September-October 2018 Issue of Inside Northside Magazine by Inside Publications

495

HARVEST CUP POLO CLASSIC •

ON THE AIR! •

Q&A WITH TOM FITZMORRIS •

CULTURAL GUIDE

INSIDEPUB.com

IN THIS ISSUE

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2018 VOL. 33, NO. 5

September-October 2018

Vol. 33, No. 5

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

Senior Editor

Managing Editor

Jan Murphy Leah Draffen

Contributors are featured on page 16. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Señor Art Director

Brad Growden

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Business Manager

Senior Account Executives

Check us out online

Jane Quillin

Barbara Bossier at insidepub.com.

Jonée Daigle-Ferrand

Poki Hampton

Candice Laizer

Barbara Roscoe

Account Executives

Amy Taylor

Advertising Coordinator

Louisa Holowesko Zane Willis Margaret Rivera

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Advertise phone

(985) 626-9684

fax (985) 674-7721 email sales@insidepub.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Contribute 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 editorial consideration to editor@insidepub.com. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

On the cover

Contact

mail P.O. Box 9148 Mandeville, LA 70470 phone

(985) 626-9684

fax (985) 674-7721 Cover Artist Jax Frey. Find more on page 18.

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

INSIDE NORTHSIDE 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. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parishes, Louisiana. Bulk Postage paid at Mandeville, LA. Copyright ©2018 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.

Inside Northside

contents table of

page 34

page 77

Features 18 Artistic Free Spirit Cover Artist Jax Frey 34 Revisiting History in Beau ChĂŞne 38 Q & A with Tom Fitzmorris 44 On the Air! Southeasternâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award-Winning Student Sportscasters 63 Cultural Guide 2018-19 82 A Kitchen Fit for a Restaurateur page 63

Harvest Cup Polo Classic

Begins on page 55

page 82 8

Inside Northside

Menu Guide Begins on page 89

contents

page 70

table of

12 Publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note

77 INside Look

14 Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note

108 IN Love and Marriage

16 Contributors

109 Inside Peek Featuring Garden House Grand Opening Rodrigue Dinner Summer Fine Wines for Canines Go 4th on the River

21 INside Scoop 30 IN Other Words Who Ya Gonna Call?...again. 50 Generous Hearts Help After Harm 70 Flourishes Extraordinary gifts and home accents

114 Wine Cellar Champagne

pagepage 50 124

Taking Care Of Our Own by Lori Murphy One of the things I like best about living in a small community is the “security blanket” feeling I get when things seem to be going awry. It happens in every life, and it can throw pretty much anyone for a loop. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how seemingly together you appear. At a recent meeting, St. Tammany Parish Public Schools Superintendent Trey Folse told the group about welcoming a class of Whispering Forest first graders to the new school year. In one corner of the room, teacher Amiee Gallagher had set up a refreshment station with cups and juice for the children. Its purpose? To help calm the nerves of anyone feeling anxious. The placebo effect of a small cup of calm was a great idea! He told the kids that he himself was feeling nervous that day, and they invited him to have some of their “Jitter Juice”. It worked wonders for them to have a solution to offer. Superintendent Folse and the STPPS system have assistance to offer, as well. Starting this year, there will be 55 full-time mental-health professionals on staff, one for each school in the system! Because our young people spend most of their time in school, the staff recognized an opportunity to identify challenges early and provide intervention at crucial stages of development. This will positively impact learning, at the very least. The focus for these professionals will be to work proactively to assist students and families within our learning communities on mental health issues. They will also provide guidance to educators on how to watch for warning signs of trouble or concern. From the school system and other organizations and non-profits that provide a strong safety net for all of us to the leaders that are helping us shape our future, we are very blessed.

ps ... See you on the polo fields of Summergrove Farm on October 21. If you don’t have your tickets to the Harvest Cup Polo Classic yet, log onto jlgc.net and get them today! See page 55 for more details!

Editor’s Note by Anne Honeywell Next month, Saint Joseph Seminary College will host its annual gala, Deo Gratias, Latin for “Thanks be to God,” at Saint Joseph Abbey in Covington. All proceeds from this annual

Abbot Justin Brown, O.S.B., with the artist,

Marilyn Rougelot-Geddes.

fête benefit the Seminary College and the continued growth of its academic and formation programs. The Deo Gratias evening will begin with vespers in the Abbey Church with the Benedictine monks and the Schola Cantorum, followed by the beautiful outdoor gala featuring food prepared by award-winning Chef John Folse, desserts by Zoë’s Bakery, and fine wines and cheeses from Acquistapace’s Covington Supermarket. A silent auction will offer a variety of items, including art by local artists. And if you become a sponsor of Deo Gratias, you will enjoy a pre-gala reception in the Monks’ Refectory. This year’s featured artist is Marilyn Rougelot-Geddes. Rougelot-Geddes is a long-celebrated and highly respected artist. Her paintings, portraits, and murals are visible in homes and public venues across the area and nationwide. Long before she became a Benedictine Oblate of the Abbey, Rougelot-Geddes enjoyed being a part of the spiritual life of this community. Her celebrated oil painting, Bond of St. Benedict, depicts an historic moment in 2001 when the community of Saint Joseph Abbey gathered to vote for a new Abbot, resulting in the election of Abbot Justin Brown, O.S.B. The painting celebrates that special day in November as the monks processed to their Chapter Room; it will be the highlight of the silent auction. This beautiful night not only serves as a fundraiser for the Seminary, but as an opportunity for us all to celebrate the ongoing growth and achievements of this beloved Covington institution. Hope to see you there!

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit sjasc.edu.

Contributors Shauna Grissett Shauna Grissett grew up in New Orleans and graduated from St. Martin’s Episcopal School, the University of Virginia and the Fashion Institute of Design’s one-year fashion design program. She worked in New York’s rough-and-tumble garment industry for over sixteen years before returning home. Shauna has been writing a fiction book based on her former life on Seventh Avenue for the past few years. Shauna’s article on cover artist Jax Frey is featured on page 18. Bill Kearney Bill Kearney believes if you like a wine, it’s a great wine—and the best wine is shared with friends. For more than 20 years, he has added wines from many regions, grapes and friends to his private collection. Recently certified as a sommelier, he serves as the wine director for Galatoire’s Restaurant and also at 33 Bar and Steak, where he is a partner. A graduate of Tulane, Bill is president of Yenraek, a governmental affairs firm. On page 114, Bill talks about Champagne in Wine Cellar. Becky Slatten Becky Slatten is a native of Natchitoches, an LSU alumna and the mother of three children. 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—in this issue on page 30. Other Voices: Sara Bongiorni, Lisa Fremont, Candra George, Thomas B. Growden, Poki Hampton, Anne Honeywell and Anthony “Chopper” Leone.

Views mini paintings, which are colorful, highly textured, mixed-media paintings on four-by-fourinch paintings of mostly New Orleans and Louisiana icons, landmarks and images such as Café du Monde, Commander’s Palace, Jackson Square and French Quarter scenes. On June 26, 2017, she painted and recorded her 20,000th Little Views mini painting and received world’s record status for the Most Original Acrylic Paintings on Canvas by One Artist from the World’s Record Academy, the world’s largest organization that verifies and recognizes new records based on unlimited categories. Since setting the record in 2017, she has now painted a total of 23,000 works of art, according to Frey. In terms of her process she says, “There are a lot of steps to the mini paintings, and that’s what makes them special. I sculpt them out first and then ink, glaze and paint them. And, finally, I varnish them.

