS LINGERING. The days are longer and certainly hotter. If you are in Southeast Louisiana, in addition to the ever-present heat, you are awarded with the stickiness of humidity. This dynamic duo of weather makes sipping luscious wines like cabernet a bit challenging for my palate. When sitting on the beach, a nice glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape just does not work for many of us.

But alas, the world of wine has found a wonderful solution that is crisp and refreshing. Rosé wines offer a light alternative to other wines, providing a delightful, albeit momentary, reprieve from the heat of summer.

While not necessarily offering the complexities that a chilled glass of Burgundy or chardonnay may offer, rosé is a

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Inside Northside

crowd pleaser that inspires a sense of fun. The pink- or salmon-colored rosé wines are generally very consumer friendly in terms of pricing and are made to be quaffed in their youth. They can also take on colors of peach, grapefruit or mango, depending upon the grape varietals they are derived from as well as the length of time they are in contact with the skins of the grapes.

Rosé wines have likely been around longer than any other wine; the Romans and French have been making them for centuries. An ages-old staple of the European diet, they were generally unappreciated by the American consumer. But, like so much in our society, that has changed drastically. Like other wines, rosé consumption has seen an explosion of popularity here

as we have become the largest wine-consuming country in the world. There are now rosé wines available from many different regions around the world and from numerous varietals, with varying degrees of style and quality. France (primarily the regions of Champagne, Burgundy, Rhône and Provence), Italy, Spain, California and Washington are but some of the areas that produce rosé wine.

In my mind, the French wines of Provence deliver some of the purest, most interesting—and fun—rosé wines. Several producers from Provence in the marketplace represent a great value, exhibiting traits that are soft and floral with a delightful crispness.

Triennes is one of the wonderful Provencal rosés that deliver a wonderful mix of berries and citrus flavors. Many of these wines will suggest a tasteful blend of orange peel and grapefruit, yielding the refreshing taste that we seek during summer months. Clos Alivu Patrimonio and Janasse Principaute d’Orange are value-driven quality rosé wines that deliver endless poolside pleasure.

Two rosé producers seem to ensure a level of quality that can place them in a different price category for their upper-level wines. Domaine Ott creates several different levels of rosé that are all quite nice. Their upper-level wines are not in abundant supply but are worth the investment of time and resources. Chateau d’Esclans is focused on a mission of creating world-class rosé that is simply unparalleled. Fortunately, they produce wines at several different levels, and I would suggest seeking out whichever one meets your desires and pocketbook.

Chateau d’Esclans produces Whispering Angel as an entry level, and it is quite delightful. They also produce Rock Angel, Les Garrus and Les Clans, which occupy a category of super-premium rosés that is without equal. When Sacha Lichin, of world-famous Bordeaux Chateau Prieure-Lichine, purchased Chateau d’Esclans in 2006, he knew he found

wines that were ageworthy. These wines are also Burgundian in style and quality and should be cherished when found. They are wonderful, but rosé is meant to be a fun wine that can be consumed any day of the week for any reason.

Rosé is truly about summer, and it should be consumed with a summer sense of nostalgic enjoyment.

No matter which rosé you choose, as long as you enjoy it, it and life are good.

July-August 2016 41

Two missions a tale of

by Angelle Albright

The modified B-25 bombers used in the Doolittle Raid had less defensive armament and additional fuel tanks in order to make their mission possible.

42

A LESSER-KNOWN EVENT in World War II intersected the lives of two New Orleanians in a most unlikely place after the famous Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in 1942.

Mechanic Robert Bourgeois enlisted in the war, as many from the “Greatest Generation” did. Sr. Celina Seghers was a missionary of the Daughters of Charity. Their chance meeting made both of them heroes as their lives collided in a moment in history that would be inconceivable even by Hollywood standards.

The setting for their meeting was a Vincentian

Inside Northside

mission church in the eastern province of China, a desolate place, pinpointed on U.S. military maps as the location now known for the brutal Japanese ZhejiangJiangxi Campaign.

After Katrina, my father handed me a manila folder filled with newspaper articles and archival papers that documented the journey of his greataunt Celina’s selfless acts that played a role in a horrific genocide that the world knows little about. I knew I was holding on to a piece of history that had to be told. With 2017 being the

75th anniversary of the Tokyo bombings, and after a chance meeting with an old friend, I knew it was time.

The bombardier The hospitality of any New Orleanian runs deep, but in 1942, Lt. Robert Bourgeois never expected to be affectionately greeted on a porch of a Catholic mission in eastern China.

He had just survived the unsurvivable, having parachuted out of a B-25 bomber that was almost certain to become his grave. Fighting

photo courtesy: Daughters of Charity Province of St. Louise, St. Louis, MO

Two New Orleanians meet in a most unlikely circumstance

for his life, injured and shell shocked, he moved blindly through the rugged terrain of the Chinese countryside. He was one of 80 men who selflessly volunteered for the necessary-yetimpossible mission now affectionately referred to as the Doolittle Raid.

Starting with Pearl Harbor, America’s morale and military had been badly bruised by a series of devastating blows, and Japan’s massive army was spread out all over the Far East, conquering everything in its path. The geographic location of their homeland spared them the burden of >>

Above: Sr. Celina Seghers.

July-August 2016 43

Right: Crew 13 photo courtesy: B-25 HISTORY PROJECT

including Lt. Bourgeois, second from right.

having to defend it against the Allies. A frustrated President Roosevelt wanted a swift retaliation.

He had an epiphany, and met with then-Lt. Col. James Doolittle of the U.S Army Air Forces. They conceived an “out of the box” idea that most thought was impossible—a plan to bomb Tokyo that had never been attempted before; even if the bombing proved to be a success, the exit strategy for the airmen was nothing short of bleak—a suicide mission for Doolittle and his men.

Doolittle’s recruitment efforts were surprisingly well received. The mission was strictly voluntary, but every man approached willingly signed up, even though they were kept in the dark about what it entailed—and that they might not return home.

The mission remained a secret all during the long months of training at Eglin Air Force Base. The men were curious about their unorthodox training, but remained steadfast as experts trained them to do the impossible—take off in 500 feet of runway instead of the usual 1,400 feet that a B-25 aircraft needs to get airborne.

Local historian, author and lecturer Ronald Drez, who worked closely with D-Day Museum 44

Inside Northside

creator Stephen Ambrose, knew Lt. Bourgeois and his captivating story very well, and he highlights it in the first chapter of his book Twenty-Five Yards of War, in which he details every aspect of Bourgeois’ personal journey from mechanic to world-famous bombardier. Drez has penned many books on war, but after interviewing scores of veterans, he found himself with “leftover” stories that were remarkable. He says, “After finishing my other books, I had so many other personal stories in my possession. I just couldn’t let them sit there.

I just had to tell their stories.”

Drez says that when Bourgeois and the other volunteers boarded the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Hornet in San Francisco in April, 1942, the men still didn’t know exactly what they had signed up for. Although some had guessed, they only learned the truth when they saw their B-25 bombers being hoisted onto the carrier. Practicing the short

distance take-offs, flying at low altitudes and zeroing in on small targets in the Gulf of Mexico now all made sense. The men had volunteered to bomb Tokyo! A one-way mission to bomb key military targets in Japan.

Despite the success of short-field takeoffs at Eglin, it was not certain that the planes would even get airborne, and there was no plan to get them back. The bombers had been retrofitted to maximize fuel and handle the load of extra gas cans that would ride along with the five-man crew.

The extra cans of fuel would hopefully be enough to make it to a location in eastern coastal China agreed upon by both governments. The air field was nothing more than a grass strip, but lights wouldn’t be necessary as this operation was going to be taking place during the day. For the first time, the men had some hope that they could survive this mission. >>

USS Hornet’s flight deck crowded with B-25 bombers.

July-August 2016 45

The U.S.S. Hornet was still 750 miles away from the target distance when it was spotted by a Japanese patrol boat. The Navy knew they had called in their positions, and the only way to defend the carrier was to get the 16 B-25s off their deck earlier than planned. The weather had turned bad, but the wind and the waves could serve as an aid on takeoff if timed right. Bourgeois watched as Doolittle prepared for a hurried takeoff. The revved engines were screaming loudly as he brought the speed up to full throttle and held the brakes while waiting for the signal from the flagman, who was timing the pitch of the ship against the waves.

As Drez describes in his book, all eyes were on Doolittle as he headed out to the unknown: “The big bomber lurched forward and seemed in slow motion as it gathered speed. The Hornet’s deck was now on the upstroke as she climbed the next wave.

Down the deck ran his plane. Up rose the Hornet’s deck, reaching for the sky as she crested the next wave. Doolittle’s bomber vaulted into the air, lifted by a combination of the spring-boarding deck and

the 30-knot wind.” As he trimmed the plane and went airborne, the confidence of the remaining crews suddenly rose.

Bourgeois was in Crew 13. The twelve planes that took off before his used less of the runway then they had trained for. Just before Bourgeois climbed aboard, he was given last minute intelligence about the location of the carriers they were to hit in the Yokosuka dry-dock.

Leaving earlier than scheduled lengthened the distance to their targets, making the fuel situation even more bleak—if they could even make it to mainland China, the landing would be at night.

Now they understood why they had to fly so low on their final training mission when they departed Eglin Air Force Base and made their way to California to meet the Hornet. As they headed across the sea at top speeds only 25 feet above the crashing waves, the speed of the aircraft was amplified. Drez explains how Bourgeois looked down at the angry sea, recalling the memory of buzzing low over the Texas fields watching

chickens fly over fences beneath them. The crew members waved to each other across the waves as they flew for several hours.

An excerpt from Twenty-Five Yards of War tells how Crew 13 listened intently to Tokyo

Rose over the radio. “She taunted her American listeners with her lilting voice. Her theme was how beautiful it was to live in the land of the cherry blossoms where all the Japanese were free from the dangers of bombing and how wonderful it >>

Navy Captain Marc Mitscher, skipper of the USS Hornet (standing, at left), talks with Lt. Col. James Doolittle.

July-August 2016 47

photo courtesy: Daughters of Charity Province of St. Louise, St. Louis, MO

Sr. Celina, first on back row, in China.

48

was to feel such safety. As they flew on, Tokyo Rose brought her usual variety of music and propaganda. Suddenly, about an hour before they were scheduled to make landfall in Japan, they knew that Jimmy Doolittle had arrived. Tokyo Rose told them. Her voice, which had been so peaceful and content, was now frantic as she announced, ‘We’re being bombed!’ After a few panic-stricken minutes, she went off the air.”

Each crew had its own mission. After they parted ways, Bourgeois’ plane headed towards Yokosuka. According to Drez, as they approached land, they realized they were off course and flying directly over an airfield. They quickly corrected the error and headed toward the coast, but they were now taking on antiaircraft fire. They climbed to 1,500 feet, and as the bomb bay doors opened, Bourgeois could see the aircraft carrier was going to be easy to hit, as the targets he had been practicing on were much smaller. He released the bombs, and the co-pilot said the ships went flying into the air

Inside Northside

as the dock toppled along with the oil tankers and machine shop in a glorious ball of fire.

The mission was a complete success, but now it was time for part two—surviving. Drez explains that the aircraft then turned and headed to China as if it were any other mission. The hour-long flight took on no anti-aircraft fire, but unfortunately, they found themselves flying over a Japanese naval task force with more than 25 ships. The crew made a wise decision to fly low right through the middle of the column, thinking the ships would never risk shooting at each other. The plan worked, but landing at the airstrip in Chuchow was no longer possible; it was now nighttime and a violent storm had enveloped them. They were flying blind in “the soup” and had to climb up to 6,000 feet to avoid the towering mountainous terrain. The Chinese plane that was meant to guide them to the grass landing strip had crashed in the same storm, and now after 13 hours in the air, their engines finally quit, one at a time. With one still sputtering, the

pilot said they had two choices: go down with the plane or get out. The men jumped one by one.

Drez recounts Bourgeois’ experience of the dread they suddenly felt, having to jump into the void after all they had accomplished on this day. They weren’t even sure they were over land. As he was falling into the abyss, he was imagining the worst, but surprisingly, he landed as gently as one could imagine, directly into a rice paddy fertilized with human waste.

Bourgeois said, “Boy, did I stink!” He cut his chute to keep from drowning in the thigh-high muck. As he tried to make his way out, he realized he was on a mountainside that had been carved out into a series of rice paddies that were like steps and quickly thanked God as he realized how close they must have come to crashing into the towering mountains. Exhaustion, fear of the unknown and barking dogs convinced him to wait out the night. Morning brought hope as he smiled at his first Chinese poppy farmer, hoping for a smile back—a sign he was taught would distinguish the locals from the Japanese.

There is beautiful detail in Twenty-Five Yards of War about the overwhelming kindness Bourgeois experienced from the Chinese during his unorthodox visit to their country. He had no idea what he would have to endure, and certainly no idea he was about to meet a friendly face from home.

The missionary The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul of the St. Louis Province worked diligently to help the people of China. The Vincentian Order first went to the Mission of the Miraculous Medal in Joachow, China, in 1923. A civil war forced them out in 1927, and it wasn’t until 1935 that>> July-August 2016 49

they returned. A ship from San Francisco carried a petite, 100-pound, steadfast, courageous nun from New Orleans, Sr. Celina Seghers, my father’s great-aunt. She too, like Bourgeois, was headed on her own blind mission a world away and was photographed sporting her “flying nun” habit as she departed the mainland. In April 1942, Sr. Celina was at the mission in Yukiang, helping to take care of 200 orphan girls.

When I read the stories about Sr. Celina from the documents my father gave me, I was moved in the same way Drez was, knowing I was holding on to a story that needed to be told someday— but when? As fate would have it, my daughter was in a play last year, and my 85-year-old father noticed that one of the cast members had the name Seghers. He reminded me of the story he had put in my hands years before. So I dug it out and contacted the girl’s father, who turned out to be an acquaintance of mine, a well-known Catholic author, speaker and radio host named Jimmy Seghers. I couldn’t believe this man I had long

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admired was my second cousin. What a special day that was when I invited him over to meet my father to reminisce about their family days on Napoleon Avenue across from St. Stephen’s Church. They recalled how much they admired their Aunt Celina and how they learned about the remarkable life she led from newspaper articles and from stories told on the front porch of their childhood homes.

A story from the Daily Quill newspaper in Missouri quotes Sr. Celina as she recalls events following the Doolittle Raid. “Five of the American flyers who had bailed out of their planes dropped right into our yard, and of course we helped them.

The boys who came down in our dooryard, as well as all of the others, lost all of their belongings, and their clothing was torn and soiled. One had even lost his shoes. We gave them all kinds of supplies, including tooth brushes and paste, towels, and numerous other articles, and we washed their soiled clothing and did all we could to make them comfortable.

“I asked them how long they were over Tokyo

doing their bombing and one of them said quickly, ‘five seconds flat.’ They realized their task was a dangerous one and said frankly that they were ‘plain scared.’”

One of the boys was bombardier Lt. Robert Bourgeois of New Orleans, her home town. Both Jimmy Seghers and my father can still recall Sr. Celina telling the story on the family porch on Napoleon Avenue and how utterly excited she was to find that a man from home could wind up in her care in such an unlikely place.

Her joyful tale turned sour as she shared how, soon after the flyers left, the sisters had to flee the mission to escape the Japanese, who were performing atrocities village to village, looking for anyone who had laid eyes on the Tokyo bombers. The priest at the mission had only allowed the flyers to stay one night because of the risk, but the next morning the girls offered the soldiers flowers>>

July-August 2016 51

Top: The first aircraft to depart, piloted by Lt. Col. Doolittle, had only about 450 feet of runway for take off.

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Inside Northside

and sang for them before they rushed away. Sr. Celina spoke of fleeing the mission later with the priest and the other sisters, taking the older orphan girls with them into the mountains, where they hid for months.

They had been relatively safe at their mission, but twice, low-flying Japanese aircraft had bombed and shot aircraft fire around the mission.

They left behind an Italian priest and others, including older women and children, thinking they would be unharmed, but that was not to be. After two months, when the group returned from the mountains, they found that as punishment for the shelter they gave to the American flyers,

the Japanese forces came to steal, rape, murder and burn everything.

Sr. Celina said, “Not even the aged women escaped their brutality.” Three priests were dead, along with a number of other refugees who had fled to the mission to escape harm in other villages. Every man, women, and child at the mission perished.

The genocide that occurred on the people of China after the Doolittle raids is certainly one of the lesser-told stories of WWII. The Japanese were furious about the bombing of Tokyo, but even more so that the Chinese were helping the Americans survive. Sr. Celina told the press that many people didn’t like to hear about the brutality that went on as the killings were horrific, only falling short of cannibalism.

After the raid, Sister Celina and others were ordered to evacuate and make their way back to the United States. She told the St. Louis Post Dispatch upon her return home that they were thankful for the bad weather for the first few weeks, because it provided a shield from the bombers as they began their journey just moments before the Japanese arrived at the mission. By foot, rickshaw, bus and an old truck converted into a bus, the five nuns, three priests and children made their way to an airfield deep in the interior. They met an American pilot who was scheduled to join the American volunteer group the Flying Tigers, and he promised them a ride if they were around when he finally got his orders. The group sat up next to the plane all night to make sure they didn’t miss it. When they arrived, they met American soldiers who offered them coffee and donuts; the rest of their journey began in a jeep that had empty gasoline cans as seats. From there, it was more trains and planes, >> July-August 2016 53

plus a 72-day boat ride—a journey through India to Central America and finally back to the United States. The exhausted, but grateful, group told the media that the Chinese people were undergoing a grave situation and a terrible ordeal. One of the priests, Fr. Yager, told the Dispatch, “The Japanese who take part in the inland expeditions are allowed to run wild. They sweep over the land like a locust swarm.”

After Bourgeois bid Sr. Celina goodbye, he journeyed 40 miles on foot, horse, train, bus and sedan chair to reunite with Doolittle and eight other crews eight days after leaving the U.S.S. Hornet. Each aircraft had hit their target, but with bad weather and fuel running out, most of the men had to parachute to safety. One of the only planes to execute a landing landed in Russia, where the men were taken into captivity. Another crashed into the sea, killing two, and eight other men were taken prisoner by the Japanese.

They were tortured in captivity for nearly two years, during which three were executed, and another died from disease. The rest all eventually made their way back home, but most, like Bourgeois went right back into warfare until America finally ended the war by bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Sr. Celina told the Daily Quill that before heading back to St. Louis for her important work after her long, arduous journey, while visiting her family in New Orleans she had the unusual pleasure of receiving a surprise visit on her front porch from Lt. Bourgeois’ wife. Mrs. Bourgeois wanted to find out about her young husband, who was bombing the Axis in Europe and had not returned home since that fateful day over Tokyo. Lt. Bourgeois’ brother and mother also came along to hear firsthand news of the American fighter.

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Inside Northside

photo courtesy: Daughters of Charity Province of St. Louise, St. Louis, MO

Sr. Celina, fifth from left, in China.

Nearly seven years in the Orient wasn’t enough for Sr. Celina, who insisted on going back to help the people of China. Once it was thought safe, she returned for another two years before finally coming home to the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis, where she spent out the remainder of her years in education. One of the nuns in her convent said, “Sr. Celina Seghers left her heart in China,” as she eulogized her at her funeral after she died from cancer at the age of 66. Lt. Bourgeois’ life was complete and full and loaded with great friends like Ronald Drez, who made sure his story got told. Drez reminisced on his friendship with Bourgeois fondly, and shared how “He was such a down-toearth guy, with a great sense of humor.

The type of guy who looked in the face of doom and gloom and made a choice to get on with his life. He never looked

at his efforts as part of the Doolittle raid as heroic or special; he saw every person involved in the effort as a hero.”

In New Orleans, the front porch is a place of welcoming, a place for storytelling, and a place for social connections that have created communities and friendships far beyond what most people have known.

From a porch in Yukiang, China, to a porch on Napoleon Avenue, Sr. Celina Seghers and Lt. Robert Bourgeois received each other as their life experiences and heroism collided in a story that almost defies time and space. Everyone has a story. Some are told on porches time and again. Some become movies, some go the graves with our ancestors and some lie in manila envelopes in our parents’ attics.

Whether hero or ordinary, each of us has a story worth remembering.

Who will tell your story?

IN the Bookcase

by Terri Schlichenmeyer

Junk

by Alison Stewart

YOU KNOW EXACTLY where you put your glasses. Well, kind of. You remember that you put them down in the kitchen, but then you piled mail, a plastic fork, a magazine and a pair of gloves on them. Your glasses are right where you left them: under other things. And once you read Junk, by Alison Stewart, you’ll see those things differently.

Five decades of stuff. That’s what Stewart and her sister faced when it came time to clear their parents’ home—a mess, the result of “fifty years of life” that filled the entire basement, packed to the ceiling. Why, she wondered, do we hang on to the things we keep? How come we collect some items and toss away others? Why do folks often happily accept other people’s cast-offs? Stewart decided to find out.

To begin, she defines junk as “worthlessness.” Stuff is something you don’t want anymore but someone else might find useful, and treasures “are any stuff or junk that appeals to you.”

A third of us collect something, Stewart says, though professionals “make a

distinction between collectors and clutterers.” Then there are packrats, while hoarders fall under a newly created psychiatric category all their own.

At “a giant 250-mile-long, junka-palooza” rummage sale in the South, Stewart promised herself that she wasn’t going to buy anything, but, of course, she couldn’t resist. In Austin, Texas, she visited The Cathedral of Junk and spoke with the man who created the “creative, chaotic colossus.”

She learned that humans weren’t the only creatures to be inveterate collectors.

In several different cities, Stewart rode shotgun with junk collectors, clean-up crews, and haulers, to get a feel for the kind of things people throw out and what’s done with it. She met the World’s First Official Spammer; she learned why we get so much “junk mail”; she asked about space junk; spoke with professional clutterfighters and “freecyclers”; talked with TV producers about pawn stores and picking; and she learned some good

news: if you have just too much stuff, there’s plenty of help available.

When it comes to possessions, are you downsizing—or oversized?

Whichever direction you’re heading, Junk can help you spot the bigger picture. It’s hard not to look around with a critical eye when you see what author Alison Stewart discovered; why you’ve saved tchotchkes from high school, broken tools, plastic silverware, and unfinished projects will never seem so puzzling. And then, turning things around, we get a serious (yet lighthearted) look at other people’s junk, how it’s tossed and where it goes once it’s gone.

In that, Stewart is respectful and doesn’t pick on anyone, but who can resist peeking? Who doesn’t want to see a happy ending to still-useful things?

Yes, this is interesting … um, stuff.

This is not a self-help book. It won’t tell you how to empty your crammed closets, busting basements, glutted garages or stuffed sheds, but it’s engaging and plenty fun to read— which makes Junk a great book to put in your hands.

July-August 2016 57

IS IT POSSIBLE to walk in someone else’s shoes?

Inside Northside has once again partnered with Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. to sponsor Northshore’s Finest, a program that brings together outstanding local professionals to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Since 2010, the program has encouraged honorees to devote their time and talent to make a difference in the community. The program focuses on educating these movers and shakers so they can make others around them aware of cystic fibrosis, advances in care and the need for funding to close the gap. Pairing the new volunteers with patients and their families allows them a chance to “walk in the shoes” of those affected by CF. Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that causes consistent lung infections, progressively limiting one’s ability to breathe. The advancements being made in research supported by the Northshore’s Finest program are helping to bring new treatments and drugs to the market that are extending people’s lives and bringing us one step closer to a cure.

The Northshore’s Finest honorees will learn what it is like for families in the area living with cystic fibrosis, raise money to reach their $75,000 goal, help throw an amazing Grapes & Grain event at the Castine Center on July 29 and be honored at a luncheon at Tchefuncta Country Club on August 12.

The 16 honorees of 2016 were captured by photographer Eric Suhre at Armbruster Artworks in Covington. Here they share with us their motivation for taking part in the program, their love of community and their hopes for this year’s success.

For more information, call Cassie Schwartzmann at (504) 455-5194 or visit louisiana.cff.org.

Sarah Witlow of Witlow EPC

Timothy Keller of Latter & Blum Inc. Realtors

“I have a friend whose brother had CF. He had a lung transplant, went into rejection and

“What really caught my attention was how underfunded the research

passed away in January of last year. I have experienced the pain this disease causes, so

for a cure for CF is—that larger pharmaceutical companies don’t really

when I learned what Northshore’s Finest was for, I was very interested. One of the most

pay attention because there is no money to be made in it. That is where

difficult things that I have found about trying to explain CF to others is that outwardly you

organizations like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and programs like

don’t look sick yet are constantly in and out of the hospital. I am looking forward to the

Northshore’s Finest can really come into play and make a difference for

opportunity to spread awareness of CF and the goals of the CF Foundation.”

people living with CF.”

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Inside Northside

Inside Northside and Hornbeck Offshore proudly present

Northshore’s

Finest Chad Gustafson of Grand

Christina Traylor Rusca

Jennifer Pellegrin

Family Dentistry

of American Bank & Trust

of Gulf Coast Bank

photo: ERIC SUHRE

“They are making advancements. They

“I find the concept of

“I have learned that many

still have a long way to go, but they are

Northshore’s Finest inspiring,

of my understandings

making advancements. I used to work in a

hand-selecting people who

about CF were wrong. I

lab before I went to dental school. Seeing

are already involved in the

had several misconceptions

that side of it, all the time and effort that

community and tapping into their

about the disease. This

goes into these projects, how much work

networking abilities and talents

made me realize how

is involved—it doesn’t happen overnight.

for use in the pursuit of a greater

important it is to talk about

There are a lot of people out there

cause. I think that it is a great

what’s actually true about

working everyday to find a way, and that

way to utilize the strengths of our

the condition.”

is what we are here to support.”

community.”

July-August 2016 59

Brian Michael Cook

Leslie Landry of Mary

Kelly Blackwell of

St. Tammany

of Hornbeck Offshore

Bird Perkins Cancer Center

Home Bank

Parish Hospital

“Listening to the stories of

at St. Tammany Parish

“One of my best friends lost

“I think I am always shocked

these families at the kickoff

Hospital

a brother to CF just a few

to hear about how difficult life

party—particularly hearing Eric

“For me, it is inspiring to know

years ago, so I have seen what

with CF can be, but it is getting

Suhre (we are about the same

that by working with the CF

it does to families. When I

better through new protocols

age) telling about growing up

foundation we are affecting

learned about Northshore’s

and drugs that are coming on

teetering on that line of life

real change for these families,

Finest, I was definitely on

the market. I constantly find

expectancy for someone with

bringing us closer to finding a

board. I really enjoyed our

myself telling everyone about

CF and trying to empathize

cure. It is exciting to be a part

kickoff party because they

it. And that is the power in

with what that is like—was

of real change in these families

had the families talk to us. It

a program like Northshore’s

extremely touching and

lives, seeing new drugs coming

was interesting to learn that

Finest; spreading the message

motivating for me.”

out and knowing that there are

there is a variety of strands,

other treatments on the horizon

that the fact that there are so

that will help kids and families

many different variations of this

that I have met along the way.”

disease makes it difficult to find

is at the core.”

over-arching solutions.”

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Inside Northside

photo: ERIC SUHRE

Amanda Paxton of

Core Meals is your connection to healthy, convenient, affordable and delicious meals. In today’s fast paced environment, healthy eating has become much more difficult to manage. People have little time to cook meals - especially healthy meals. What you eat and how it is prepared matters. A poor quality diet can contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. Whether you have a medical condition which requires a restricted diet, you want to lose weight, or you just want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, Core Meals is here to help you accomplish your goals. Our meals are prepared in our commercial kitchen under the direction of our award winning chef. Core Meals offers individual meal options as well as 6 meal programs and 12 meal programs to fit your needs and your schedule. All nutritional facts are listed on the meal containers, so that you know the calories, and other important factors to help you reach your goals. Our goal is to provide the flexibility for you to accommodate your lifestyle.

If you are looking to make a positive change in your eating habits Core Meals is the perfect choice!

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Inside Northside

photo: ERIC SUHRE

Chris Cali of Gallo

Hope Clay of Pure Barre

Michael Bazile of

Jason Wong of Cate

Mechanical LLC

“Being able to help others and bring

Northwestern Mutual

Street Seafood Station in

“Having the opportunity to

awareness to the cause is incredibly

“We are trying to be more aware,

Hammond and The Boston

meet these families where

rewarding. Speaking honestly, we

make others more aware. It has

Restaurant in Amite

either a parent or a child

know that without funding there is

been a complete eye-opener for me

“We have been a suppler for

is living with CF has been

no research, and without research,

to hear about what these families

the Grapes and Grain event for

inspiring. As a father myself, it

no advancements can be made. It

are going through and how they

several years, and so when the

is hard to imagine what they

is important that we can continually

must adjust their life, overcoming

opportunity came up my wife

must be going through.”

bring awareness to the work of the

whatever is facing them. I’m excited

encouraged me to get involved.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation so that real

to do whatever I can. I am here

Any small way we can work to

change can take place.”

to make an impact. That’s why I

find a cure, or just to alleviate

chose my career path—because I

pain for families struggling with

wanted to make an impact in my

CF, I want to help.”

community.”

July-August 2016 63

Liza Ledet of Mandeville Animal

Max Ferran of DonahueFavret

“Early in my career, I had the opportunity for five

Hospital

Contractors Inc.

years to work with kids with a range of disorders,

“It was interesting to learn that there are only

“I have been surprised to learn about the

and it changes your life—it really does. When

30,000 people in the country affected by CF. That

advances that have been made in the treatment

I realized that I’m blessed by everything I have,

low profile can be a challenge to the research

of CF over the last few years—the ability for

I decided I needed to figure out a way to help

funding needs. Through the Cystic Fibrosis

people to prolong their lives. With treatments

others. To know that this is is an opportunity to

Foundation-funded research, the survival rate has

changing as quickly as they are, there is a lot

help families in our community? I’m right where

increased. As a medical professional, I was very

of hope. I didn’t realize that they were making

I need to be. I am looking forward to putting

interested in learning more about the process of

advancements so quickly; this makes me feel like

a smile on someone’s face, because that is

disease itself. I’m glad to help.”