Artistic Free Spirit NATIVE NEW ORLEANIAN and this issue’s cover artist Jax Frey is like a wildflower in a summer field, blowing in the wave of a gentle wind, seemingly free from the conformities of a defined world. Frey has lived many lives and fearlessly follows her dreams. Before becoming an artist, she lived in upstate New York, on a West Virginia farm, in El Paso and Denver and even attended medical school in the Dominican Republic. Eventually, she settled in California and went to a culinary academy, opened a catering business, studied business, marketing and life coaching and worked in sales at a software firm. But she always knew that one day she would be an artist, even though she has no artistic training. She says, “As a child, I didn’t know I could draw. But I always felt like an artist, and it was just a matter of time. I moved around a lot but my heart was always here. And that was the start of it all for me, missing New Orleans. I began to paint little things that I missed and remembered about the city, and it turned out that people really liked them, the mini paintings.” So, after living in California for many years, she moved home and has lived in Covington since 2006. Frey is perhaps most well-known for her Little 18

Inside Northside

by Shauna Grissett

They have a whimsical feel.” Frey is working on a new series, Jax What’s Cookin’ Kitchen Art. She says, “I have these new paintings that I’m doing, and they are more neutral, not quite such a blast of color. They look good in a more traditional home. They’re printed on fabric and then hand wrapped onto canvas. It’s a little different for me. I have to take my time rather than what I normally do >>

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Cover Artist Jax Frey

For more information about Frey’s product line or to special order her mini paintings, go to artbyjax.com. Her work is exhibited at Ariodante Contemporary Crafts, 535 Julia Street. 20

Inside Northside

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

with my really whimsical, loose paintings. It makes you grow as an artist, to try new things.” In addition to the Little Views mini paintings, Frey does paint larger works and has the occasional show. “Every once in a while, I’ll do a show at the Ariodante Gallery, and I’ll paint what I want. I have a tendency to paint women. I created this group of women I call, The Gumbeaux Sistahs, and they keep showing up in my work. They’re Louisiana women that are having a great time and inspiring each other, and it just feels right. In fact, I’m writing a book about them. I’m writing most of it at St. John’s Coffee House in Covington, and I’m hoping to bring it out next year. I’m having a great time writing it; it’s hilarious!” In addition to her works on canvas, Frey offers a product line of over 25 items based on her paintings. Her products include (but are not limited to): aprons, jewelry, coasters, giclées, napkin sets, ornaments, photo frames, scarves, tote bags, and cheese plates. The artistic free spirit wraps up or rather paints the experiences that led her to this point. “I just did a painting called Authentic Song. It’s all about my artistic journey. Judgment, opportunity, learning, personal freedom and New Orleans … everything about this journey.”

2018 Wooden Boat Festival

October 13-14 2018 Wooden Boat Festival. Presented by the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum. Over one hundred classic boats, hundreds of spectator boats, and wooden boat and music enthusiasts. Great food, live music, children’s activities, arts and crafts, classic car cruise-in, and the Quick ‘n Dirty Boat Building Contest. Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum, 133 Mabel Dr, Madisonville. 10am-6pm. woodenboatfest.org.

INSIDE the definitive guide to northshore events and entertainment

September photo: ANTHONY “CHOPPER” LEONE

1-9 Africa Umoja: The Spirit of Unity

and John Perrilloux’s works. Hammond

Tour. Mahalia Jackson Theater, 3220

Regional Arts Center, 217 E Thomas St.

General DeGaulle Dr, New Orleans. (504)

542-7113. hammondarts.org.

367-3554. africaumojausatour.com.

1-Dec 21 EMPIRE. Newcomb Art Museum

1- 16 Changing Course Exhibition. New

of Tulane, 6823 St. Charles Ave, New

Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Crl. (504) 648-4100. noma.org. 1-28 Heavy Metal Exhibit. Featuring Nancy

Orleans. newcombartmuseum.tulane.edu. 2 Labor Day Music Fest. Land-O-Pines Family Campground, 17145 Million Dollar

Rd, Covington. 12-10pm. 892-6023. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Abita Springs Art and Farmers Market. Trailhead Park. 12-4pm. townofabitasprings.com/ farmers-market. 5 Paul Simon. Smoothie King Center, Sugar Bowl Dr, New Orleans. 8pm. smoothiekingcenter.com. September-October 2018 21

Inside Scoop 5, 12, 19, 26 Covington Farmers Market. Covington Trailhead, 419 N New Hampshire. 10am-2pm. covingtonfarmersmarket.org. 6 Johnny Sketch and The Dirty Notes. Ogden After Hours. Ogden Museum of Southern Art, 925 Camp St, New Orleans. 6-8pm. ogdenmuseum.org. 6 Lisette Pants & 525 Sweater Stock Event. Ballin’s LTD, 806 E Boston St, Covington. 892-0025. ballinsltd.com. 7 Chef’s Taste Challenge: Battle of the Gulf Edition. New Orleans and the Gulf Coast’s culinary clash benefiting Edible Schoolyard New Orleans. New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, 900 Convention Center Blvd. 6:30pm. $80. (504) 582-3000. chefstastechallenge. com. 7-22 Murder Among Friends. Cutting Edge Theater, 767 Robert Blvd, Slidell. 6493727. cuttingedgetheater.com. 7, 14, 21, 28 “Legacies for All” Estate Planning Day. Schedule time for a legacy/estate plan, which includes a will, power of attorney and living will. Christie Tournet & Associates, 1795 W Causeway App, Suite 103A, Mandeville. 10:30am-2:30pm. $500. 951-2177. 8 Farm and Table FAMboree. Nationally recognized chefs, interactive kids zone, cooking demos, marketplace and music. New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, 900 Convention Center Blvd. Free admission. farmandtablenola.com. 8 Viva La Cure-A Night of Hope. Annual gala benefiting the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans. Silent auction, food, spirits and live music by the Bucktown All-Stars. WWII Museum, U.S. Freedom Pavilion. 7:30-11pm. $100. bidr. co/events/viva. cagno.org. 8 30th Anniversary Nutcracker Auditions. Ballet Apetrei Studios, 829 Asbury Dr, Mandeville. Ages 7-8, 1:45-2:15pm; Ages 9-11, 2:15-2:45pm. 624-3622. 22

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

8-29 Chasing the Thing: the River Fugue

members welcome, no reservations

Series. Works by Bernard Mattox.

required. Benedict’s Plantation, 1144 N

Opening reception, Sept 8, 6-9pm.

Causeway Blvd, Mandeville. 10am-12pm.

St. Tammany Art Association, 320 N

northlakenewcomers.com.

Columbia St, Covington. 892-8650.

15 Abita Springs Opry. The Steve

sttammanyartassociation.org. 8-Nov 3 Thirty New Orleans Artists. New

Anderson Group, Big Daddy O, The Rayo Brothers, and Albanie Faletta and her

Orleans Healing Center, 2372 St. Claude

New Orleans Jazz Band. Abita Springs

Ave. Opening, Sept 8, 6-9:30pm. Free.

Town Hall, 22161 Level St. 892-0711.

neworleanshealingcenter.org.

abitaopry.org

8, 15, 22, 29 Camellia City Farmers

15 Fifth Annual NOLA Bluedoo Run.

Market. 1808 Front St, Slidell.

Benefiting the prostate cancer research

8am-12pm. camelliacitymarket.org.

fund at Tulane Cancer Center. Tulane

8, 15, 22, 29 Covington Farmers Market.

University Uptown Campus. 5-7pm.

609 N Columbia St. 8am-12pm. covingtonfarmersmarket.org. 8, 15, 22, 29 Mandeville Trailhead Market. 675 Lafitte St. 9am-1pm. mandevilletrailheadmarket.com. 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Saints.

nolabluedoorun.org. 16 Cleveland Browns vs Saints. Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Sugar Bowl Dr. 12pm. neworleanssaints.com. 16 Tom McDermott. Third Sunday Concert Series at Christ Episcopal Church, 120 S

Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Sugar Bowl

New Hamsphire St, Covington. 5-6pm.