I can truly make an impact, that it is certainly a

ultimately what it comes down to for me—no matter what it takes.”

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Inside Northside

cause worth supporting.”

photo: ERIC SUHRE

Joey Roberts of YMCA

At the Table

by Tom Fitzmorris

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Inside Northside

DESPITE THE FAMOUS Louis Armstrong’s famous jazz tune Struttin’ With Some Barbecue, barbecue was a long time coming to the New Orleans area. And when lovers of that smoky, spicy range of American eating were finally able to find it around town, they were ready to go after it. Soon it seemed as if barbecue joints were opening every week.

Meanwhile, barbecue was also starting to bud on the northshore. Abita Barbecue and Sweet Daddy’s were the first serious practitioners. And although you could not call Pat Gallagher’s restaurants barbecue joints, he had become pretty famous for his ribs.

Still, the slow pace of barbecue restaurant openings was puzzling to me. Barbecue seemed like the kind of the thing that would be a natural for the northshore, with our nice, big lawns where we could

Hansell, the owner and chef of the imaginative Ox Lot 9, the restaurant of the historic Southern Hotel in downtown Covington.

A few months ago, Jeffrey opened a new barbecue specialist called Smoke. It looks like a twice-size trailer, because barbecue restaurants are not considered authentic if they have any element of sophisticated design. The best barbecue places I’ve found are the ones that appear to have been randomly dropped off in their locations.

Indeed, everything about barbecue is rustic. The only things that matter are the quality of the meats, the number of hours that the meat is trapped in a smoking pit, how humid the inside of the pit is kept and the dry seasoning rub. In all these ways, Smoke excels. The brisket, pulled pork and ribs are all

fire up big pits billowing with smoke, fill tubs with ice and beer and stretch out on chaise longues, listening to country music on the backyard speakers and making our fingers peppery and sticky with sauce.

I learned a lot when, for a few weekends in the 1990s, I smoked 750 pounds of brisket at the annual Festival of the Lake at Our Lady of the Lake School.

A dozen friends stayed busy for three days loading and unloading an enormous pit that had to be towed in by a big pickup truck. It was as much fun as it was work, since almost everybody working the booth had sons in the same Boy Scout troop.

I am not kidding. Seven-hundred-fifty pounds of brisket. And about a third that much in pork shoulders. If I say so myself, it was pretty good.

Among the other guys I was working with, everybody had his own special tricks. This is an essential element of great barbecue.

But this is why there aren’t many restaurants specializing in barbecue in St. Tammany Parish.

It’s hard to sell a product when all the potential customers are themselves masters of the art.

But there’s a new force in the arena. For some reason, chefs with major, serious restaurants have decided that they haven’t really shown off their cooking abilities until they open a barbecue joint.

The most outstanding example of this is Jeffrey

superior. The sides are of less consequence, but they give those a good deal of attention, too. Example: hand-cut french fries.

Serious barbecue practitioners will tell you that the barbecue sauce is the least important part of barbecue. But Smoke has that pretty well covered, too, with several of the classic varieties. And that untoasted slice of white bread that accompanies barbecue platters across the South is on all of Smoke’s platters, too.

The other northshore vendors of good barbecue are a bit more mainstream. Some are even parts of chains. I’m no fan of chain restaurants, but since the formula for excellent barbecue is pretty simple, some chains do well. Dickey’s, with locations in Slidell and in the River Chase shopping center in Covington, is a branch of a large group of barbecue shops that started outside of Dallas in 1941. Closer to home is VooDoo barbecue, which handles ribs and chicken especially well and has six different house-made sauces.

Among the local barbecue operations, two have been around for over 20 years. Abita BBQ began in a corner of a Shell gas station and impressed enough >>

illustration: GRETCHEN ARMBRUSTER

Barbecue on the Northshore

July-August 2016 67

people to move after a couple of years to its present spot between I-12 and Abita Springs. And Sweet Daddy’s began in Mandeville, later opening a second location in Covington. That one not only survived but was recently taken over by new owners who know their way around a pit. It’s better now than it’s ever been.

Abita Barbecue. Abita Springs: 69399 LA Hwy 59. 892-0205.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. Covington: 69292 LA21. 871-2225.

Slidell: 61103 Airport Rd. 985-720-0070.

Sweet Daddy’s. Covington: 420 S Tyler.

898-2166.

Smoke. Covington: 1005 North Collins Blvd. 302-5307.

VooDoo BBQ. Mandeville: 2999 Highway 190. 629-2021.

As noted earlier, everybody who cooks barbecue has his own way of doing it and believes that way is the best there is, was, and ever shall be. Here’s mine—but I’m still working on it.

PULLED BARBECUED PORK SHOULDER Serves four to eight per shoulder.

The cut you want for this is pork shoulder (also known as “Boston butt”), with a strong preference for bone-in.

Pork shoulder is very tough if you try to cook it quickly, but responds with a wonderful texture and flavor if it’s smoked slowly. The expression “pulled” means that the meat is not sliced but torn from the bone. In the case of pork shoulder, it comes off in lovely long 68

Inside Northside

morsels, perfect for sandwiches and not at all bad for a platter. Tongs are the usual tool for pulling the meat from the bone, but you can sometimes do it with a fork. On the other hand, even in Memphis—where this is the primary barbecue meat—lots of famous places chop it. That’s considered a no-no among barbecue fanatics.

Under no circumstances should barbecue sauce touch this until the pork is completely cooked. Unless you like a burned-sugar taste.

Whole pork shoulders (Boston butt), as many as you want and will fit on the grill Marinade, per shoulder:

2 cloves garlic, puréed

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp. Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce

Barbecue dry rub (recipe below) Creole barbecue sauce

1. A few hours before you start cooking (or the night before), cut the skin (if any) off the pork shoulder. Don’t trim any more fat than what comes off with the skin. Brush the outside with the marinade.

2. Start a charcoal fire in your pit, with all the charcoal on one side of the grate. If you’re using wood chips (which you will have to if using gas), wrap them in heavy aluminum foil and punch a few holes in the resulting packet.

3. Brush the shoulder with the marinade, then coat with a thick coating of dry rub. Place it as far away from the fire as you can, and drape a sheet of aluminum foil down to prevent direct heat from hitting the meat. Top the fire with the smoking wood. Put a pan of water over the fire and close the cover.

4. Maintain a temperature of about

175-200 degrees in the pit, adding fuel, wood and water as needed. After four hours, check the internal temperature by inserting a meat thermometer (without touching bone). You want to ultimately see 170 degrees, but if all goes well it won’t get there for at least six hours. The longer it’s in there, the better. Eight or ten or twelve hours is fine, as long as the pork isn’t drying out.

5. But don’t look at the clock.

It’s ready when you can pull the meat from the bone with tongs. When that happens, remove it from the pit, let it rest for about 10 minutes, then pull away. Serve with your best barbecue sauce on the side.

BARBECUE DRY RUB FOR MEATS This is the stuff I use to coat (liberally) every meat I smoke or barbecue. There’s only one variation: for pork shoulders and ribs, I add brown sugar to the mix. I leave that out for briskets.

1 cup granulated onion 1/4 cup granulated garlic 2 1/2 cups salt 1/2 cup black pepper 2 Tbs. white pepper 3 Tbs. cayenne 2 Tbs. dried marjoram 1 Tbs. dried thyme 1/4 cup paprika 1/4 cup chili powder 2 Tbs. cumin 1 Tbs. dry mustard 1 Tbs. cinnamon 1 Tbs. turmeric 1 cup dark brown sugar (for pork only)

Blend all the ingredients in a big jar with a tight cap.

Sculpting Windows into Souls a r ti st J e d M a l i tz

by Karen B. Gibbs

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Inside Northside

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

JED MALITZ DOESN’T CONSIDER himself an inventor. But he is. He tries to explain away his talent, saying it’s simply a marriage of computer skills and 3D photography. But it isn’t. Jed Malitz is a genius—a visionary—whose artistic innovation is intrinsically connected to his spiritual metamorphosis.

As a child growing up in Boulder, Colorado, Malitz limited his art to pen and pencil—eschewing color and crayons.

Spiritually, his family was just as colorless.

Although they identified themselves as Reform Jew, the truth is, his parents and brother were closer to being atheist. There was little mention of a deity in their home.

“I’ve always felt as if there were something missing,” he says, “a hole inside of me.” As a young man, his work couldn’t fill the void. As a biotechnology computing specialist on the West Coast, he was dedicated to his job but never enjoyed it. “It was only a means to a paycheck,” he admits. But it did put him in the right place at the right time.

While on assignment in Seattle, he met his soulmate and future wife, Sophia Omoro. “She was the most exquisitely beautiful woman I’d ever seen,” he recalls. She was in a bookstore reading about robotic surgery. Considering himself savvy in the field, he proceeded to explain it to her. To his embarrassment, she told him she was a doctor and, yes, she was quite familiar with the subject. They chatted.

He gave her his phone number, and she stole his heart.

After Katrina struck, she returned to New Orleans to complete her residency. Jed accompanied her. Working remotely in IT consulting for clients in Seattle, he was always on call. “My resentment toward my job grew,” he says, “but that didn’t dampen my desire to be creative.”

Channeling his artistic talent, Jed began working on a series using some of his favorite photos. Printed on brushed aluminum, No One’s Ark features a nautical image that blends

seamlessly with the metal. There is no horizon, no sky, no water. All were taken out of the picture via digital editing. “If you stand back and look, you can almost see the horizon. Your imagination fills it in,” Jed explains. Another work, Life on Mars uses a photo Jed had taken that originally featured hundreds of birds standing together. Removing most of the birds, he left only a line of pelicans on a sandspit. He then colorized their reflection in red tones, hence the reference to the red planet.

44 of You is a sculptural wall panel featuring 43 polished stainless steel ball bearings of various sizes floating on a background of torched acrylic resin. They reflect the viewer’s face. Jed enjoys it when visitors, thinking he miscounted, point out that there are only 43. Jed shows them their reflection in the shiny acrylic background.

There really are 44.

For a few years, Jed did well balancing his work with his artistic endeavors. Then something happened that changed his life forever.

In mid-2010, Jed had a surreal dream—a dream with human forms made of floating ribbons. It so captivated him that he began a quest to recreate these ribbon-like forms in art. For six months, he tried to reproduce the flowing bodies using his computer savvy and artistic abilities, but to no avail. “I figured it was too difficult, so I gave up on the dream.” But the dream didn’t give up on him.

A year later, the ethereal figures reappeared in another dream, igniting in the artist an unquenchable desire to bring this dream to life. “It’s all I thought about,” he says, his eyes twinkling, his voice enthusiastic. When he told Sophia he wanted to quit his job to create the human forms of floating ribbons, she replied whole-heartedly, “So DO it!”

Free from the constraints of his former job, Jed worked relentlessly on the project.

“The table was covered with papers filled with calculations and figures,” says Sophia. Despite >>

July-August 2016 71

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

This art would not have been possible 10 years ago. Some of the actual machines and technology did not yet exist.

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the clutter, she loved her husband’s newfound enthusiasm and marveled at the spark this quest had ignited in him.

“Once Jed figured out how to physically reproduce the dream, he went from concept to production,” says Sophia. “He didn’t even make a prototype.” Instead, he worked off of 3D scans of a live model, namely Sophia. She’d been a runway and photo model during her school years, so she was perfect for the job.

“Sophia can impart meaning to every minute part of her body,” says Jed, “even to the way she holds her fingers.”

Deflecting the compliment, Sophia says candidly, “I was cheap labor.”

Thus, Jed began work on his Windows into Souls collection. In this series, he depicts not only the outer image of a person, but more importantly, the person’s essence, the soul.

For his first sculpture, Siren, he told Sophia that he wanted her to portray an innocent young girl sweetly trying to cajole her father into giving her something she wants. After assuming a number of

Inside Northside

poses, Sophia lifted her chin and drew her hands behind her back. That was the pose Jed had been waiting for. He instructed her to step forward in trust and love towards the person she was approaching.

Jed began taking 3D photos, moving slowly around her as she stood perfectly still. “I held that pose for 15 minutes,” Sophia recalls. “I couldn’t move. It was extraordinarily difficult to stay still that long while maintaining all my weight on my front foot.”

After piecing together 3D images taken from many angles and correcting for movement, Jed compiled a 3D image of Siren. He was ready to create her and chose glass sculpture as his medium. Using as his canvas 13 parallel glass panels, each 4-feet high and 3/8-inch thick, Jed computed the exact shape and position of a series of curved cut-outs for each pane. He envisioned that, once aligned and illuminated from above, these shapes would reveal a modern figure of Siren—one that would resemble a topological map with its layered series of concentric shapes. Pushing the limits of glass sculpture, Jed sculpted the glass to redirect light in a way that would create an alternate perspective of the figure resembling a hologram, thus revealing her soul.

In August 2012, a little more than two years after dreaming of the ribbon-like human forms, Jed completed Siren.

Jed then focused his energy on the next sculpture, Vixen. Featuring a woman in a very controlled pose akin to the camel pose in yoga, it reflects the artist’s appreciation of the beauty of a woman’s form. Visitors have often said that they see in the sculpture a seated lioness, looking forward. Ironically, this is an unintended but beautiful aberration in the artwork.

Jed named his third sculpture Serenity because it portrays peace and calm. In this piece, the figure is hugging her drawn-up legs, resting her chin on her knee. “She is folded up on herself,” he says, “suggesting calmness with a bit of vulnerability.” Having completed three sculptures for Windows into Souls, Jed was ready to stretch his talents.

Wanting to further develop this art form, Jed envisioned a bigger and bolder sculpture depicting the Crucifixion.

Since it would be much larger than the first three (over 10 feet in height), sizerelated complications were inevitable. To help identify and solve those problems, Jed sculpted a transition piece using 6-foot panels of glass. He entitled it, Ascent through the Glass Ceiling.

“This is my first sculpture with a statement,” says Jed. “Through it, I pay tribute to women like Sophia who overcome limitations and are powerful yet feminine.” Standing next to the impressive sculpture, he points out telling details. He calls attention to the subject’s bare feet, symbols of her roots in poverty. He notes her fashionable dress—a reference to femininity—and the way she hikes up its train for her >> July-August 2016 73

climb—demonstrating her ability to retain her identity as she climbs to success. While one foot is on the first step, the other foot is inches short of the next step, but she doesn’t care. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, she stretches her body, draws upon all her strength and grabs the rung of the ladder to pull herself up and ascend through the glass ceiling.

Eight months in the making, Ascent through the Glass Ceiling required consulting with engineers and fabricators and endless program and design modifications. But the results were stellar. “It’s the first time we have three-dimensionally cut glass of this scale,” says Jed. “That allowed me to sculpt a figure whose form and contours flow from one panel to the next. When people tell me they’ve never seen anything like this in their life, that’s my homerun!” he beams.

If that’s a homerun, then the Crucifixion, the Hidden Face of God, has to be a grand slam, both artistically and spiritually. “Something in Jed’s heart was pushing him to this project,” comments Sophia. “In preparation for this work, he read the Bible for the first time in his life, from Genesis to Revelation. I noticed a change in him as soon as he read the story of Jesus’ birth. It was a victory, a confirmation of his deeply spiritual nature.”

With Jed’s new faith came renewed passion for the Crucifixion sculpture.

He sculpted 21 parallel panels of glass, precisely refining the angles of each cut so that, when viewed from the front, the sculpture shows an abstract rendering of Jesus crucified. There is no face except the one that is imagined.

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however, the sculpture reveals an unbelievably realistic image of Christ that details the individual thorns on His head, His lowered eyes, His bearded face. Here, the hidden face of God is exquisitely visible, yet it is not actually there. “It is sculpted light; it’s nothing you can touch or feel,” Jed explains.

Philip Braun, a freelance director of photography, appreciates the technology of the sculpture. “In my line of work, I use light to reveal beauty in my subjects.

Jed uses light to actually create beauty.

When the lights are turned off, the image disappears.”

“The process is incredible,” says Peter Finney, longtime editor of the Clarion Herald newspaper for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. “The way Jesus seems to come to life is amazing.

I was stunned to see the side detail and 3D quality of the sculpture.”

Brian Butler, executive director of Dumb Ox Ministries, has viewed the sculpture many times. “I was overwhelmed by the understated boldness of it. As I sat with it, I asked myself, ‘What did Jesus want to show me about His face? What was the story of the Hidden Face of God?’” Some say Jed Malitz preaches without saying a word. To that he replies, “He is the message. I am just a vehicle. As people, we experience a million distractions at one time. I want to tap into the distraction and expose people to spirituality. He made us so we can filter through the noise and find Him.” For more information, call 773-0458; email glasshuman@jedmalitzv2.com; visit jedmalitzv2.com; or stop by Jed Malitz V2 Gallery at 615 Julia St., New Orleans.

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

The sculpture stands in stark contrast with the art around it.

Its image is vague yet undeniable—the figure of a crucified man, His shape insinuated by a series of curving cutouts in glass, textured contours that reflect, refract, come alive with light from above.

Light from above...mystical symbolism…it draws me in…teases my mind. I search for His face. It’s got to be there. It’s supposed to be there. But I don’t see it.

“Stand here,” the artist beckons, directing me to the side of the sculpture. “Look,” he says reverently. His words seem like a prayer and my compliance, an amen.

So I look. And I stand in awe as the face of Christ comes alive. His head is downturned, bowed beneath a crown of thorns, His eyes lowered, His lips slightly parted. I see the detail of His beard. His pierced side.

“I call it The Hidden Face of God,” the artist says softly.

And at that moment, his gallery becomes a chapel.

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Generous Hearts

by Susan H. Bonnett

The Science Behind Selflessness

Covington High School students finishing trim work for two Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West homes in Covington.

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THE ORIGIN OF PHILANTHROPY—the desire to promote the welfare of others—is something of an enigma. Our understanding of the philanthropic behavior of human beings has long been something we can’t quite put our finger on, but one that intrigues us at the Northshore Community Foundation to no end. Social scientists and behavioral economists study the reasons why people make philanthropic contributions in the first place and attempt to dissect the complex factors that influence why people give for the sake of generosity.

Researchers who study such things puzzle over why we humans aren’t entirely selfish. If, as evolutionary biology suggests, the goal of life is to reproduce, then all of our resources should be kept for ourselves and our progeny, with acts of altruism

Inside Northside

standing outside of the norm. And yet, concern for the welfare of others is a core virtue in most societies—and in our community in particular.

On the northshore, we have some of the most magnanimous and generous individuals, families and businesses in the entire region. From the St. Tammany Humane Society and Covington Food Bank to Habitat for Humanity—there is no shortage of healthy nonprofits in our area with devout contributors. But why is that?

People, it turns out, are often eager to cooperate and will often go to great lengths to help those in need—especially for a common cause. This rosy picture of human nature is a welcome change from the popular view that our species is inherently egocentric.

Your local community foundation has moved

$26 million in philanthropic fuel through its coffers since opening its doors nine years ago. That’s a lot of local giving. In the United States, roughly 74 percent of people donate to a charity or cause annually, but conversely, give only an average of 4 percent of their household income. As a whole, we are not entirely generous nor entirely selfish—so what motivates one person to give and another to hoard?

These variations in giving habits lead to questions of why people give and what external factors influence this giving.

WHAT MAKES US GIVE Many factors affect these decisions for you, me and our neighbors, but social factors turn out to be the most crucial. For example, people are more likely to donate if they are told that many others are also donating.

Similarly, repeat givers will increase or decrease their donations if told that others gave less or more, according to American Economic Review.

Endless additional factors impact this “to give or not to give” mentality.

Some people donate because it gives them the “warm and fuzzies” and genuinely feel good seeing others do well. Others give because of the direct social pressure of not giving when others around them are. Still, some people’s focus when it comes to philanthropy is on their reputation, feeling that giving can bring status and access to higher rungs of the social ladder. Many times, impulse giving can be driven by a certain need being presented in a way that speaks to the giver on a personal level.

HOW GIVING IS MEASURED The social ramifications of giving, such as the boost to an individual’s >> July-August 2016 77

Arabella Gerald, a hippotherapy client, working with volunteer Sue Yancey at New Heights Therapy Center.

social status when a donation is made public, or the social pressure that comes from telling people that others have donated, can be enormous motivators. To investigate this, economists and social scientists use field experiments that test how different factors affect people’s actual giving behavior in a variety of situations.

One experiment used a voluntary participation plan presented to apartment dwellers. To prevent electricity blackouts, they asked residents to voluntarily choose to turn their air conditioning off during times of peak demand. The team found residents were three times as likely to 78

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sign up to the plan if the sign-up sheet included their name and apartment number, instead of an anonymous ID. The key, it seemed, was that others could see if they had chosen to cooperate.

Another experiment explored how the social pressures in these situations can be remarkably subtle and yet still be effective. For example, a poster of watchful eyes near an honor-system snack bar significantly increases honest compliance, compared with, let’s say, a poster of the Mandeville Lakefront.

GUT RESPONSE People tend to rely more on their own social learning rather than

Dennis Boushie, a volunteer, working in distribution at the Covington Food Bank.

a rational calculation when deciding whether to give of their time or money. Emotion wins out over math.

However, where these different patterns of behavior arise in individuals is far from clear. It is thought that this behavior is heavily influenced by a person’s early environment—if a child grows up seeing that cooperation is the norm, his or her gut response will be to cooperate. But the opposite behavior can win out in an environment where cooperation is not so common.

Ongoing studies of children shed light on how factors early in life determine a person’s future giving behavior and benevolence.

So what is the takeaway from all of this research? Mainly that we have a lot to learn about what motivates an individual’s inclination towards philanthropy. But one piece is abundantly clear: If we want our children to grow up in a world of compassion, altruism and generosity, then we need to make sure that they grow up RIGHT NOW in a family, neighborhood and community that holds these modeled values in high esteem.

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1. Hand-crafted and -painted burlap door hanger. Personalization available, $35. Water Street Wreaths, Madisonville, 792-7979.

2. The Urbanjet, Fanimation’s newest portable retro fan, available in a variety of colors; Mini Breeze brushed nickel fan uses USB port for desktop use. Pine Grove Lighting and Electrical

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Supply, Mandeville, 893-4003. 3. Buglet is an essential oil-diffusing, reusable, slap-on bracelet that helps repel mosquitoes and other bugs, $20. Olive Patch, Covington, 327-5572.

4. Seasonal arrangements starting at $65.

Florist of Covington, 892-7701. 5. Throughbred Country, 16” x 22” original lithograph, $400 unframed. Rolland Golden Gallery, Covington, 888-6588. 6. Bronze

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dachshund trophy, $39. deCoeur, Covington, 809-3244. 7. High-quality antique rug-upholstered bench/ottoman, available in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Rug Chic, Mandeville, 674-1070.

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1. Swell insulated bottles, in assorted colors, from $25 to $45. mĂŠlange by kp, Mandeville, 8077658. 2. Aqua pattern melamine salad bowl, $36.; salad servers, $10.50. Gild Home DĂŠcor, Mandeville, 629-4002.

3. Antique French mirror finished in champagne silver leaf, $3,900.

Rivers Spencer Interiors, New Orleans, 609-2436. 4. Six-drawer lingerie chest with swivel base, fulllength mirror on the back, mirrored drawer fronts with V-grooved pattern. American Factory Direct, Mandeville, 871-0300. 5. Alhambra hand-painted ceramic garden torch, $69. Outdoor Living Center, Covington, 893-8008.

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Flourishes

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5 1. Personalized monogrammed Matouk pillow sham. Hestia Luxury in Linens, Covington, 893-0490.

2. One-of-a-kind Verona Prive stone art bowl made of a rare form of onyx. Platters start at $275; bowls start at $325. Arabella Fine Gifts and Home DĂŠcor, Mandeville, 727-9787.

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3. Nest candle in Blue Garden scent, $40. The Oasis Day Spa, Mandeville, 624-6772. 4. Archipelago Botanicals body products, starting at $15.95.

Earthsavers, Mandeville, 674-1133.

5. Large 34� victory angel, $395.

The French Mix, Covington, 8093152. 6. Hand-glazed ceramic wine chiller, $95. Niche Modern Home, Mandeville, 624-4045.

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by Susan Currie

fresh summer style IT’S TIME TO LIGHTEN and brighten your home with fresh colors like sunny yellow hues, bright oranges and blues that remind you of the sun, sand and water! Don’t forget to mix these with white or off-white to achieve the perfect summer look.

How about slipcovers—a Southern tradition that always seems to stay in style? Selecting lighter slipcover fabric for some of your upholstered pieces is another great way to freshen up your home for the season!

Add summer color with a fresh coat of paint and citrus-colored art and accessories Paint is a very costeffective way to update any room.

Don’t be afraid to “do it yourself” one weekend to make it all come together.

Every room seems cooler in the summer when you remove dark items.

So roll up the Orientals or dark area rugs. Add a hand-woven or flat-weave rug with citrus yellow or marine blue—great summertime colors!

There’s also nothing like a seagrass or

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photos: SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

Design

sisal rug to give your home a summer feeling. Then add fragrant flowers from the florist—or better yet, your garden— in white vases to complement the room’s new vibrant colors.

Here’s another easy idea: let the sunshine in! Clean the winter dirt off your windows, inside and out, so the sun reflects off your new summer colors in the room. I call in my favorite professional window cleaner, and he makes them sparkle. If you like, roll up your sleeves and do it yourself. Pull the shades up to let the sunshine stream in or put up sheer curtains.

Last but not least, consider bringing the beach to your home with a little music. Put on your favorite playlist, sit back and enjoy the new, fresh summer décor while the music takes you away to the ocean.

Freshening up your house for the summer might just be the best beach escape!

Susan Currie, Allied ASID, CAPS, is the owner of Susan Currie Design.

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INside Look 2 3

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Snorkel Blue 1. 1.34 cttw sapphire with .67

cttw diamonds set in 18k white gold pendant, $4,450. DeLuca’s Jewelry and Gifts, Covington, 892-2317. 2. Periwinkle blue silk shift with tiny sequin accents by Nicole Miller, $330. Virgins Saints and Angels cross on chain, $138.

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Fleurt, Covington, 809-8844.

3. Zenzii blue stone earrings, $29.

Shoefflé, Covington, 898-6465.

4. Graphic stripe Maya dress, $375. Eros, Mandeville, 7270034. 5. Sonya Set in “Lilly’s Lilac House of Nemo”, $178.

Palm Village, Mandeville, 778-2547. 6. Muroto Volume Pure Lightness shampoo, conditioner and treatment

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masque for fine hair. H2O Salon Northshore, Mandeville, 951-8166. 7. Fitflop “The Skinny” shown in blue. Joe’s Shoe Store, Mandeville, 626-5633.

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Snorkel Blue 1. Flattering knit swing top, available in many colors, $70. CDN Clothing, Covington, 327-7300. 2. 18k yellow gold necklace from Marco Bicego’s Lunaria Collection features a rose-cut lapis bezel set on a 16.5” chain. Lee Michael’s Fine Jewelry, Metairie, 504832-0000. 3. Renee C. printed royal blue tank top, $45. The Lifestyle Store at Franco’s, Mandeville, 792-0270.

4. Stays Cool 2-button seersucker 4

tailored fit suit with plain front trousers, $298. Jos A. Banks, Mandeville, 624-4067. 5. Diamond and sapphire ring with matching earrings in 14k white gold. Earrings, $1,075; ring, $1,495. Thomas Franks Fine Jewelers, Mandeville, 626-5098.

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INside Look

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Snorkel Blue 1. Jeweled flower statement necklace with matching earrings.

Private Beach, Mandeville, 674-2326. 2. Yoana Baraschi floral bell-sleeve top. The Villa, Mandeville, 626-9797. 3. Striped denim off-the-shoulder dress, $38. Paisley, Mandeville, 7277880. 4. Cotton shift dress with

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pockets, $54. JuJu’s Boutique, Mandeville, 624-3600. 5. Tory Burch Stripe-t Canvas Small Tote, classic silhouette with graphic detailing, secure zip closure, webbing handles, $195.

Emma’s Shoes and Accessories, Mandeville, 778-2200.

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Snorkel Blue 1. Ella Moss Ailani Cross Front Romper shown in Caribbean, $178.

Vine, Mandeville, 951-0005.

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2. Soshanna Heidi fit-and-flare dress in Aztec knit jacquard with V-shape shoulder straps, $395. Ballin’s Ltd., Covington, 892-0025. 3. Laminin

by Missy Robertson necklace, individually crafted by women;

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prices start at $38. Brown Eyed Girl, Mandeville, 626-0100. 4. Everly Cami Overlap with Cross-Back Dress, $49. Columbia Street Mercantile, Covington, 809-1789. 5. 18k white gold sapphire ring with 2.61ct oval sapphire and 1.21ct in diamonds, $11,995. Boudreaux’s Fine Jewelry, Mandeville, 626-1666.

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photo: JOSH BRASTED

Geaux Mambo!

Seasoning guru Chris Freret

by Lori Murphy

Chris Freret and the Geaux Creole cooking team were chosen Crowd Favorite at the UNO International Alumni Association’s Crawfish Mambo CookOff and Music Festival.

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EVERY LOUISIANA BACKYARD has a master chef, and Chris Freret’s was no exception. What is exceptional is that he took his love of celebrating with family and friends over food to a whole new level. Never quite satisfied with what he was able to purchase, he decided to create his own custom spice blend. That is what started it all.