Dr. 12pm. neworleanssaints.com.

Free. 892-3177.

10-16 Restaurant Week New Orleans.

20 Northshore Chowdown: Taco

For the eighth year, Restaurant Week

Takeover. Proceeds benefit the Louisiana

New Orleans will showcase the city’s

Restaurant Association’s Education

best restaurants at a competitive

Foundation. Maison Lafitte, 402 Lafitte St,

price point during a special week. coolinaryneworleans.com. 11, 25 Shadow Days. St. Paul’s School, 917 S Jahncke Ave, Covington. 1pm. RSVP, 892-3200. stpauls.com. 12 Stroke Survivor and Caregiver

Mandeville. $30. lra.org. 20-23 Burlesque Festival. Sultry showcases of burlesque performers from around the world. (504) 975-7425. neworleansburlesquefest.com. 21 Excelencia Gala. Presented by the

Meeting. Held the second Wednesday

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of

of every month for stroke survivors,

Louisiana. Dinner, dancing, silent auction

caregivers, family and friends. Lakeview

and more. Intercontinental New Orleans,

Regional Medical Center, Rehabilitation

444 St Charles Ave. 7-12:30pm. $150.

and Sports Medicine, 19055 Kane

(504) 885-4262. business.hccl.biz.

Ln, Covington. 5:30-6:30pm. lakeviewregional.com. 14 Celebration of Life Luncheon.

21 Martini Madness. Friends of City Park presents Martini Madness featuring 25 of unique martinis and cuisine from New

The Cancer Crusaders celebrate 12

Orleans’ top restaurants. Arbor Room

honorees. New Orleans Marriott Hotel,

and Popp Fountain, City Park. (504) 483-

555 Canal St. 11am. 501auctions.com/

9376. friendsofcitypark.com.

cancercrusaders. 14 Northlake Newcomers Club Membership Coffee and Social. New

21, 24 J’Envie & E.L.I. Stock Event. Ballin’s LTD, 806 E Boston, Covington. 892-0025. ballinsltd.com.

Inside Scoop 22 NOLA on Tap. The largest beer festival

23 2018 Sunday at Emeril’s. LSUHSC

in the region with live music, 400+ local,

Foundation Department of Psychiatry XXII

national and homebrewed beers, ,

dinner honoring Dana Hansel and Anne

food, contests, dog-friendly, shopping,

Redd. Emeril’s, 800 Tchoupitoulas, New

non-beer drinks and games. Benefiting

Orleans. Cocktail attire. 5:30pm. give.

Louisiana SPCA. New Orleans City Park

lsuhealthfoundation.org.

Festival Grounds. 12-7pm. nolaontap.org. 22 Taylor Swift. Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Sugar Bowl Dr. 7pm. mbsuperdome.com/events. 22-23 National Fried Chicken Fest. Fried

24 Parker Smith Jeans Trunk Show. Ballin’s LTD, 806 E Boston, Covington. 892-0025. ballinsltd.com. 26-Oct 7 Aladdin. A part of the 2018-19 Hancock Whitney Broadway in New

chicken, live music and Raising Canes.

Orleans season. Saenger Theatre, 1111

Woldenberg Park, 1 Canal St, New Orleans.

Canal St. broadwayinneworleans.com.

11am-9pm. friedchickenfestival.com. 23 Paint Your Pet. Following the Mardi

27 Open House. Preschool through 7th Grade. Cedarwood School, 607

Cause Dog Spa mobile groomer

Heavens Dr, Mandeville. 9am. 845-7111.

ribbon cutting, join Mardi Cause and

cedarwoodschool.com.

Painting with a Twist for a pet portrait

28 Color For A Cure. Benefiting the

painting class to benefit Dante’s

Alzheimer’s Association. H2O Salon,

Hope East. Ribbon cutting pre-party,

3908 Hwy 22, Mandeville. 951-8166.

11:30am-12:30pm; painting, 1-4pm.

h2osalonnorthshore.com.

(844) 41-GROOM.

28 Columbia Street Block Party.

Downtown Covington. 6:30-9:30pm.

Lapalco Blvd, Avondale. Registration,

Free. 892-1873.

11:30am; shotgun start, 1pm. (504) 486-

28-Oct 13 A My Name is Alice. Cutting Edge Theater, 767 Robert Blvd, Slidell.

6668. golf.rmhc-sla.org. 3-7 St. Tammany Parish Fair. Rodeo,

649-3727. cuttingedgetheater.com.

rides, music, crafts, pageant, livestock

28-Oct 14 Twelfth Night. Slidell Little

shows and more. St. Tammany Parish

Theatre, 2024 Nellie Dr. 643-0556.

Fairgrounds, 1304 N Columbia St,

slidelllittletheatre.org.

Covington. sttammanyparishfair.info.

29 Emery Clark Exhibition Opening. On

3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Covington Farmers

view until Oct. 27. Christwood Atrium

Market. Covington Trailhead, 419

Gallery, 100 Christwood Blvd, Covington.

N New Hampshire. 10am-2pm.

4:30-6:30pm. christwoodrc.com/art-

covingtonfarmersmarket.org.

gallery-exhibits.

October 1-27 Emery Clark Exhibition. Christwood

4 The Gala. An unforgettable evening of circus-style entertainment, auctions, games and delicious food and drinks benefitting patients and families of St.

Atrium Gallery, 100 Christwood Blvd,

Tammany Cancer Center. Southern Hotel.

Covington. christwoodrc.com/art-gallery-

sthfoundation.org/thegala.

exhibits. 2 Ronald McDonald House Charities Golf Classic. Lunch, drinks, silent auction, gift bags and more. TPC Louisiana, 11001

4, 11, 18, 25 Rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the Rails. Covington Trailhead, 419 N New Hampshire St. 5-7:30pm. covla.com. 5 St. Jude in the Big Easy. Cocktails,

September-October 2018 25

Inside Scoop dinner, music, auctions and patient speaker. Generations Hall, 310 Andrew Higgins Blvd, New Orleans. Patron party, 6:30-8pm. Main event, 8-11pm. stjude.org/neworleans. 5 St. Paul’s Alumni Golf Tournament. stpauls.com. 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 26-28 The Myrtles Halloween Experience. The Myrtles Plantation, 7747 Hwy 61, St. Francisville. (225) 635-6277. stfrancisvillefestivals.com. 5, 12, 19, 26 “Legacies for All” Estate Planning Day. Schedule time for a legacy/estate plan, which includes a will, power of attorney and living will. Christie Tournet & Associates, 1795 W Causeway App, Suite 103A, Mandeville. 10:30am-2:30pm. $500. 951-2177. 6 Mary, Queen of Peace Fleur de Fall Gala. Beau Chêne Country Club, 602 N Beau Chêne Dr, Mandeville. maryqueenofpeace.org. 6 Operation Life 5K. Presented by North Oaks Health System and LOPA. Run for life and raise awareness about the power of organ and tissue donation. Cate Square Park, Hammond. 8am. northoaks.org. 6 Oxtoberfest. Second annual beerfest celebrating a German classic with a Covington twist. Benefiting the Boys & Girls Club in Covington. Downtown Covington. oxtoberfest.org. 6 Play it Safe. Presented by North Oaks Health System and community partners. Free event teaches everyone how to play it safe at home, on the road and during sports/outdoor adventures. Cate Square Park, Hammond. 10am-1pm. northoaks.org. 6 Unity in the Community. BBQ cookoff, carnival games, Abita root beer floats, face painting and more. Abita Brewery Beer Garden, 20184 Hwy 36, Covington. 11am-4pm. gnoproperty.com. 6-Nov 17 Selections from the New Orleans Museum of Art. St. Tammany Art Association, 320 N Columbia St, Covington. 8928650. sttammanyartassociation.org. 6, 13, 20, 27 Camellia City Farmers Market. 1808 Front St, Slidell. 8am-12pm. camelliacitymarket.org. 6, 13, 20, 27 Covington Farmers Market. 609 N Columbia St. 8am-12pm. covingtonfarmersmarket.org. 6, 13, 20, 27 Mandeville Trailhead Market. 675 Lafitte St. 9am-1pm. mandevilletrailheadmarket.com. 7 Kelsey Bradley Favrot Memorial 5K. Benefitting the LSU Department of Neurosurgery’s Brain Tumor Center. Audubon Park, Shelter Bldg. #10, 6500 Magazine St, New Orleans. Half-mile run/ walk, 8am; 5K run/walk, 8:30am. (504) 340-6976. kelseysgoal.com. 7, 14, 21, 28 Abita Springs Art and Farmers Market. Trailhead Park. 12-4pm. townofabitasprings.com/farmers-market. 7, 14, 21, 28 Angola Prison Rodeo & Craft Show. 17544 Tunica Tr, Angola. Gates, 9am; rodeo, 2pm. (225) 655-2060. angolarodeo.com. 9 Open House. Northlake Christian School, 70104 Wolverine Dr, Covington. 635-0508. northlakechristian.org. 26