“We’re from Louisiana; food is a part of almost everything we do. We especially love seafood!” says Chris’s wife, Dawn. “But, if he’s not boiling crawfish, shrimp or crabs, he’s smoking a brisket, pork shoulder or baby backs. If he’s not grilling, he’s making a pot of red beans and rice, gumbo or jambalaya. The man loves to cook and he’s REALLY good at it!”

Inside Northside

Chris began blending his own spices in college.

The popular spice blends were too expensive for his student budget, so he got creative. He and his friends would opt to cook for girlfriends as a great way to date instead of going out to dinner.

Back on the northshore to raise his family, Chris and his brother Brett worked with other alumni to start what has become a huge event, gathering many families together for St. Paul’s annual Alumni Crawfish Boil. During these cook-offs, teams would share their recipes with him. He tasted all of the crawfish himself and talked to the judges and the attendees. Combining this feedback with some of his own best ideas, Chris developed an award-

“Huntington cares about their students and wants to see every student improve in all aspects. Not only have my ACT scores improved by eight points, but my grades at school have improved as well. The study skills and techniques they have taught me will stick with me forever.” - Emma M. “I wish I would have put my oldest daughter through Huntington. I missed the boat. It would have made a real difference with her just like it did with Emma.

My daughter was already a great student, but after Huntington her ACT scores jumped eight points.”

- Emma’s Parents winning crawfish-boil blend. That spice blend put him and his cooking team over the top at the recent Crawfish Mambo event hosted by the University of New Orleans International Alumni Association. In fact, he beat out our Inside Pub “master boilers” to be selected Crowd Favorite for the second year in a row. In that competition and many others, he relies on team members Steve Rorex and Michael Delahoussaye to bring home the wins.

As a “professional” in the backyard food business, Chris is often pressed into service with friends and family when there is cooking going on, but he would not have it any other way. Like most successful entrepreneurs, it is the love of what he does that keeps him pushing the idea forward. He is quick to offer advice and new ingredients to wow guests, like sweet potatoes and green beans. His best advice starts with the 16 herbs and spices he includes with his “fool-proof” Seafood Boil bag of spices for crawfish, shrimp and crabs.

Chris didn’t stop with seafood, nor did he stop with neighborhood bragging rights. He has taken the bold leap into a complete line of spice products under the name Geaux Creole. You can’t be from Louisiana and never have tasted “creole seasoning,” but Chris insists his approach is unique in that it isn’t all about the salt and red pepper. The blends are full of all kinds of flavorful herbs and spices, and they have less salt than most other brands on the market. The two most popular additions to the line are the Creole Seasoning and something he calls The Dust.

At Chris’ Freret home you will find Creole Seasoning on the table, but The Dust in the kitchen. He uses this unique blend as more than just a rub for meat, fish and chicken. It >>

“I love Huntington because I learn new stuff.” - Sophia A. “Huntington has given us the confidence that our daughter will succeed academically.

Sophia has increased her reading skills and self-confidence within the first few weeks of attending Huntington Learning Center. Thank you to all of the loving, patient, and caring staff that has allowed our daughter to succeed.”

- Sophia’s Parents “When I was at Huntington, reading was hard for me because I just moved here. They really helped me get better at reading. Ms. Amanda helped me improve. She is a really good teacher.” - Zacary W. “Our family moved to Mandeville this past summer and once school started, my husband and I realized that Zacary was going to need some help with reading and writing. After lots of research, we decided Huntington was the right fit for Zacary, and we could not have been happier! They were so helpful with keeping us up on Zacary’s progress so that we knew he was right on track to meet his goal of catching up with his classmates. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” - Zacary’s Parents

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Geaux Creole Bl oody Mary

1 slice of lime 8 oz V8 to mato juice or Bloody Ma ry mix 1 jigger of Vodka 4 teaspoo ns Bloody Mary JuJu when usin g V8 toma to juice OR 2-3 teaspo ons Blood y Mary Ju Ju when usin g Bloody M ary mix

Right: Chris at the Mandeville Crawfish Cooking for a Cause in 2014.

photos courtesy: CHRIS FRERET

From Scrat ch: Rub the slice of lim rim of the g e around th lass. Pour 1 e teaspoon o and then ri f Ju Ju onto a nap m your gla kin ss with it. F tomato juic ill the glass e, vodka an w it h th e d remainin Mix well an g 3 teaspoo d garnish w n s o f Ju Ju . ith vegetab les of your Using your choice. favorite Blo ody Mary M of lime aro ix: Rub the und the rim slice o f th e glass. Pou of JuJu onto r 1 teaspoo a napkin an n d then rim Fill the glass your glass w with the Blo ith it. o d y M ary mix, vo remaining 1-2 teaspoo dka and ns of JuJu. with vegetab Mix well an les of your d garnish choice.

Suggested v egetable gar nishes: spic asparagus, y pickled b olives, pick eans, le spear, pic kled okra, etc.

is the go-to for spicing up any jambalaya, soup or stew, as well. It has the lowest sodium content of the Geaux Creole products, so it adds flavor without over-salting as you cook.

The Dust also kicked off another idea when Chris’ brother-in-law co-opted it for his favorite cocktail, the Bloody Mary. A little adjustment here and there, and the Bloody Mary JuJu blend was born, used to rim the glass or add spice to the base of this New Orleans classic.

“I have witnessed the many years of Geaux Creole becoming what it is today,” says Dawn. “Our friends and family have been taste testers, and our Mandeville home has been the test kitchen with herbs and spices spread from one end to the other as Chris perfected his recipes.”

Haven’t we all said at one time or another, “I wish I’d invented that?” For Chris Freret and other inventors, it goes beyond the wishing. Through the try-and-try-agains, they create something new, beginning with an idea—perhaps in someone’s backyard. Good luck, Chris and Geaux Creole!

For a list of retail locations, log onto geauxcreole.com.

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Table of Contents 2 St. Tammany Parish Hospital 3 Honda of Covington and Honda of Covington Powersports 4 Outdoor Living Center 6 La Bella Vita Laser & Vein Center 7 Murphy Appraisal Services, LLC 7 Beau Souirie “Beautiful Smiles” Family Dentistry

St. Tammany Parish Hospital Numerous national organizations have recognized St. Tammany Parish Hospital for the excellent standard of care and safety it provides patients. One of only 798 hospitals nationwide to earn an ‘A’ for safety, STPH ranks among the safest hospitals in the United States, according to Hospital Safety Scores announced by The Leapfrog Group.

“We focus every day on delivering the highest quality and safest care at St. Tammany Parish Hospital,” said Patti Ellish, President and CEO. “Earning this ‘A’ reflects the hard work and dedication our staff exerts daily to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients.”

STPH received five-star ratings for 2016 by Healthgrades for Cardiac, Pulmonary, Gastrointestinal, Critical Care and Nine Years of Outstanding Patient Experience. A fivestar rating indicates STPH’s clinical outcomes are statistically significantly better than expected when treating the condition or performing the procedure being evaluated.

Women’s Choice named STPH one of America’s Best Hospitals for Heart, Cancer, Orthopedic, Obstetrical Care and Patient Experience. This evidence-based designation is the only award that identifies the country’s best healthcare institutions based on robust criteria that consider female patient satisfaction, clinical excellence and what women say they want from a hospital.

In January, STPH was again awarded Medical Excellence and Patient Safety by CareChex. STPH ranks in the top 10 percent in the nation for Medical Excellence in Overall Medical Care, Gall Bladder Removal and Interventional Coronary Care.

STPH has earned full reaccreditation with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. The faster the response to heart attack, the more effective it is, so getting to the nearest accredited chest pain center can save a patient’s life. Leading the northshore and the state, STPH earns high marks, with 97 percent of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients receiving PCI within 90 minutes of arrival or less. PCI opens blocked blood vessels and restores blood flow to the heart; it is more beneficial the earlier it is performed.

Additionally, the Women’s Pavilion of STPH has been designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. This award completes STPH’s commitment to earn ACR accreditation of all modalities. This designation recognizes 2 Inside Northside

breast imaging centers that have earned accreditation in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy and breast ultrasound (including ultrasound-guided breast biopsy).

“Our hospital and Women’s Pavilion work hard to provide the highest quality of care possible,” said Sharon Toups, Chief Operating Officer. “This ACR Accreditation shows the community that we meet those goals and continue to strive for excellence.”

In 2015, STPH’s quality care was recognized by The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval®, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check and the American Diabetes Association. STPH received the Gold Seal of Approval®, and the Heart-Check mark as an Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. The Diabetes SelfManagement Education Program at STPH merited ADA Recognition for a quality diabetes self-management education program.

These awards, along with the many others earned, show the community and nation the excellent care provided by St. Tammany Parish Hospital. However, STPH knows the true reward—the positive outcomes for patients, friends and neighbors. You can learn more at rewardsvsawards.com.

St. Tammany Parish Hospital is located at 1202 S. Tyler St. in Covington. 898-4000. stph.org. #RewardsVsAwards

Honda of Covington and Honda of Covington Powersports Having been in business since 1998 and at the new Covington location since 2008, managing partner and general manager Laurie McCants says that she has enjoyed watching the dealership grow. “When we first opened in 1998, we started with fewer than 20 employees.

Our goal has always been to hire staff for their character and then train for their skill.

Every day matters, and every customer does, too. We now have over a hundred employees who are willing to assist customers in every aspect of the carbuying process.”

Honda of Covington makes car buying easy with its large selection of cars, trucks and SUVs. The 2016 Pilots are selling as fast as they arrive on the lot, and the Odyssey remains the No. 1-selling minivan in its class. Laurie is thrilled to soon offer customers the 2017 Ridgeline, which has been totally redesigned. Other fresh designs include the Civic, HR-V and Accord.

“In Honda’s lineup, there is always a perfect fit for everyone. Whether you need a family vehicle, a commuter car or anything in between, Honda has a lot to offer.”

Next door to Honda of Covington, you can find products for leisure or work at Honda of Covington Powersports. Since opening the location in 2014, Powersports has been ranked the No. 7 dealership in the nation. “We are proud of how quickly it has grown since opening only two years ago,” says Laurie. “The staff at Powersports is very knowledgeable about all products.” Honda’s power equipment is available to help with the honey-do list—Honda lawnmowers, trimmers, tillers and generators work hard to get jobs done efficiently. And once the hard work is over, enjoy one of Honda’s ATVs, UTVs, motorcycles, dirt bikes or scooters.

After you have made your Honda purchase, the Parts and Service Centers take care of all makes and models. “We

have a tremendous staff for both service and parts departments,” says Laurie. “They go above and beyond for our customers, making sure that each customer can enjoy their Honda products for many years to come.” The reliable service and parts departments are open extra hours to help fit customers’ hectic schedules and always offer competitive pricing.

Trust Honda of Covington and Honda of Covington Powersports with your automotive, sports or power equipment needs.

Honda of Covington and Honda of Covington Powersports are located at 100 and 152 Holiday Square Blvd. in Covington.

892-0001; 892-9730. hondaofcovington. com;hondaofcovingtonpowersports.com.

Business & Leadership 2016 3

outdoor living center Anna Papp

When recently forced to make a decision to either relocate or close her business, owner Anna Papp made the right choice. As Outdoor Living Center celebrates its 28th year of business, Anna beams with pride over her new and much larger showroom. “The fact that we have been in business for 28 years speaks for itself. We have been through good times and bad times and survived,” says Anna.

Previous owners opened the store in 1988. When they contemplated closing the business in 1993, Anna jumped at the chance to call the place her own. “I truly enjoyed working with the products

4 Inside Northside

and customers, so I asked the owner if he would sell the business to me. That was the beginning of my entrepreneurial career,” she says.

Before Outdoor Living Center, Anna worked as a kitchen designer and also showroom manager for a large plumbing wholesaler. She credits some of her success to her experience working in those fields. “At my age, I have had several different jobs. I majored in home economics in college, which gave me a good background as far as doing the design work,” says Anna. “Running a business wasn’t my initial intention. It seems like you never know where the road is going to lead you.”

What has kept the store open for all of these years? Quality products and customer service are her main focus. Anna and her employees make every attempt to provide

top-notch service to their clients. “We are constantly trying to give what people want and need. If it is something we cannot get, we suggest a place to find it. We don’t want to leave our customers hanging,” she says.

“We have a lot of repeat customers who recommend us to others because they have received good service. That’s hard to find these days.”

Along with having the right customer service plan, Anna is no stranger to hard work. “I don’t expect my employees to do anything that I don’t do. When I come into work, I never know what the day is going to bring. Owning a business is always fun, but it is not easy.”

Anna is especially grateful for her loyal employee Tammy Bacon, who has worked at the store for 18 years. The duo has been through ups and downs together, and they are ecstatic to see the new showroom flourish in its new location at 1331 N. Highway 190 in Covington. “With the new location, we will continue to keep up with the latest technology and high-quality products.”

While Anna’s main focus is outdoor furniture and barbeque grills, she sells much more. Year-round, she offers fireplace accessories, gift items, wall art, hammocks, flags and many other products. Anna and Tammy can even help their customers design an entire outdoor living room.

Anna’s favorite part of owning Outdoor Living Center is going home at the end of the day knowing that she has satisfied her customers. “We do this by providing quality customer service and quality merchandise that lasts a long time.”

Outdoor Living Center’s NEW location is 1331 N. Hwy. 190 in Covington.

985-893-8008. outdoorlivingcenter.com.

Business & Leadership 2016 5

La Bella Vita Laser & Vein Center Randall S. Juleff, M.D., F.A.C.S.

“It’s all about doing the right thing all the time, every time and for every patient,” says Dr. Randall S. Juleff of La Bella Vita Laser & Vein Center. “To choose to have vein care is a purely elective decision. Because of that, we must make sure that each and every patient is happy every step of the way.”

Dr. Juleff and his staff keep their patients happy by creating a safe and caring environment. Striving to provide patients with the most advanced treatment methods of minimally invasive vein care available, La Bella Vita Vein creates an individualized plan for each patient. Whether a small case of spider veins or chronic venous insufficiency, Dr. Juleff provides a fast and virtually pain-free solution, allowing patients to leave comfortably and return to daily life quickly.

“We stay abreast of new information and technology in the field of Phlebology,” says Dr. Juleff. “I attend national conferences each year to make sure we are offering all that we can to our patients. Treatment is now so minimally invasive that you leave the office with a Band-Aid and no longer have to wear compression stockings in some situations.”

As the only board-certified Phlebologist on the northshore, Dr. Juleff sees patients of all ages and backgrounds. “Surprisingly, we see almost as many men as women,” says Dr. Juleff. “While women are more susceptible to venous insufficiency due to pregnancies and hormonal changes, many men face the problem.

6 Inside Northside

“Venous insufficiency is a genetically pre-determined problem.

If one parent has it, the children are more likely to have it. If both parents have it, it’s almost inevitable that the children will have some form of venous disease. One misconception is the idea that vein care is strictly cosmetic; however, the presence of varicose veins and spider veins almost always indicates that a process called venous insufficiency is the underlying cause.”

Dr. Juleff is triple board certified in Phlebology, General Surgery and Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery; he completed a number of research and clinical fellowships, including a research fellowship at Beaumont Hospital concentrating on vascular surgery, a clinical fellowship in vascular surgery at The Jewish Hospital of Cincinnati, and a cardio-thoracic fellowship at Tulane University.

Attention to detail is a focus for Dr. Juleff when caring for his patients. His background in cardiac surgery prepared him to perform vein care with a high degree of precision. After evaluation and treatment are complete, patients are placed on a “surveillance list” for him to monitor their long-term improvement; he likes to see his patients every year to make sure that what he did is stable and to address any new issues.

Dr. Juleff says, “I truly enjoy seeing how much our patients improve after we take care of their vein issues. For most patients, symptoms have come on slowly over a period of years. After their venous problems are remedied, most patients find a surprising level of relief. So many times we hear, ‘Gee, I thought I was just getting old!’ Nearly always, it’s not just the aging process—it’s something that we can actually fix.

“Once cured of their leg symptoms, many patients truly find it life altering. Many haven’t worn shorts for years or been able to exercise or do the hobbies they previously loved. They are tremendously happy to reincorporate those things back into their daily activities. The outcome is so powerful and so very rewarding for us.”

La Bella Vita Laser & Vein Center is located at 1431 Ochsner Blvd., Ste. B, in Covington. 985-400-2621. labellavitavein.com.

Murphy Appraisal Services, LLC Murphy Appraisal Services, LLC, is a comprehensive and fullservice real estate appraisal and consulting firm with extensive experience throughout Louisiana and Mississippi. The company’s founder, Rick Murphy, MAI, SRA, has 30 years of experience in real estate appraisal, brokerage and development in South Louisiana and leads a staff of 30 individuals that includes seven state-certified general appraisers and six state-certified residential appraisers.

Northshore offices in Covington, Hammond and Baton Rouge provide residential and commercial services. Residential appraisers Todd Fitzmorris, Haley Hernandez, Victoria Beverage and Chris Smiroldo bring 56 years of experience to the table. Commercial appraisers in the Hammond office are manager Ashton Ray, MAI; Sergio Mesa; Scott Guidry; and Steven Murray; Katherine HarangBourgeois is in Baton Rouge.

Murphy Appraisal and its staff members take pride in giving back to the community. The company contributes to organizations such as Hogs for the Cause, WRBH Golf Tournament, Exchange Club of West St. Tammany, Habitat for Humanity and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and sponsors school athletic teams and Project Graduation Celebrations. Ashton is president of the Amite Area Youth Sport Organization and coaches baseball, basketball and soccer. Haley serves as a committee chairman for the Northshore Delta Waterfowl Chapter. Todd donates the appraisal of the home each year for the Northshore Home Builders Association Raising the Roof Raffle House. Rick is a founding member of the Swine Krewe Too barbecue team, a member of the Northshore Home Builders Association and has held various positions with the Louisiana Chapter of the Appraisal Institute.

Murphy Appraisal Services: Covington, 626-4115; Hammond, 310-4990; Baton Rouge, 225-412-7906. Other locations: New Orleans, Metairie, Thibodaux and Monroe.

Beau Sourire "Beautiful Smiles" Family Dentistry Erin Carter, D.D.S. and Raymond Poirrier, D.D.S.

Beau Sourire “Beautiful Smiles” Family Dentistry was a vision Dr. Beth Saacks had 22 years ago. With 22 years behind her and many years ahead, the same goal of excellent patient care is still in the forefront. “We take patient care very seriously. Because of this, we do not believe in ‘double booking’ patients,” says Dr. Saacks.

“When someone sits in one of our dental chairs, they are the provider’s ONE and ONLY focus.” We try our best to make each and every patient comfortable.”

To further patient care, Dr. Saacks has welcomed two full-time doctors to her team, Drs. Ray Poirrier and Erin Carter. Dr. Ray, a graduate of Archbishop Hannan High School, has worked two days a week at Beau Sourire for the last 10 years, while also serving on The Children’s Hospital Tooth Bus. With Dr. Saacks’ heart for the locals of St. Tammany Parish, she has also brought on Dr. Erin Carter, who graduated from St. Scholastica Academy. Dr. Erin is ecstatic about her new position, which allows her to serve the same community in which she was raised.

Dr. Saacks is enthusiastic about the future of Beau Sourire.

“Drs. Ray and Erin share the same desires for their patients as I do.

I know that having these two dynamic dentists on our team will certainly help us to continue to provide the unparalleled level of dedication that every patient deserves!”

FAMILY DENTISTRY

“Where All Smiles Are Beautiful”

Beau Sourire Family Dentistry is located at 2881 Hwy. 190, Ste. D4, in Mandeville. 626-8980.

Business & Leadership 2016 7

The Healing Power of Art

by Stacey Paretti Rase

Lakeview Regional Medical Center’s Healing Arts Exhibit ART IS IMPORTANT. That’s one of the main messages behind a recent partnership between Lakeview Regional Medical Center and the six talented artists of Art House Boston Street in Covington. The collaboration features over 30 works of art displayed throughout the hospital in an on-going “Healing Arts Exhibit” designed to promote

overall health and wellness. The artists—Virginia Barach, Melissa Bean, Cissy Carville, Jacqueline Guillot, Kris Muntan and Cynthia Webb—hope the endeavor will enrich and enliven the hospital environment through the arts. They believe their work will benefit patients, family, friends and caregivers alike as research has shown that art can play a significant role in promoting overall health. The healing power of art has been shown to contribute to a reduction in patient stress, pain and anxiety related to illness. There are also correlations

Confident Expectations by >> Cynthia Webb.

July-August 2016 107

Right: Bright Character by Kris Muntan.

Below: (front) Virginia Barach, Cissy Carville, Cynthia Webb; (back) Melissa Bean, Kris Muntan and

seen between artwork displayed in medical centers and reduced lengths of inpatient hospital stays and the need for use of sedatives during medical procedures.

Such findings are quite personal to artist Kris Muntan, the driving force behind the project. She tells the story of when her son Sam was quite ill and in a hospital years ago.

For a brief time, doctors thought he might have had bone cancer. “I can remember sitting in a room with him and being completely devastated. I remember staring at a blank wall. I had nothing to fixate on,” she says. “It’s amazing how you remember those things.”

Muntan’s husband, Chad, is the Director of Lakeview Regional’s Emergency Department, so she is no stranger to the strain and trauma that many find in that 108

Inside Northside

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Jacqueline Guillot.

setting. “There are just so many stressful moments that can happen in a hospital.

And I can testify to the healing power of art. Painting has really been an escape for me. It puts me in a true state of relaxation,” she says. “My wish is that that feeling will carry over to the patients and visitors here.”

Lakeview hosted a reception in May to unveil the collection of artwork. All six artists were on hand to meet guests and to talk about their involvement.

Guests were led on tours throughout the hospital to experience the art in various spaces. Much planning went into deciding where each piece, or collection of pieces, would be displayed.

Lakeview’s cafeteria area showcases >> July-August 2016 109

Above: Madisonville Lighthouse by Melissa Bean.

Right: Tchefuncte

by T Rivers #1 by Jacqueline Guillot.

Opposite: Savoy Fais Do Do by Virginia Branch.

upbeat artwork with Louisiana themes, while the Intensive Care floor presents works with beach themes that evoke calm and serenity. Certain waiting areas showcase abstract art that draws the mind into the painting and away from the monotony of simply waiting.

Many members of Lakeview’s administrative staff attended the

reception, including Director of Marketing Kim Melvin, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors Willie Paretti, and hospital CEO Bret Kolman. Each was enthusiastic about the exhibit and the positive experience they hope it will bring to visitors.

“It’s been a very exiting venture to partner with these six talented artists,”

says Paretti. “By integrating the arts into our hospital setting, we provide another layer of therapeutic care, while also improving the overall aesthetic of our facility.”

Just before the reception began, Muntan saw her dream realized first hand. While setting up the room, she was approached by a physical therapist who had just finished working with a recovering client. “She told me that she had just taken her patient on an ‘art walk’ throughout the hospital. The patient had to walk around anyway, but she said it was so much nicer to have mini destinations along the way,” Muntan grins. “It made me feel so good!”

The Healing Arts Exhibit will be an ongoing project at Lakeview Regional Medical Center, with sold pieces being replaced with new works of art by the artists of Art House Boston Street. Guests are invited to view the exhibit located at 95 Judge Tanner Boulevard in Covington. To learn more, visit arthousebostonstreet.com or lakeviewregional.com.

July-August 2016 111

IN Development

by Julie Landry TECHNOLOGY EVOLVES at an exponential rate— with each new advancement, more and more becomes possible. The business world has changed rapidly over the past decade, and worldwide connectivity means all communities compete for and conduct business on a global scale. This May, the International Economic Development Council even hosted a worldwide “Economic Development Week” in celebration of the industry’s international applications.

which we facilitate our outreach. This series brings our business leaders, community representatives and higher education partners together to share and analyze workforce development information. In consideration of the many different paths that lead from education to the labor force, we collaborate with partners who train our future workers all across the K-12, collegiate, professional development pipeline.

Each gathering focuses on one topic to stimulate the dialogue. Last year, sessions focused on themes ranging from healthcare and biosciences to construction and coastal restoration to manufacturing.

This year, we focus on maritime, information technology and STEM education, among others.

Analysts offer projections for the future of our parish. Businesses share what they expect and require of the workforce. Educators use that information to drive curriculum in classrooms to recruit new students.

We have determined that businesses seek out problem solvers. Employers want a highly skilled, dedicated and well-educated workforce equipped with critical thinking and communication skills.

Students and job-seekers expect inclusive opportunities for their diverse community and a corporate commitment to their continued professional development.

Last year, a WDS presentation given by Louisiana Economic Development predicted that, based on the anticipated number of future manufacturing projects, Louisiana will need over 83,000 skilled craft workers by 2018 to build manufacturing infrastructure.

By sharing this information among our strategic partners in higher education and local industry, we expedite preparations and solutions for the future.

Local workforce development initiatives such as the Northshore Technical Community College STEM campus are preparing new workers for these positions every day, and we at STEDF are working to develop an advanced manufacturing business park in our parish.

St. Tammany conducts business as a community, and a healthy economy benefits every resident.

Workforce development ensures strong, competitive professionals join the worker pool continually.

Workforce Development: equipping job-seekers for future industry

Communities, companies and developers must be flexible and nimble in order to sustain a vibrant and growing economy. For St. Tammany to attract and retain businesses with local, regional and global impacts, we must anticipate the needs of these companies and prepare our area to accommodate them.

At the St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation, our chief tools for business attraction and retention are site development and workforce development. While site development and site availability typically play the biggest role in business attraction, workforce development serves as the glue between attraction and retention, addressing the needs of companies interested in relocating to St. Tammany and of companies already enjoying success here.

Through our workforce development initiatives, we assess progress and advancements within our target industries and work with local and regional partners to respond, predicting the best course of action to situate our community for prosperity.

Our annual Workforce Development Series supports all these efforts, acting as the base from 112

Inside Northside

Julie Landry is the Communications Specialist at the St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation.

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July-August 2016 113

IN Great Taste

photo: YVETTE JEMISON

by Yvette Jemison

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One Brine That Will Get You Out of a Pickle DON’T GET CAUGHT without quick pickled veggies and berries in your refrigerator this summer. These lightly sweetened and tangy pickles are your solution to adding a burst of flavor to a myriad of dishes. You can make them in less than an hour, and they’ll easily store in your refrigerator for about two weeks. That’s two weeks of pickled goodness added to your salads, burgers and fish tacos—and they’re brilliant on a cheese board. Try pickled blueberries and red onions atop your brie crostini for the most delicious appetizer.

Pickling couldn’t be easier. One simple pickle brine will transform any crunchy vegetable or berry in a couple of hours, but preferably overnight. And yes, you can pickle corn right off the cob, and blueberries, too.

For added spice, toss in chili flakes or sliced chili peppers. I’ve included some of my favorite flavor combinations, but be creative and discover your favorite blend. If you’ve never made pickles before, you’re in for a treat! >>

QUICK PICKLES Servings: 2 cups Select one of the following combinations and proceed with recipe: 2 cups sliced bell peppers + 2 sliced shallots 2 cups corn kernels + 1/2 cup chopped green onions 2 cups zucchini ribbons + 1/2 cup sliced bell peppers + 1 chopped green onion 2 cups blueberries + 1/2 cup sliced red onions 2/3 cup rice vinegar 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 star anise pods

1. Place vegetable or berries in a non-reactive, heat-proof bowl.

2. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, garlic and star anise over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar and salt dissolve.

3. Pour the hot pickle brine over the vegetables or berries. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until cool.

4. Transfer vegetables, berries and pickling brine to a jar, cover tightly and refrigerate up to two weeks.

July-August 2016 115

IN Great Taste

INside Dining

carretasgrill.com. MCC. The Chimes, 19130 W. Front St., 892-

MCC: Major credit cards accepted

5396. Catering, Sunday brunch, daily

ME: Menu Express delivery

lunch specials, 72 beers on tap. Lunch

RR: Reservations recommended

and dinner. chimesbeeru.com. MCC.

ABITA SPRINGS

Coffee Rani, 234-A Lee Ln., 893-

Abita Barbecue, 69399 Hwy. 59,

6158. Soup and salad specialists.

400-5025. Ribs, brisket, chicken,

coffeerani.com.

pulled pork and boudin. MCC. Columbia St. Tap Room & Grill, Abita Brew Pub, 72011 Holly St.,

434 N. Columbia St., 898-0899.

892-5837. Good fun and great

Lunch, dinner. covingtontaproom.

beer. On the Trace. Lunch, dinner.

com. MCC, ME.

abitabrewpub.com. MCC. Dakota Restaurant, 629 N. Hwy. Abita Springs Café, 22132 Level

190, 892-3712. Contemporary

St., 867-9950. Tues-Sun. MCC.

Louisiana cuisine using local and seasonal ingredients.

Camellia Café, 69455 Hwy. 59,

thedakotarestaurant.com. MCC, RR.

809-6313. Traditional seafood and New Orleans cuisine. thecamelliacafe.

Del Porto Restaurant, 501 E. Boston

com. MCC.

St., 875-1006. Northern Italian cuisine. delportoristorante.com. MCC, RR.

Mama D’s Pizza & More, 22054 Hwy. 59, 809-0308. Lunch, dinner.

Di Martino’s, 700 S. Tyler St., 276-

mamadspizza.com.

6460. Great food and reasonable prices. Lunch, dinner. dimartinos.

COVINGTON

com. MCC.

Abita Roasting Company,

PICKLED BLUEBERRY AND BRIE CROSTINI

1011 Village Walk., 246-3345.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, 69292 Hwy.

abitaroasting.com.

21, 871-2225. Locally-owned and -operated franchise. Kids eat free on

Servings: 4

Acme Oyster House, 1202 Hwy.