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

9, 23 Shadow Days. St. Paul’s School, 917 S Jahncke Ave, Covington. 1pm. RSVP, 892-3200. stpauls.com. 10 Spice Up the Holidays. Inspirational Ladies’ Luncheon and Christmas Shopping Event sponsored by the Mandeville-Covington Christian Women Connection. St. Anthony’s Gardens, 601 Holy Trinity Dr, Covington. 10:30am-2pm. Tickets, $16. Tickets available until Oct 4 at Deluca’s Fine Jewelry, 892-2317. cmcwc.com. 10 Stroke Survivor and Caregiver Meeting. Held the second Wednesday of every month for stroke survivors, caregivers, family and friends. Lakeview Regional Medical Center, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, 19055 Kane Ln, Covington. 5:30-6:30pm. lakeviewregional.com. 11 Shadow Day. Northlake Christian School, 70104 Wolverine Dr, Covington. 6350508. northlakechristian.org. 11-14 Julie Vos Jewelry Trunk Show. Southern Hotel, 428 E Boston St, Covington. 11am-6pm. southernhotel.com. 12 Northlake Newcomers Club Luncheon and Game Day. Beau Chêne Country Club, 602 N Beau Chêne Dr, Mandeville. Doors open, 10am; games, 10:30am. Members, $16; guests, $19. northlakenewcomers.com. 12-26 Degas Pastel Society National Juried Exhibition. Hammond Regional Arts Center, 217 E Thomas St. 542-7113. hammondarts.org. 13 Fall for Art. Dozens of artists, live music, food and more. Downtown Covington. 892-8650. sttammanyartassociation.org. 13 Great Strides. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Louisiana Chapter walk. John Slidell Park, 105 Robert Blvd. 504-455-5194. cff.org. 13-14 2018 Wooden Boat Festival. Presented by the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum. Over one hundred classic boats, hundreds of

September-October 2018 27

Inside Scoop spectator boats, and wooden boat and music

admission. festivalofthelake.com.

enthusiasts. Great food, live music, children’s

19-27 BIOHAZZARD Rocky Horror. Cutting Edge

activities, arts and crafts, classic car cruise-in,

Theater, 767 Robert Blvd, Slidell. 649-3727.

and the Quick ‘n Dirty Boat Building Contest.

cuttingedgetheater.com.

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum, 133 Mabel Dr, Madisonville. 10am-6pm. woodenboatfest.org. 13-14 The Music of Rodgers and Hart. Performed

19-Nov 4 The Seafarer. Playmakers, Inc, 19106 Playmakers Rd, Covington. playmakersinc.com. 20 30th Annual Monster Mash. Live music by Bag of Donuts, trick-or-treating, kids activities and

by the Northlake Performing Arts Society.

more to benefit the St. Tammany Parish Hospital

Fuhrmann Auditorium, 128 W 23rd, Covington.

Parenting Center. Make reservations for the

276-9335. npas.info.

Princess & Pirate! Bogue Falaya Park, Covington.

18-20 Cordani Shoes, Simon Sebbag Jewelry and Laggo Handbags. Ballin’s LTD, 806 E Boston, Covington. 892-0025. ballinsltd.com. 19-20 Southern Garden Symposium. Workshops

10am-3pm. 898-4435. stph.org/monstermash. 20 Abita Springs Opry. Chris Talley and the Three Rivers Cooperative, The Slick Skillet Serenaders, The Affordable Bluegrass Act and The Cotton

and more. Afton Villa Gardens, 9047 Hwy 61, and

Mouth Kings. Abita Springs Town Hall, 22161

Hemingbough, 10591 Beach Rd, St. Francisville.

Level St. 892-0711. abitaopry.org.

(225) 635-3738. southerngardensymposium.org. 19-21 Festival of the Lake. Live music, food,

21 Harvest Cup Polo Classic. A day of polo, cuisine, drinks and music presented by the Junior

games and craft show. Our Lady of the Lake

League of Greater Covington. Summergrove

Parish, 312 Lafitte St, Mandeville. Fri, 5-10pm;

Farm, 16191 Hwy 40, Folsom. Rain date Oct. 28.

Sat, 11am-10pm, and Sun, 11am-4pm. Free

harvestcuppolo.com.

21 High School Open House. Grades 8-12.

27 Deo Gratias. Entertainment, silent auction and

Christ Episcopal School, 80 Christwood

dinner prepared by award-winning Chef John

Blvd, Covington. 1pm. 871-9902 ext 270.

Folse. Proceeds from Deo Gratias go toward the

christepiscopalschool.org.

formation and education of the next generation

24 Early Childhood Open House. Ages

of church leaders through Saint Joseph Seminary

3-Kindergarten. Christ Episcopal School, 120 S

College. Saint Joseph Abbey, 75376 River Rd,

New Hampshire St, Covington. 9:30am. 892-

Covington. Vespers with the Benedictine monks,

9156. christepiscopalschool.org.

6pm; outdoor gala, 7-10pm. 867-2284. sjasc.

25 Open House. Preschool through 7th Grade. Cedarwood School, 607 Heavens Dr, Mandeville.

edu. 27 Open House. St. Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School, 917 S Jahncke

9am. 845-7111. cedarwoodschool.com. 26-31 The Rocky Horror Show. 30 by Ninety

Ave, Covington. 1pm. 892-3200. stpauls.com. 27-28 Yellow Leaf Arts Festival. Parker Park,

Theatre, 880 Lafayette St, Mandeville.

Commerce St, St. Francisville. (225) 635-3665.

30byNinety.com.

stfrancisvillefestivals.com.

27 BOO Fest. ACCESS and Lakeview Regional invite

28 Milne Fall Festival. Game, hayrides, music, face

children of all abilities to enjoy trick-or-treating,

painting, trick-or-treating and more. Milneburg,

pumpkin decorating, costume contests and more.

1065 Milne Crl, Covington. 12-4pm. $5 admission.

Proceeds benefit children with disabilities and their

milneds.org.

families. Lakeview Regional Medical Center, 95 Judge Tanner Blvd, Covington. 10am-3pm; special

Send your event information to scoop@insidepub.

needs families early entry, 9am. $2 per person.

com to have it featured in an upcoming issue of

accesslouisiana.org.

Inside Northside.