Sundays. MCC.

190, 246-6155. Lunch, dinner. mamdspizza.com. MCC.

8 baguette slices

Columbia St., Ste. C, 875-0160.

8-ounce wheel of brie, sliced

Albasha, 1958 Hwy. 190,

Italian and seafood. dicristinas.com.

1/2 cup pickled blueberries

867-8292. Mediterranean cuisine.

MCC.

Pickled red onions and fresh herbs

albashabr.com. MCC. Don’s Seafood Hut, 126 Lake

for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. 2. Arrange bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Top each baguette slice with a slice of brie and pickled blueberries.

3. Bake until brie is melted, about 5 minutes. Garnish with pickled red onions and fresh herbs and serve.

Inside Northside

Annadele’s Plantation, 71518

Dr., 327-7111. Lunch and dinner.

Chestnut St., 809-7669. Yellow fin

donsseafoodonline.com. MCC.

tuna, domestic lamb & much more. annadeles.com. MCC, checks.

The English Tea Room, 734 Rutland St., 898-3988. Authentic

Bear’s Restaurant, 128 W. 21st St.,

English cream teas. Special event

892-2373. Best po-boys in the world.

teas, English scones, crumpets and cakes. Serving breakfast and

Buster’s Place, 519 E. Boston St.,

lunch. Mon-Sat, 7:30am-6pm.

809-3880. Seafood, po-boys, steaks.

englishtearoom.com. MCC, RR.

Lunch, dinner. MCC. Fat Spoon Café, 2807 N Highway

photo: YVETTE JEMISON

For more recipe go to Ydelicacie. com, and follow @y_delicacies on Instagram.

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DiCristina’s Restaurant, 810 N.

Carreta’s Grill, 70380 Hwy. 21,

190., 893-5111. Breakfast, Lunch, Tues-

871-6674. Great Mexican cuisine and

Sun. 7am-2pm. Breakfast severed until

margaritas served in a family-friendly

10:30 on weekdays and all day Saturday

atmosphere for lunch and dinner. Kids

and Sunday. Reserve Fat Spoon Café

eat free every Wednesday! Private

for your next party. fatspooncafe.com.

events and catering also provided.

MCC.

Gallagher’s Grill, 509 S. Tyler St.,

5, 893-1488. Full service, year-round

892-9992. Lunch and dinner, Tues-

bakery. Luncheon salads, panini,

Sat. gallaghersgrill.com. MCC, RR.

catering, donuts, kingcakes, cupcakes and wedding cakes. Tues-Sun, open at

Garcia’s Famous Mexican Food,

7am. nonnaskingcakes.com. MCC.

200 River Highlands Blvd., 327-7420.

Ox Lot 9, 428 E Boston St., 400Glory Bound Gyro Company, 500

5663. Hotel. Dinner, Sunday brunch.

River Highlands Blvd., Ste. A, 871-

oxlot9.com. MCC.

0711. Open 7 days a week, lunch and dinner. A new age American restaurant

Papi’s Fajita Factory of Covington,

concept with Mediterranean influences.

1331 N. Hwy. 190 Ste. 100, 893-1382.

gloryboundgyroco.com. MCC.

Kids eat free on Tuesday nights. Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

Italian Pie, 70488 Hwy. 21,

MCC.

871-5252. Pizza, salads, pasta, sandwiches. Dine in or carry out.

Pardos, 69305 Hwy. 21, 893-3603.

italianpie.com. MCC, checks.

Lunch, Tues-Fri; Dinner, Tues-Sun; Happy hour, Tues-Fri, 4-7pm. Private

La Carreta Authentic Mexican

parties and catering. pardosbistro.

Cuisine, 812 Hwy. 190, 624-

com. MCC.

2990. Festive Mexican atmosphere, fresh food from traditional recipes,

Pat’s Seafood Market and Cajun

outstanding service and value. Live

Deli, 1248 N. Collins Blvd., 892-7287.

music. Lunch and dinner seven days a

Jambalaya, gumbo, stuffed artichokes.

week. carretasrestaurant.com. MCC.

MCC, checks, ME.

Lola, 517 N. New Hampshire St., 892-

PJ’s Coffee & Tea Co., 70456 Hwy.

4992. Lunch, Mon-Fri; Dinner, Fri-Sat.

21, 875-7894. Catch your morning

Closed Sundays. lolacovington.com.

buzz at this convenient drive-thru!

Catering. MCC.

Mattina Bella, 421 E. Gibson St., 892-0708. Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Pizza Man of Covington, 1248 N.

MCC, checks.

Collins Blvd., 892-9874. Checks, ME.

McAlister’s Deli, 206 Lake Dr., Ste.

Raising Canes, 1270 N. Hwy. 190,

15, 898-2800. Great sandwiches,

809-0250. Chicken fingers, crinkle-cut

salads, overstuffed potatoes.

fries, coleslaw, texas toast, signature

mcalistersdeli.com. MCC, checks.

secret dipping sauce. Dine-in, to-go and catering. MCC.

Megumi of Covington, 1211 Village Walk, 893-0406.

Sala Thai, 315 N. Vermont St., 249-

megumirestaurant.net.

6990. Special salads, spring rolls, soups, noodle and curry dishes.

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers,

Sun-Thurs, 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat,

1645 Hwy. 190, 327-5407. Salads,

11am-10pm.Lunch buffet weekdays,

pizzas, calzones. 20 craft beers on

11am-3pm. salathaibysu.com. MCC.

tap. Open 7 days a week. Lunch and dinner. MCC. mellowmushroom.com.

Sugarbear’s Sweet Shop, 100 Tyler Square, 276-2377. Creative

Mugshots Grill & Bar, 300

cakes and assorted sweets. Tues-Sat.

River Highlands Blvd., 893-2422.

sugarbearsweetshop.com.

mugshotsgrillandbar.com.

Sweet Daddy’s, 420 S. Tyler St., 898New Orleans Food and Spirits, 208

2166. Pulled pork, brisket and ribs.

Lee Ln., 875-0432. Family owned and

sweetdaddysbarbq.com. MCC, ME.

operated. neworleansfoodspirits.com.

MCC.

Vasquez Seafood & Po-Boys, 515 E. Boston St., 893-9336. Cuban

Nonna Randazzo’s Italian Bakery

sandwiches and more. vazquezpoboy.

and Cafè, 2033 N. Hwy. 190, Ste.

com. MCC, checks, ME.

>>

July-August 2016 117

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Mande’s, 340 N. Causeway App.,

Yujin Japanese Restaurant and

Abita Roasting Company, 504

MADISONVILLE

9704. Fresh fish daily, aged beef,

626-9047. Serving breakfast and

Sushi Bar, 323 N. New Hampshire

Water St., 246-3340. abitaroasting.com.

traditional Italian. Lunch, dinner.

lunch, daily specials.

St., 809-3840. MCC.

fazziosrestaurant.com. MCC, ME, RR. Friends Costal Restaurant, 407

Mandina’s, 4240 Hwy. 22 in

Zea Rotisserie & Grill, 110 Lake Dr.,

Saint Tammany St., (985) 246-3370.

Franco’s Grill,100 Bon Temps

Azalea Square Shopping Center,

327-0520. Inspired American food.

geauxfriends.com.

Roule, 792-0200. Fresh organic foods

674-9883. Seafood, Creole and

for breakfast, lunch and takeout.

Italian. Lunch and dinner, Mon-Sat.

myfrancos.com/dining. MCC.

mandinasrestaurant.com.

zearestaurants.com. MCC. Hook’d Up Riverside Bar and Grill, HAMMOND

100 Marina Del Ray Dr., 845-8119.

Brady’s, 110 SW Railroad Ave., 5426333. bradysdowntown.com.

Don’s Seafood & Steak House,

George’s Mexican Restaurant,

N’Tini’s, 2891 N. Hwy. 190, 626-

Keith Young’s Steakhouse, 165

1461 N. Causeway Blvd., 626-4342.

5566. Steaks, martinis. Lunch

Hwy. 21, 845-9940. Lunch, dinner,

Family owned. Fajitas, George’s

specials. Mon.-Sat. ntinis.com. MCC.

Tues-Fri. keithyoungs.net. MCC.

nachos, Carne al la Parrilla. Best top-shelf margaritas in town.

Nuvolari’s, 246 Girod St., 626-5619.

Morton’s Boiled Seafood & Bar,

georgesmexicanrestaurant.com.

In Old Mandeville. Italian cuisine for

702 Water St., 845-4970. Lunch,

MCC, ME.

fine dining daily for dinner or special

1915 S. Morrison Blvd., 345-8550. donsseafoodonline.com. MCC. Jacmel Inn, 903 E. Morris St.,

dinner. MCC, checks.

events. MCC. nuvolaris.com.

Gio’s Villa Vancheri, 2890 E.

542-0043. Catering, special events, weddings. jacmelinn.com. MCC,

Water St. Bistro, 804 Water St.,

Causeway App., 624-2597. Sicilian

The Old Rail Brewing Company,

checks.

845-3855. Lunch and dinner, Wed-

specialties by 5-star chef Gio

639 Girod St., 612-1828. Homemade

Sun. mortonsseafood.com. MCC.

Vancheri. Lunch and dinner, Mon-Sat.

American cuisine with fresh,

giosvillavancheri.com. MCC. RR.

local ingredients. Family-friendly

Kirin Sushi, 223 S. Cate St., 542MANDEVILLE

8888. kirinjapanesecuisine.com. MCC.

atmosphere. Lunch and dinner.

The Barley Oak, 2101 Lakeshore

Jubilee Restaurant and Courtyard,

La Carreta Authentic Mexican

Dr., 727-7420. Serving 130 styles of

301 Lafitte St., 778-2552.

Cuisine, 108 N.W Railroad Ave., 419-

beer, call and premium liquors. Lunch

Contemporary Louisiana cuisine for

Pinkberry, 3460 Hwy. 190, 612-7306.

9990. Festive Mexican atmosphere,

and dinner. thebarleyoak.com. MCC.

dinner, lunch by Chef Tory Stewart.

Pinkberry is the original tart frozen

Casual fine dining, daily lunch/dinner

yogurt that is the perfect balance of

fresh food from traditional recipes,

Closed Tuesdays.

outstanding service and value. Live

Benedict’s Plantation, 1144 Lovers

specials, private events, catering.

sweet and tangy paired with high

music. Lunch and dinner seven days

Ln., 626-4557. Traditional New

jubileerestaurantcourtyard.com.

quality, fresh cut fruit and premium dry

a week. carretarestaurant.com. MCC.

Orleans cuisine. Dinner, Sunday

Tommy’s on Thomas, 216 W.

toppings. pinkberry.com.

brunch. benedictsplantation.net.

K. Gee’s, 2534 Florida St., 626-0530.

MCC.

Featuring Louisiana seafood with

PJ’s Coffee & Tea Co., 2963 Hwy.

raw oysters 1/2 price on Tuesdays.

190, 674-1565. Catering. pjscoffee. com. MCC.

Thomas St., 350-6100. Pizza, pastas.

Lunch, dinner. tommysonthomas.

Bosco’s Italian Café, 2040 Hwy. 59,

Express lunch and daily lunch specials

com. MCC, checks.

624-5066. boscositalian.com.

under $10. Mon-Thurs, 11am-9pm;

Tope là, 104 N. Cate St., 542-7600.

Café Lynn Restaurant and

Contemporary delights. topela.com.

Catering, 2600 Florida St., 624-

MCC.

9007. Casual fine dining for lunch,

La Carreta Authentic Mexican

secret dipping sauce. Dine-in, to-go

dinner and Sunday brunch by

Cuisine, 1200 W. Causeway

and catering. MCC.

Trey Yuen Cuisine of China,

Chef Joey Najolia. Tues-Fri, lunch:

App., 624-2990. Festive Mexican

2100 N. Morrison Blvd., 345-6789.

11am-3pm. Dinner, 5pm. Catering

atmosphere, fresh food from

Rip’s on the Lake, 1917 Lakeshore

treyyuen.com. MCC, checks.

provided. cafelynn.com. MCC.

traditional recipes, outstanding

Dr., 727-2829.

Fri-Sat, 11am-10pm. kgeesrestaurant.

Raising Canes, 3801 Hwy. 22, 674-

com. MCC.

2042. Chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, texas toast, signature

service and value. Live music. Lunch Yellow Bird Café, 222 E. Charles

Coffee Rani, 3517 Hwy. 190, 674-

and dinner seven days a week.

Rusty Pelican, 500 Girod

St., 345-1112. A great place to start

0560. Soup and salad specialists.

carretasrestaurant.com. MCC.

St., 778-0364. Lunch, dinner.

Coscino’s Pizza, 1809 N. Causeway

The Lakehouse, 2025 Lakeshore

Blvd., 727-4984. MCC.

Dr., 626-3006, events 778-2045.

Times Bar & Grill, 1896 N.

Restaurant open. Call for reservations.

Causeway Blvd., 626-1161. Lunch,

lakehousecuisine.com. MCC.

dinner. timesgrill.com. ME, MCC.

your day. Breakfast, lunch. MCC, checks.

rustypelicanbythelake.com. MCC.

LACOMBE La Provence Restaurant, 25020

Fat Spoon Café, 68480 Hwy. 59.,

Hwy. 190, 626-7662. Dinner, Sunday

809-2929. Breakfast, lunch, Tues-

brunch. laprovencerestaurant.com.

Sun. 7am-2pm. Breakfast served

Little Tokyo, 590 Asbury Dr.,

Trey Yuen Cuisine of China, 600 N.

MCC, checks. RR.

until 10:30am on weekdays and all

727-1532. littletokyosushi.com.

Causeway Blvd., 626-4476. Quality

day Saturday and Sunday. Reserve

China cuisine with Louisiana flair.

Sal & Judy’s, 27491 Hwy. 190, 882-

Fat Spoon Cafe for your next party.

Macaroni Grill, 3410 Hwy. 190, 727-

Lunch, dinner. treyyuen.com. MCC,

9443. Veal is the house specialty.

fatspooncafe.com. MCC.

1998. Lunch, dinner. macaronigrill.

checks.

salandjudys.com. MCC, RR.

com. MCC, ME. Fazzio’s Seafood & Steakhouse,

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Inside Northside

Vianne’s Tea House, 544 Girod St.,

i 624-5683. A full café menu with over

Carreta’s Grill, 2320 Veterans Blvd.,

120 loose leaf and speciality teas.

504-837-6696; 1821 Hickory Ave.,

Breakfast, lunch. viannes.com. MCC.

Harahan, 504-305-4833. Mexican,

n

s

i

d

e

d

i

n

i

n

g

lunch and dinner VooDoo BBQ & Grill, 2999 Hwy.

carretasgrillrestaurant.com. MCC.

190 E., 629-2021. “Taste our Magic.” voodoobbq.com. MCC.

Criollo Resturant and Lounge at Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St., 504-

PONCHATOULA

523-3340. Creole dining for breakfast,

Middendorf’s Seafood Restaurant,

lunch and dinner. hotelmonteleone.com/

30160 Hwy. 51, 386-6666.

criollo/. MCC, RR.

middendorfsrestaurant.com.