IN Other Words by Becky Slatten

Who Ya Gonna Call? AS WE STROLLED through the doors of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel for our second annual paranormal investigation, I could’ve sworn I heard a faint whisper in my ear. “They’re baaaaack …” it seemed to say. Yes, Lucy and Ethel (the Editor and myself) were indeed back to, once again, attempt to make contact with the spirits from beyond the grave and also the bar. Every New Orleanian and nearby parishioner should treat themselves to a staycation in our unique city. I honestly believe I could see and learn something new every time I venture to the iconic French Quarter. And if you’re of a mind to do a little ghost hunting, you can’t throw a rock without hitting a building purported to be haunted by a spirit or two. We decided to give the ghosts at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel a second chance to show themselves because it’s considered to be one of the most haunted hotels in the city as well as one of the most beautiful and historic. Whether you’re looking for spooks or not, the friendly, accommodating staff 30

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

and the ideal location make it the perfect place to enjoy the city. So, welcome to our ghost adventure. Prepare to be not scared at all.

5:00 - Check-in Coincidentally, our check-in time coincided with happy hour, and also coincidentally, we found ourselves in possession of two complimentary drink coupons, so we dropped off our luggage and went to make contacts with the spirits in the bar. Our bartender, Camille, remembered us from last year, which is not a good sign.

5:30 - Haunted Arnaud’s tour The second item on our busy agenda was a special private tour of the 38,000 square feet of buildings that make up Arnaud’s restaurant that was offered by the Director of Sales, Kaitlin Crabtree. The numerous ghost sightings here puts this fine, oldline eatery at the top of the list of haunted French Quarter establishments. Celebrating an impressive 100

... again. years in business, it’s no wonder they’ve accumulated a few entities who refuse to leave. Several staff members have had strange, unexplained experiences in the restaurant; the stories include accounts of apparitions in turn-of-the-century attire (one of these was a lady in a stylish hat who strolled through a wall), flying cocktails, sheets floating in midair, extreme cold spots and hair pulling. The Editor and I again utilized the ghost app on my phone. I’ve since updated it, and it proved to be every bit as entertaining and useless as it was last year. We had no scary experiences whatsoever, as usual. We did want to explore the story of the flying cocktail, so after the tour, we moseyed over to the restaurant’s iconic French 75 bar, my favorite in the entire city; it’s just very New Orleans. The flying cocktail actually occurred >> September-October 2018 31

in the Richelieu Bar (named for a New Orleans Cardinal, which cracks me up … only here, right?), but we didn’t really care; we were thirsty.

7:00 - Haunted Bourbon Orleans tour The hotel concierge and licensed tour guide, John Fitzpatrick, conducts a complimentary haunted history tour for the guests of the hotel every Thursday evening. According to Fitzpatrick, The Bourbon Orleans was once an opera house, a hospital, an orphanage, a restaurant and also housed the state legislature for a time, which may explain why guests and staff have reported seeing the apparitions of Confederate soldiers, nuns, a dancing lady in the ballroom and children playing. On this particular Thursday, there was a large, lively crowd as anxious as we were to see something spooky … but of course, we didn’t. Fitzpatrick keeps a large binder of photos and letters from hotel guests sharing their paranormal experiences; apparently, a lucky guest runs screaming from their room wearing only a bathrobe about once a week. That may be a slight exaggeration, but it has happened more than once. One gentleman made his way to the lobby in his hotel robe, refusing to enter his room again. The words “Where is my mommy?” were written in the steam on the bathroom mirror. Countless guests have complained about children running and playing marbles on the 6th floor, and invariably, there are no children to be found. These accounts are so common Fitzpatrick doesn’t even include them in his binder anymore.

8:30 - Dinner at Arnaud’s We returned to Arnaud’s for dinner because any restaurant that can celebrate 100 years in business must 32

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

be doing something right, but to do it in New Orleans is nothing short of amazing. We were also hoping to see a ghost. After our superb feast, the Editor and I took a stroll through the Germaine Cazenave Wells Museum, which opened in 1983. This museum features an extremely creepy gallery of Mardi Gras gowns and accessories worn by Germaine, Arnaud Cazenave’s daughter, in the 22 balls of which she was queen. Arnaud decided to be a Count at some point, and his daughter certainly considered herself New Orleans royalty. She’s been referred to as the Paris Hilton of the ’20s due in part to her very social, and at times racy, lifestyle. On an interesting sidenote, Germaine took an extended trip to Europe and returned with a baby and a new last name … but no husband in tow. It’s perhaps for the best that there was no social media in her day. Though we did get the willies in the museum, we did not experience anything out of the ordinary, naturally, so we headed back to the French 75 bar to see if we could get some cocktails to fly.

Midnight – Nighttime Investigation cancelled due to extreme sleepiness. I’ve developed a conspiracy theory: I think all the French Quarter ghosts have made a pact to ignore us for some reason. I feel like they have a picture of the Editor and me on some bulletin board in the ghost break room so everyone knows to not haunt us. Sooo, I guess for now we’ll just have to live vicariously through the lucky few who have run screaming through the halls of the Bourbon Orleans clad only in their robes. Maybe next year… September-October 2018 33

by Poki Hampton

Inside Northside

REVISITING

to the house, but quickly ruled that out when we realized it would be wood burning,” says Linda. The new, second-floor kitchen is the heart of the home, and a very generous heart at that. Crisp and spacious, it is bright and inviting. Linda spent countless hours with the cabinet maker to ensure a beautiful and well-organized space. The custom cabinets are in a soft-gloss white embellished with chrome designer

hardware; the countertops are Carrera marble. The commercial-grade stove takes center stage, with its oversized vent hood and backsplash of Moroccaninspired mosaic marble tiles. Instead of a center island, Linda opted to use a table. The table top was found underneath Michael’s aunt’s home on Louisiana Avenue in New Orleans. It was lovingly refinished, and an iron base was added. “In the early 20th century, homes did

photo: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

WHEN THE GRAYS BOUGHT their historic Beau Chêne home, Kiskatom, in 2007, they began a decade-long renovation and restoration. Some walls from the original 1937 house had been taken down to create a more open floor plan, but not all. “We needed a lot of vision to open up walls made with structural steel,” says Michael. He and Linda did extensive research into the history of the house, wanting to use its attributes while envisioning a home to accommodate the lifestyles of their very active family. “It took forensics to undo previous renovations and restore the original intent.” The house has had several owners since originally being built as a summer house by Leon C. Weiss, the architect who had designed the Capitol Building in Baton Rouge and the governor’s mansion for Huey P. Long. “The first time I came here 25-30 years ago, I was greeted in a small, uninviting foyer, and there was a rabbit warren of small rooms downstairs,” says Michael. “It was quite a challenge, but we opened up as much as possible to determine what could and couldn’t be done with the downstairs.” On the ground floor, the small entrance was expanded, and the staircase was reworked to ascend from the foyer to the upstairs. The jumble of rooms was gutted and made into a large home gym; two walls surrounding the wet bar were removed. A family-friendly media room and a mother-in-law suite, with private bath and sitting room, were created. The original kitchen is now used for catering and is convenient to the pool and outdoor area for the family’s frequent entertaining. Its 1950’s O’Keefe and Merritt stove and period cabinets add a touch of nostalgia. “We thought of putting in a stove period

HISTORY not have kitchen islands,” says Linda. “They used a large table.” Two glass chandeliers, which were originally gas, came from Michael’s grandmother’s New Orleans home. The floors are ash, which blend seamlessly into the original oldgrowth heart pine of the second story. The kitchen opens onto the formal dining room and then into the great room. This room mimics that of the governor’s office in Huey Long’s

in Beau Chêne

mansion. Large beams and the brick fireplace with a rustic mantel are copies of the original. Cream walls are a pleasing complement to the wood accents. A two-sided wraparound porch overlooks the lake on the fairway, which was originally the ox bow off Bayou Tete L’Ours. Furnished with comfortable outdoor furniture in neutral tones to complement the natural beauty of the outdoors, it’s a great place for relaxing

in the shade of the oak trees. It gives one the feeling of being in a very sophisticated tree house, enjoying the natural surroundings outside. The pristine master bedroom with its views of three fairways at Beau Chêne Country Club and its spa-like master bath were also designed by Linda. The king-sized sleigh bed is dressed in off-white bedcovers. The dupioni silk draperies and bed covers, designed by >> September-October 2018 35

photos: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

Jennifer DiCerbo of the French Mix, give a tranquil feel to the oversized light-filled room. “I wanted a relaxing master bath with a soaking tub, huge walk-in shower with multi jets and an oversized bench, and marble everywhere, including the radiant heated floors,” says Linda. Originally a porch, the tranquil bathroom also has a daybed for relaxing with a glass of champagne, double vanity and sinks crowned with thick Carrera marble, and two walk-in closets. Linda left the exposed brick wall and the original cypress wood ceiling and added a sparkling crystal chandelier. The other two bedrooms on the second floor mimic the children’s rooms in the governor’s 36

Inside Northside

mansion. In the daughter’s room, an ornate iron bed is topped with a crown; in the boy’s room, a map of the world is painted on the walls. Both rooms are large, with adjoining bathrooms and ample storage for books and toys. The Grays have done the extensive renovation and restructuring with historic accuracy whenever possible—and also with a great plan as to what works for the day-to-day needs of their family. They have created a home with spacious rooms that is both practical and beautiful. To read more on the history of the Kiskatom House, see the May-June 2009 issue of Inside Northside.

At the Table

& with Tom Fitzmorris by Anne Honeywell OUR OWN TOM FITZMORRIS is very, very busy. So, when I had the chance to sit down with him one-on-one, I didn’t hesitate. Read on to learn more about this man of many talents. Anne: What question are you asked most often? Tom: The #1 question I am asked is, “Which is the best restaurant in town right now?” My answers: If you mean my favorite restaurant, my answer is Antoine’s. If you mean the restaurant that achieves the highest standards of taste, service and environment, that would 38

Inside Northside

be Commander’s Palace. Anne: How did you get started as a restaurant critic? Was that an ambition of yours, or did it happen organically? Tom: I was a writer for The Driftwood, the campus newspaper at UNO, in the late 1970s. I was inspired by a professor there, Richard Collin, who in his free time published the New Orleans Underground Gourmet. I didn’t understand the pleasures of the table until I read Collin’s book—although I loved the idea of dining in restaurants. He turned me on to the food world,

and it was straight upward ever since. My strongest ambition was to be a radio personality. It was my coverage of the food beat that led to my first job in radio, in 1974. Anne: What is your process as a critic? Tom: I go out to eat in all kinds of restaurants. When I finish the repast, I try to numerically decide how good it was relative to other comparable restaurants. I pay for the meals myself. I don’t take free meals, and I have never had any kind of expense account. So it hurts me as much as it does my readers and listeners. Anne: Do you wear disguises? Tom: No. Anne: Do the restaurants know you’re coming? Tom: Sometimes. I am pretty easy to spot, even when I take measures to have a secret identity. A lot of people tell me that they can identify me by the sound of my voice. I sound pretty normal to me. Anne: Do chefs send you free dishes? Tom: Some try to do so, but I have ways of rebating the cost of such freebies to the restaurant. Anne: Do you revisit a restaurant after a period of time? How long is a rating valid? Tom: I never give up on a restaurant. Bad ones become better; good ones get worse. Some don’t change much. It’s hard to keep up with it all. We had 809 restaurants the day before Katrina. Now we have 1,450 or so. >> September-October 2018 39

Anne: Do you have a favorite genre? Tom: My favorite food is New Orleans food. Always has been. Anne: Savory or sweet? Tom: I like all genres of cookery, as long as they are well executed. Anne: Is there any food you won’t eat? Tom: I’ll try anything once, at least, and go back even to bad restaurants if I think there might be development. Anne: Do you like to cook? Tom: The best reason to learn cooking is that it frees you to create dishes that are exactly the way you like them to taste without concerning yourself about the tastes of others. Anne: Did you go to culinary school? Tom: No. There weren’t such organizations back in the America of the 1970s.

Inside Northside

Anne: What’s the best meal you’ve ever had? Tom: I had two lavish dinners in Alsace, northwestern France. A restaurant there called Auberge de l’Ill was being called the best restaurant in the world. I met the owner-chef’s family when they visited New Orleans. He invited me to get in touch next time I was in France. I had dinner that night and lunch the next afternoon. It lived up to its reputation. Anne: So I understand your radio show, The Food Show with Tom Fitzmorris, has been on the air 30 years this year. Talk about impressive! Tom: Yes—we are celebrating 30 years. It all began at 10 a.m. on July 18, 1988, when I signed on the air with the first edition of The Food Show with Tom Fitzmorris. I had been hired by the lady who, eight months later, would marry me—Mary Ann Connell. She was managing WSMB at the time and was looking for some

new talent. She also had been hosting her own talk show for as long as I had. A few weeks later, she quit that gig, but I kept doing mine, three or four hours a day. I’m still doing my show every weekday for two to four hours. I survived all the changes in the station. After 30 years with the same station, same concept, and the same host, I am still there. The only interruption was the first week after Katrina. Most days, I broadcast from the radio station in New Orleans as normal. But on weekends and Mondays I do the show from the Cool Water Ranch—the nickname of the house in Abita Springs where my wife Mary Ann, daughter Mary Leigh and I live. I use a rig that makes me sound as though I’m in the studio. It sounds so good that I can act as an anchor in times of emergencies. For example, mine was the voice of WWL Radio from midnight until six

in the morning when Katrina hit. That, combined with the HD Radio technology we use nowadays, makes it sound like I’m at the table with you. This saves me a lot of time commuting. The reason I broadcast remotely on Mondays is that it’s rehearsal night for the Northlake Performing Arts Society. I sing tenor in this organization, which has been around for 22 years now, with maestro and soprano Alissa Rowe conducting. NPAS has about 100 singers, many of whom are classically trained. I am not one of those. But being in a chorus with so many excellent singers helps me sing better than I otherwise would. I also like to sing whenever I spy a possible victim. This is often a complete stranger or someone calling me on the radio. My favorite music is from the Great American Songbook—from which Sinatra got most of his inspirations. >>

September-October 2018 41

Anne: Wow. All goes back to your voice. Any other interests? Tom: My main interest is what I do for a living: food, cooking, wine, and travel, under the name “The New Orleans Eat Club.” We’ve had dozens of wine dinners and twenty-eight cruises around the world, each with around fifty fellow cruisers. We’ve covered the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Central America, most of Europe, Scandinavia and the eastern Mediterranean. Our most popular cruise is coming up again this October, as we go to Boston, New England and Canada, all during the foliage season. I also have written several major cookbooks, most of which are still in publication: Andrea’s Extra-Virgin Recipes. Tom Fitzmorris’s New Orleans Food, third publication, just out this spring. The New Orleans Eat Book, a restaurant guide, the biggest of a total of eight other such books. Hungry Town, hard-cover memoir of my career, with emphasis on Katrina. Lost Restaurants of New Orleans, book about wellremembered restaurants that are no longer around, written with Peggy Scott Laborde. Anne: And now, for our final question: What would you select as your “last meal”? Tom: You wouldn’t believe how many times people have asked me that, as if I am already in the electric chair. The answer: an unlimited number of ice-cold, very big Louisiana raw oysters. 42

Inside Northside

On the Air! by-play announcer John Sartori and color analyst Wesley Boone; camera operator Courtney Bruno; Southeastern Channel students man the control room during a Lion basketball broadcast; and camera operators Christine Grunder and Dante Butler. 44