Deanie’s Seafood Restaurant, 1713 La Carreta Authentic Mexican

Lake Ave., 504-831-4141; 841 Iberville

Cuisine, 147 N.W. Railroad Ave., 370-

St., 504-581-1316. Louisiana seafood

0930. Festive Mexican atmosphere,

prepared in Creole seasonings, available in

fresh food from traditional recipes,

Bucktown or the French Quarter for lunch

outstanding service and value. Live

and dinner. deanies.com. MCC.

music. Lunch and dinner seven days a week. carretarestaurant.com. MCC.

Gautreau’s, 1728 Soniat St., 504899-7397. Open Monday through

SLIDELL A Touch of Italy Café, 134

Saturday. Dinner. gautreausrestaurant. com. MCC, RR.

Pennsylvania Ave., 639-0600. Lunch, dinner. kathrynandcompany.com.

Gumbo Shop, 630 Saint Peter St.,

MCC, checks.

504-525-1486. Award winning gumbo and soups, ship nationwide. Lunch

Bear’s Grill & Spirits, 550 Gause

and dinner. gumboshop.com.

Blvd., 201-8905. Po-boys and more. bearsgrillandspirits.com. MCC.

Mellow Mushroom, 3131 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-644-4155. Pizza,

Camellia Cafe, 525 Hwy. 190, 649-

30 craft beers on tap, lunch and

6211. thecamelliacafe.com. MCC.

dinner. mellowmushroom.com. MCC.

Carreta’s Grill, 137 Taos St., 847-0020.

Louisiana Pizza Kitchen French

Great Mexican cuisine and margaritas

Quarter. 95 French Market Place,

served in a family-friendly atmosphere

504-522-9500. Casual dining in a fine

for lunch and dinner. carretasgrill.com.

dining atmosphere with experienced

MCC.

waitstaff, fresh dishes and made-fromscratch menu items. Lunch and dinner.

Palmettos on the Bayou,

lpkfrenchquarter.com. MCC.

1901 Bayou Ln., 643-0050. palmettosrestaurantslidell.com.

Restaurant R’evolution, 777 Bienville St., 504-553-2277. Located at the

Peck’s Seafood Restaurant, 2315

Royal Sonesta Hotel. Offering modern,

Gause Blvd. E., 781-7272. Po-boys,

imaginative reinterpretations of classic

seafood, burgers and lunch specials.

Cajun and Creole Cuisine. Triptych of

MCC.

Quail and Oysterman’s spaghettini.

Revolutionnola.com. MCC. RR.

NEW ORLEANS/SOUTHSHORE Bayona, 430 Rue Dauphine, 504-

Riccobono’s Peppermill, 3524 Severn

525-4455. Fresh local ingredients,

Ave., 504-455-2266. Seafood, filets

balanced yet complex dishes. Lunch

and Italian. Breakfast and lunch. Dinner,

and dinner. bayona.com. MCC.

Wednesday-Sunday. riccobonos.com.

MCC.

Brennan’s. 417 Royal St., 504525-9711. Creole traditions

Warehouse Grille, 869 Magazine

and contemporary influences.

St, 504-322-2188. Lunch and dinner

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

specials, Monday-Friday. Brunch,

brennansneworleans.com. MCC. RR.

Saturday-Sunday, 9am-3pm. warehousegrille.com. MCC.

July-August 2016 119

photo: TASHA RAE PHOTOGRAPHY

Marina Renne Gelpi and Patrick Hamilton Clay said “I do” at Rosy’s Jazz Hall in New Orleans. On the wedding’s eve, the couple’s families and wedding party rehearsed and enjoyed dinner at Antoine’s Restaurant, which, of course, finished with Baked Alaska. For the ceremony, Marina graced the aisle in a ruched mermaid-style gown with intricate beading and a birdcage veil. Her maids, in navy lace dresses, carried bouquets of white hydrangea; the men wore khaki suits with navy vests and ties. Guests second lined into the reception to celebrate. The bride’s three-tier cake featured fleur de lis with two cream-and-gold Mardi Gras masks. The groom’s New Orleans Pelican’s cake showed his passion and career in sports reporting. At the end of the celebration, the newlyweds left for their honeymoon in Barcelona and Paris.

Coombe-Lee

photo: GREEN STILL PHOTOGRAPHY

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Gelpi-Clay

Bissel-Teegardin Emily Elizabeth Bissel and Tyler Russell Teegardin exchanged vows at the home of the bride’s aunt and uncle on the Tchefuncte River. The bride wore a champagne organza ruffle-skirt dress with a lace bodice by Oleg Cassini. Her bridesmaids donned wisteria purple gowns, while the bride’s sister, who was maid of honor, was in cornflower blue. At the reception, guests enjoyed a menu prepared by Don Phillips Catering. Entertainment for the evening included a DJ and photo booth with fun and festive props. Everyone danced the night away before sending the newlyweds off for their honeymoon in Disneyworld. The happy couple resides in Texas while the groom completes training for the United States Air Force.

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Meghan Emily Coombe and Andrew William Lee wed at the bride’s home in Madisonville. Meghan’s Maggie Sottero gown of white Brione satin was embellished with Swarovski crystals and lace cap sleeves; her lace veil was a family heirloom. She carried a bouquet of white hydrangeas, white stock, white blush peonies and roses. The outdoor sanctuary was accented with snowball viburnum, parsley hawthorn fern and white stock atop the garden arch where the two stood for their vows. Meghan’s lifelong friends Mallory and Layne stood by her side in pale pink silk gowns. The reception followed the intimate ceremony with music, dining and celebration. Before returning home to Mandeville, the couple honeymooned in Lake Como, Italy, and Santorini, Greece.

INside Peek 1. The Susan Thurston’s Tea Committee enjoying a Spring Hat Fling at the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage. 2. Leadership St. Tammany Alumni board members Jenny Mutter, Georgia Thomas, Brad Schroeder,

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Mike Mire, Dr. Michael Sprague, Larry Rolling; (seated) Kristie Thomas and Lindy Stonecypher at the Leadership St. Tammany Crawfish Boil. 3. Michael Mire, Gretchen Ockman, Mayor Donald Villere, Jenny Mutter, Dr. Susan Strain. 4. Marie Landry, Mark Johnson, Jenny Goodrow, Kathy LeBlanc and Georgia Thomas. 5. Leslie Tate, Abbot

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Justin Brown, Diane Weiss and Kathy Nastasi as Diane presents Abbot Justin with a check from this year’s Monk Run. 6. Gary and Donna Roebacke at the Special Olympics Louisiana’s Champions Together breakfast in Mandeville. 7. The DelaHoussaye family with Mary Louise Prudhomme. 8. Jimmy and Beth Fisackerly with Scott Calcote, Jenn Thompson and Ed Guillot at the Spring 2016 Loose Dat award banquet. 9. Sandy Franco and Kim Camet. 10. The Royal PM Team, trained by Kim Camet, being named champions of the Franco’s Loose Dat Spring Team Weight Loss Challenge.

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Blue Jeans Ball The MKO Foundation’s 2nd Annual Blue Jeans Ball took place at the Columbia Street Tap Room & Seiler Bar in Covington. Guests donned their favorite blue jeans and enjoyed a cooking competition, music by Lost in the Sixties and an auction.

Proceeds from the event benefited community first responders, the Covington Fraternal Order of Police and Covington Firefighters Association, Youth Service Bureau and the Boys & Girls Club of Southeast LouisianaCovington Unit.

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INside Peek

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3

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4 1. Dave and Ann Mannella with Dr. David

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Hildebrandt at the 2016 Cypress District Eagle Social for the Boy Scouts of America. 2. Buddy Lloyd, Jimmy Lloyd, David Kaufmann, Chris Kaufmann, Chuck Sabadie and Mike Tassin. 3. Evan Sinon and Sydney Powell at Bayou Country SuperFest 2016 4. Christ Episcopal School presenting a check to the Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West from CES second grade students.

5. Irene Walz and Chris Verdin celebrating 15 years 8

7

of service at Lakeview’s Volunteer Auxiliary luncheon.

6. Fr. Jonathan Defrange, Dennis Laborde, Krista Carpenter, Ralph O’Neal, Trina Samman, Suzy McDaniel, Ginger Kunkle, Dr. Karlin, Kim Kirby and Dr. Barbara Hebert. 7. Steve Ashy, Doug Ashy Sr., Clair Ashy and Doug Ashy Jr. at the grand opening of Poole Lumber Company in Covington.

8. Valedictorian Hannah Summersgill, Male Student Athlete Crystal Award recipient Ian Distefano and Principal Fr. Charles L. Latour at Archbishop Hannan

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High School’s graduation. 9. Cissy Carville, Virginia

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Branch, Cynthia Webb, Kris Muntan, Melissa Bean and Jacqueline Guillot at the Lakeview Medical Center’s Healing Arts event. 10. Lakeview’s Board Chairwoman Willie Paretti and CEO Bret Kolman.

11. Madison, Cookie and Kristen Rojas celebrating Cookie being crowned King of the Kilts at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater New Orleans King of the Kilts crowing party. 12. Pam and Steve Brownlee with daughter Morgan.

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INside Peek

Crawfish and Roses The annual Crawfish and Roses cook-off fundraiser was held at Coquille Park. Over 500 partygoers, many donned in wacky Derby hats and threads, arrived hungry to enjoy all-youcan-eat crawfish and more. The live and silent auctions were a hit as teams boiled over 2,000 pounds of crawfish and fixings. The lively event ended with the running of the 142nd Kentucky Derby.

Proceeds benefited the UP21 Foundation and The Miracle League.

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Inside Northside

Fidelity Bank Crawfish Boil Fidelity Bank hosted a crawfish boil at its Hammond office for emergency responders and the citizens of Tangipahoa Parish. Proceeds from the event benefitted the American Red Cross of Southeast Louisiana. Local celebrity Al Scramuzza made a special appearance to sing his famous melody, Seafood City.

The event gathered over 100 people, many of them local heroes during the recent floods. Fidelity Bank hosted the event in support of their mission statement, “Here for Good.� Crawfish were provided and boiled by Fat Chef Catering.

Women IN Business Luncheon

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

It was a beautiful day to gather for Inside Northside’s Women IN Business luncheon. At Pontchartrain Yacht Club, the women enjoyed meeting one another and making connections while overlooking the lake and pool. Publisher Lori Murphy invited everyone to enjoy lunch and drinks before Editor-in-Chief Anne Honeywell introduced the Women IN Business. Each stood to talk about her business, giving lots of advice and insight.

Susan Bonnett, CEO and President of the Northshore Community Foundation, spoke about the pearls of the northshore and how each business adds to the strand. Dr. Katherine Williams closed the luncheon with an empowering talk on starting the dialogue on women’s sexual health The inspired Women IN Business and their guests all left full of smiles and lemon squares.

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Inside Northside

INside Peek

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3

1

1. Tyler Stroble and Gene Garcia at the 7th

5

4

Annual SPS Alumni Crawfish Boil.

2. Paul Alexius, Frank Fouchi and Jimmy Dykes. 3. Gina Powell with Bobby Bones after his Funny & Alone show at Joy Theater in New Orleans. 4. Poki Hampton, Channing Thompson and Jenn Thompson at Franco’s Ladies’ Day Out. 5. Phyllis Goodwin, Samantha Goodwin, Lora Haddox and Louise Lovich at the 2nd Annual Susan Thurston’s

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Tea at the Lake Pontchartrain Maritime Museum. 6. Beth DePass and Cindy Trist at the Inside New Orleans Women IN Business luncheon. 7. KK Smith Riecke, Lauren Riecke, Katherine Riecke with Janet and Edsel Parnell at SSA Grandparents’ Day. 8. Dr. Susan Strain and her staff at Claiborne Hill Veterinary Hospital participating in CAP Day for the Exchange Club. 9. SSA Student of the Year 8

Chair Becky Carson Parks, SSA Principal

9

Mary Kathryn Villere, SSA Student of the Year Beverly Brown and Exchange Club Vice President Clay Madden. 10. Kenny Bridges, Mary Christopher, Michael Reed, Mandie Manzano, Al Reisz; (seated) Charlotte LowryCollins at Hope for Habitat. 11. Kelly Landrum Hammell, Caron Sharpe, Dennis Formento, Connie Born; (seated) Carol Hallock and Adam Sambola.

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INside Peek

Inside Northside’s Meet the Artists Party Cover artists Carol Hallock, Elizabeth Impastato and Linda Trappey Dautreuil displayed their works throughout the rooms of the 2016 “Raising the Roof for Charity” Raffle House. This year’s home, built by Dodie Adams of Integrity Builders, Inc., stands on a cul-de-sac lot in Spring Haven subdivision in Madisonville. Guests of the Northshore Home Builders Association, Inside Northside and Integrity Builders gathered in the home and outside on the patio and garage for drinks, delicious food and great conversation. Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West, Boys & Girls Club, Tammany Trace and the Covington Food Bank all benefitted from the Raffle House fundraiser.

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Inside Northside

Armbruster Artworks Ribbon Cutting The sun was shining bright for Armbruster Artworks Fine Art School and Gallery ribbon cutting. Mayor Mike Cooper helped Gretchen Armbruster snip the red ribbon at the front door of her studio. Friends, family, art students and fans cheerfully enjoyed wine and small bites while perusing the new gallery and studio. Gretchen’s new location will house art classes and instructional workshops as well as a full gallery to display students’ works and Armbruster originals.

July-August 2016 129

Last Bite

Antoine’s Restaurant

by Leah Draffen

AS THE OLDEST FRENCH-CREOLE fine dining restaurant in New Orleans, Antoine’s offers just as much history and charm on the menu as it does in its atmosphere.

The 176-year-old legacy is still owned and operated by fifth-generation relatives of the original founder, Antoine Alciatore. Executive Chef Michael Regua has been with Antoine’s for over 30 years. Under his direction, Antoine’s has received many awards, including the Lafcadio Hearn Award Hall of Honor by the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute.

The menu offers traditional flavors, including Louisiana Gulf oysters baked on the half shell with the original Rockefeller sauce created by Antoine’s in 1889. A Sunday Jazz Brunch favorite is Oeufs Sardou, poached eggs over steamed artichoke bottoms and hollandaise sauce served on a signature Antoine’s plate. And whether brunch, lunch or dinner, don’t forget the Baked Alaska!

Reservations are available for dinner Monday-Saturday, 5:30-9 p.m.; lunch, Monday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; or brunch, Sunday, 11a.m.-2 p.m. Antoine’s Restaurant is located at 713 Saint Louis St. in the heart of the French Quarter. 504581-2152. antoines.com.

Executive Chef Michael Regua started his career at Antoine’s as a prep

Chef and taking over from Chef John De Villes.

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Inside Northside

photo: SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

his way up to Executive

photo: WILL CROCKER

cook before working