Inside Northside

won for its live broadcast of the Southeastern vs. Southern University - New Orleans basketball game on December 14, 2017. The same broadcast has also received honors from the Emmys given by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Suncoast Emmy region. The all-student production featured John Sartori of Mandeville as play-by-play announcer with Wesley Boone of Alexandria as color commentator. Dylan Domangue of Houma was the courtside reporter, while Freddie Rosario of Hahnville was both director and technical director. Other student crew members included Andrew Scherer of New Orleans, Tyler Guidroz of Ponchatoula, Jordan Rheams of Baton Rouge, Courtney Bruno of New Orleans, Richie Solares of New Orleans, Tyler Rogers of Hammond, Alexander Castro of Hammond, Schuylar Ramsey of Springfield, Zechariah Cameron of Baton Rouge, Taylor Sharp of Walker, Blair Joseph of Hammond and Adam Cortez of El Paso, Texas. >>

photos courtesy: SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY

Clockwise: Play-

THEY – COULD – GO – ALL – THE – WAY! And why shouldn’t they? Southeastern Louisiana University students who work with The Southeastern Channel to cover Lion Sports receive real-world and in many cases real-time experience in sportscasting— opportunities afforded students at only a handful of universities across the nation and only at Southeastern in Louisiana. Students at the Emmy-winning Southeastern Channel cover all announcing and technical crew positions for live broadcasts of almost every university sport with their work often airing on national sports networks. The professional-looking quality of their broadcasts has been honored as among the best in the country. The Southeastern Channel was recently named fourth in the nation for “Television Sports Event Production,” winning the Award of Excellence from the Broadcast Education Association at its 2018 Festival of Media Arts in Las Vegas. The channel

Southeastern’s Award-Winning Student Sportscasters

“You get to have that first-hand encounter with how professional broadcasts are put together. You learn the formats and proper etiquette. You get the experience of prepping and interviewing coaches and players to prepare for your broadcast,” says Sartori. “Southeastern pulls back the curtain and reveals how these broadcasts work professionally and then introduces you to how you as a student can become a professional yourself. The experience is second-to-none, nationwide.” Sartori was described by Broadcast Education Association judges as “easy to listen to” and “able to show excitement when it was called for, but not obnoxious about it at all.” They wrote that they were especially impressed with how he let the pictures tell the story and adeptly followed his monitor. “Personally, play-by-play announcing before arriving at the Southeastern Channel was merely a dream, a bucket-list item,” says Sartori. “But here I am, having the opportunity to live out a dream multiple times a year at the Division 1-level, which is something none of us students take for granted. We understand some individuals never reach this point in their career at any stage, and we are being given this opportunity before we reach the age of 25.” Regarding technical aspects of the production, judges wrote, “The directing was solid. This was a very well-done production. I loved the graphics. They were clean and easy to read. The game camera did an excellent job of following the play-by-play. They were framed just right for normal coverage. Overall, really nice production and well done.” The winning broadcast was just one of 14 produced by the 15-man student crew during the past year, including Lions’ football, soccer, baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s basketball games. Plans are to add volleyball to the mix this fall. “We’re one of the very few universities in the entire country where students do the television play-by-play announcing, color commentating, sideline reporting and live-event directing for Division I-sports events,” says Southeastern Channel general manager Rick Settoon. “Almost all other colleges hire professionals for those highly sought-after positions and use students only for cameras. It’s very gratifying that respected industry executives and professionals have recognized and honored the professional quality of our entirely studentproduced broadcasts.” 46

Inside Northside

That quality has enabled students’ work to be seen by a larger national audience beyond the Southeastern Channel’s 240,000 potential northshore viewers on Charter Spectrum 199 channel and via its live 24-7 webcast on thesoutheasternchannel.com. The game broadcasts now stream live worldwide on the Southland Conference Digital Network and appear On Demand at southlanddigitalnetwork.com alongside professional network game productions, increasing viewership by thousands. “Every aspect of Southeastern Channel live productions is high quality,” says Chris Mycoskie, Southland Conference Associate Commissioner for Television and New Media. “From the announcers to the camera work to the graphics, we’re consistently impressed. The ability to simulcast those broadcasts on the Southland Digital Network gives us some great programming and allows fans to watch the games on our website and apps, as well.” In addition to the SLC Digital Network, the channel’s game broadcasts air on the Cox Sports Television Network for 5.5 million viewers from California to Florida. “The students at the Southeastern Channel do a great job of putting on a game broadcast,” says CST Executive Producer Jeff Brenner, producer of CST games for the last 15 years. “It’s not often that a completely student-run game, from the announcers to the camera operators, etc., looks so professional. These are skills that take years to develop, and the Southeastern Channel has its students well prepared to join the working world right out of college.” Settoon notes that recent graduates such as Mycoskie, Kati Morse and Jessica Province have gone on to work professionally as game announcers for networks including ESPN3, Cox Sports Television, American Sports Network, Fox Sports Southwest and 11 Sports, along with Southland Conference Television, the Sun Belt Conference and Conference USA. And former student cameraman Chris LeCoq now runs camera for ESPN, CST and SEC Network live game events. Mycoskie, as play-by-play, and Morse, as color analyst, teamed up on an SLC softball title game broadcast recently that was named a national finalist at the 2018 College Sports Media Awards in Atlanta. Morse states that her time at the Southeastern Channel was instrumental in leading her to the career >> September-October 2018 47

she enjoys today as new media director for Tulane Football. “The hands-on curriculum, the passionate faculty and the on-campus studio are unlike any other program in the country. I learned a variety of skills in the field of broadcast and digital services: behind and in front of the camera, show production, even editing and set design. These skills allowed me to stand out in the job market after graduation. In fact, I secured a job two months before walking across the stage!” she says. “But most importantly, the Southeastern Channel was so much fun to be a part of. I gained life-long friends while learning, and that is the best part of any higher ed experience.” Southeastern’s Director of Athletics Jay Artigues says that having a channel capable of producing such high-caliber broadcasts makes everyone a winner in his mind—the students involved with the broadcast production, the student athletes featured in the broadcasts and the Lion Athletics program as a whole. “We’re very appreciative of the exposure our student athletes receive from the highquality Southeastern Channel broadcasts of our athletic events,” Artigues says. “The Southeastern Channel provides a great product and is an asset not only to SLU Athletics but the university as a whole. Having our games broadcast not only helps us reach our fans, but assists in our recruiting efforts as well.” Most young sports fans can only dream about one day becoming playby-play announcers for the Super Bowl or World Series like broadcasting greats Al Michaels, Joe Buck or Jim Nance, or even college football announcers like Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit or Brad Nessler. Give it a few more years and youngsters will likely be dreaming about being Mycoskie, Morse, Province, Sartori and Boone instead. 48

Inside Northside

September-October 2018 49

Generous Hearts by Sara Bongiorni The Northshore Community Foundation manages the The St. Tammany Cancer Fund, which started by issuing college scholarships to children who survived cancer but has expanded its reach to health care and fulfilling community needs. Our partner in Baton Rouge, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, publishes a quarterly, philanthropy-focused magazine/newsletter titled “Currents.” The publication highlights projects rooted in generosity and community involvement in South Louisiana and beyond. The no-cost, no-advertisement magazine is distributed to over 3,500 of the most prolific philanthropists in the state; an online edition is available as well. This quarter, the publishers at BRAF highlighted a very special story from the northshore, and we asked for their permission to reprint it.

Alexandra Dedinsky. 50

THE NORTHSHORE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION is deeply proud to play a small role in this project and the local volunteer leaders listed in this story are to be commended. Enjoy the story and tell these good folks thank you if you know them or see them around town. Most of Alexandra Dedinsky’s childhood was consumed by treatment for a brain tumor. The family of the Madisonville girl began traveling to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis for treatment after physicians found a mass pressing on her optic nerve when Alexandra was 7. Dedinsky is now 21, and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in fine arts at Savannah College of Art and Design. Her dream job is designing themed exhibits like those at Disney World, where she escaped with her family during years of grueling treatment that included radiation and chemotherapy. The St. Tammany Cancer Fund collegescholarship program helps her cover tuition at the

Inside Northside

renowned SCAD campus. “I want to change my life and live my dreams now,” said Dedinsky. “The scholarship is helping me do that.” A powerhouse group of Northshore volunteers built the scholarship program and ran it themselves until recently. The group raised more than $1 million for scholarships and other cancer-related programs and initiatives of benefit to local young people affected by cancer. Eligible students like Dedinsky can get up to $16,000 for tuition and related costs over four years of undergraduate studies at an accredited two- or four-year school. The fund has provided scholarships to 45 St. Tammany-area college students since 2002. Recognition of the financial cost of cancer shaped the focus on scholarships from the beginning. “There’s a long-term financial impact of cancer regardless of your financial situation,” said David Roussel, a Northshore banker and president of the fund’s board

photo courtesy: NORTHSHORE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Help After Harm

Group builds fund for scholarhips to cancer survivors.

since 2007. “The focus is on helping individual young people prepare for successful adult lives.” Mimi Dossett, former board member, said members also saw an unmet need. “There is often help for other aspects of cancer, but we didn’t see that for the cost of college,” Dossett said. The founding group set up a nonprofit and got to work. Their main fundraiser was a golf tournament at the Money Hill course in Abita Springs. The tournament was named in memory of Andy Goodyear, Money Hill’s co-developer, Dossett’s uncle and an avid golfer who died of bone cancer in 2001. Golf tournaments are both laborintensive and time consuming, but the volunteer group was not put off by such challenges. They were also highly effective at running the event. After the first few years, the tournament typically raised $100,000 to $150,000, said Don McMath, a Northshore builder who was central to the fund’s founding and operation. He noted that there were no administrative costs, allowing the volunteer-run organization to direct every cent it raised to charitable giving. The group in time added more fundraisers, including wine auctions and dinners at La Provence restaurant in LaCombe with the help of then chef/ owner Josh Besh. The group divvied up other aspects of the program’s operations, including reading essays from applicants that numbered as many as 20 in some years. “We never turned anybody away,” said McMath. The group’s fundraising prowess resulted in an unintended consequence: an expanding reserve of money, despite >> September-October 2018 51

the board’s goal of giving away all funds raised each year. To put the funds to use, the organization expanded giving related to cancer with gifts to the pediatric oncology program at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans and St. Jude in Memphis, where several families sought treatment. It purchased infusion equipment for local hospitals on the Northshore, covered lodging and transportations costs for families with children in treatment in Houston and elsewhere. It even provided general humanitarian assistance to some Northshore families, including some who lost homes to flooding. “It was truly a lot of fun to be able to help people in the community,” said McMath. Over the years, the scholarships have helped to cover tuition at universities across Louisiana and the country. Recipients include teens who were receiving treatment for cancer while also full-time college students. Several students decided to pursue studies and work in health care as a result of their own experiences with cancer, said Gina Broussard, another founding member. “They are an inspiring group of young people,” she said. Many volunteered at the golf tournament at Money Hill or got involved with cancer-related charities elsewhere after they went off to school. Mandeville native Connor Mahony, for instance, helped to raise $260,000 for cancer services when he worked as volunteer director of the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life at the University of Georgia during his senior year on the Athens campus. “I felt the need to pay it forward,” said Mahony, now 23 and working for British Telecom in New York City. The fund’s focus and operations 52

Inside Northside

have evolved over time. Board members over the years came to view the scholarships as the most impactful element of their efforts and re-focused giving in that area. At the same time, the scholarship program expanded eligibility to include college-age applicants who had lost a parent to cancer or who had an immediate family member with a cancer diagnosis. The broader guidelines permit participation by students like Mahony, who was a senior in high school and already accepted at Georgia when his father—one of the scholarship program’s founders—died of a rare cancer. “Our situation changed suddenly,” Mahony said. “There was real uncertainty over how to pay for college.” The fund has reached a juncture of sorts. The board took a break from the tournament after running it for a decade. It hired an executive director, then realized that didn’t make sense given the program’s size and scope, Roussel said. The board approached the Northshore Community Foundation a few years ago about administering the scholarship program. “It’s been a really good arrangement,” Roussel said. While its most recent tournament at Money Hill was in 2015, the fund continues to award scholarships through an endowment the tournament created. The board will make a decision on a new signature fundraiser to replace it over the next year or so, Roussel said. He anticipates rising demand for the scholarships in light of a growing regional population, climbing college costs and frequent uncertainty over aid for students through the Taylor Opportunity for Students Program known as TOPS. “I see more need ahead,” Roussel said. September-October 2018 53

Inside Northside

Harvest Cup Polo Classic

With a Purpose The Harvest Cup Polo Classic has been a well-loved event

of the Junior League of Greater Covington for 22 years—and it’s

Museum of St. Tammany.” The first official Polo With A Purpose Grant

growing stronger!

was also set aside in 2017. “Last year, we awarded the first grant to

Polo With A Purpose was created in 2017 to make the Greater

Kickin’ Parkinson’s in memory of Huey LaPlace, a local polo legend.

New Orleans area more aware of the Harvest Cup Polo Classic’s

Diane LaPlace honored her late husband by walking a pony across

benefits. JLGC Fund Development Assistant Vice President and

the field exhibiting Huey’s bridle and saddle with his boots backward

Polo Chair Elizabeth Westervelt says: “We arranged a Polo With A

in the stirrups during the opening ceremony. It was very special.”

Purpose table last year where representatives from our Community

As the primary fundraiser for the JLGC, Polo feeds many

Assistance Grant beneficiaries were seated. It was a great opportunity

grants and projects. Elizabeth says, “Each year we assess the current

for Polo patrons to meet the leaders of these organizations that were

needs of our community and take action to positively impact these

benefitting from their ticket purchases and silent auction bids.

areas, so our projects flex with the needs of the community. The

“We awarded seven community grants last year including:

Parish Library Foundation, and our signature project, the Children’s

generosity given through Polo is how we are able to fund our

Hope House, St. Tammany Art Association, St. Tammany Parenting

projects and the reason we are able to carry out our mission and

Center, New Heights Therapeutic Riding Center, St. Tammany

impact the community.”

Inside Northside

Inside Northside is proud to partner with

the Junior League of Greater Covington.

A fun addition to Polo is the Bourbon Bury. Held exactly a month

Get Your Harvest Cup Polo Classic Tickets Now!

before the event, the JLGC and Polo sponsors and donors gather to bury the bourbon in hopes of good weather on the day of. This year, the bourbon, provided by the New Orleans Bourbon Festival, will be buried on September 21, with the HCPC following on October 21.

October 21, 11:30am-6pm

As 2018 Polo Chair, Elizabeth is hopeful for another

Summergrove Farm

successful year of Polo—especially With A Purpose. “My priority is that everyone attending the HCPC has an incredible experience

so that our purpose only grows stronger and our Polo ‘believers’

come together to make the largest impact on the lives of the

General Admission Ticket VIP Parking Ticket

$150 $25

women, men and children of St. Tammany who need it most.” Join the JLGC on October 21, 2018, at Summergrove Farm for the 22nd Annual Harvest Cup Polo Classic. Rain date is October

Go to www.harvestcuppolo.com or www.jlgc.net to purchase tickets.

28, 2018. For more information, visit jlgc.net.

September-October 2018 57

Your Day at Polo October 21 Harvest Cup Polo Classic Summergrove Farm, Folsom