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WHERE THE HECK IS HOULTONVILLE? •
GONE CRABBIN’ • GO RED FOR WOMEN • TAMMANY TRACE
APRIL 2020 VOL. 35, NO. 2.5
Digital Only Bonus Issue
pr esen t ed by
April 2020
Vol. 35, No. 2.5
Publisher Lori Murphy lori@insidepub.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Editor Jan Murphy jan@insidepub.com Creative Director Brad Growden brad@insidepub.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Business Manager Jane Quillin jane@insidepub.com Operations Manager Margaret Rivera margaret@insidepub.com Editorial Intern Bryce Growden –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Senior Advertising Account Executives Barbara Roscoe Poki Hampton barbara@insidepub.com poki@insidepub.com
Heather Doles heather@insidepub.com
Jonée Daigle-Ferrand
Advertising Account Executives Pemmie Sheasby Madalyn Giambelluca pemmie@insidepub.com madalyn@insidepub.com Account Representatives Anne Honeywell
Stacey Paretti Rase
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Contributor Highlight
Webb Williams has shown his creativity and wit in this magazine for years. He’s brought forth a variety of Northshore characters and local characteristics, the most notable being “Where the Heck is Houltonville?” – one of the most popular we’ve ever published. Webb keeps his creative juices flowing with advertising he writes and produces for a variety of local and national clients. But his primary focus is on his 100-year-old mother, Rita, who is as sharp as a tack. They love driving along the beautiful lakefront in Mandeville. His grandsons are a great source of joy, with Webb teaching them about herding his green-egglaying chickens and enjoying the woods around Beau Swamp. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
On the Cover
Cover Artist Gretchen Armbruster. Find more on page 14.
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Contact
phone (985) 626-9684 Advertising Sales sales@insidepub.com fax (985) 674-7721 Subscriptions 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 ©2020 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.
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Inside Northside
Gone Crabbin’ A ride-along aboard a crab boat. Page 48.
contents table of
Features 14 Sharing the Joy Cover Artist Gretchen Armbruster page 58
18 Click Away! Our first interactive video page! 20 Where the Heck is Houltonville? A look back at early life on the northshore. 32 Annette Dowdle Heart Hero Award Honoree
Departments 12 Publisher’s Note
38 Anxiety in the age of coronavirus Or, how to cope in a suddenly weird world.
58 INside Look
44 Infectious disease specialist discusses misconceptions about COVID-19
70 Generous Hearts Focus on the Good
48 Gone Crabbin’ A ride-along aboard a crab boat.
90 Eating out in a stay-at-home world.
62 By the Numbers The Census—Everybody Counts.
94 In Great Taste Summer Pasta Salads
68 Riding the Trace
98 Haute Plates
79 Northshore Humane Society
54 Flourishes
10
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73 Camp Salmen
page 32 80 Honey Island Swamp 84 Camping 88 Take a Hike
Special Contributions
30
Music can help cope with stress and anxiety Anna Kate Normand of Little Chopin’s Music Lessons
34 American Heart Association Spotlight on the Northshore Go Red for Women Virtual Heart Walk 42 Best Kept Secret on the Northshore Christwood caters to more than just its residents. 74 Resort Style Summer Fun at Franco’s 76 The OWEL Project with Candra George 78 Fitness Machines Fit for 2020 Fitness Expo
Keeping Our Eyes On The Horizon. With several weeks to go before our next print issue, our team is working remotely, as I am sure many of you are. We have been looking for ways to stay connected. Together, we watched an interesting industry webinar on marketing in a crisis environment, and it reinforced several important messages. Two of the most crucial concepts for us now are using this time to be creative and effectively planning for when this is in our rearview mirror. There are plenty of people promoting social distancing and health solutions. We decided to focus on creative ways we can help our community be stronger in the coming months. We upload our printed issues to the website issuu.com and have been doing this since 2011. That online presence has organically grown without our focus, and in the past 30 days, we had 10,215 impressions from 2,206 unique readers. There were 649 visits just yesterday. It certainly isn’t as wide as our print readership, but it is valuable. And, in this moment, it is available for use as a creative way to reach out and connect with you. This is our very first digital-only publication. We hope it gives you fresh and new features to read, ponder, enjoy and some interesting things to learn about the northshore. We have also brought back a few all-time favorite feature stories. If you saw them when we first published them, some from 18 years ago, I hope you love them again. For some of you, they will be brand new. Preparing this issue for publication reinforced for me our primary core value: We tell the stories of the northshore. This isn’t our first scramble. In fact, we started publishing Inside Northside during the time of 9/11. (Yes, we are celebrating 20 years this summer!) We survived Katrina and thrived in its wake because what we do is rooted in the connection we all naturally look for. This situation will create new stories for us to share. Bike riding, homeschooling adventures, great companies stepping up to help others, our amazing healthcare front line. Please add to the stories you see here with some of your own and we will help share those as well. Take care and feel free to email me with an idea or question! In Katrina, we all learned to text. It will be interesting to see what this teaches us—besides how long it actually takes to wash our hands. :)
Lori Murphy, Publisher lori@insidepub.com p.s. Something unique to digital publishing is that everything is clickable! There are plenty of clickable resources from our partners—including the co-presenter of this first digital issue, the St. Tammany Tourist Commission!
Sharing the Joy Cover Artist Gretchen Armbruster
THE DOODLING on the edges of Gretchen’s classwork didn’t go unnoticed by her Fourth Grade teacher. Suggesting art lessons to her parents, her teacher probably didn’t realize she was setting a path for Gretchen’s life. Blessed by the fact that her parents were supportive of her love of art, Gretchen was enrolled in private lessons and art classes whenever they were available. She says, “While I was growing up in New Orleans, the ’60s and ’70s were a playground for artists. There were 14
Inside Northside
so many great teachers to study with.” Artists such as Robert Rosbach, David Jinx, Shirley Roemer and Joyce Hanks were among Gretchen’s first teachers. Looking back at the bodies of work they created, she feels fortunate to have had those early experiences. By the time she was at Lutheran High School, Gretchen was well on her way to developing the style of her work. Regardless of the media, she worked in the realist presentation of a lightly idealized subject. That is still true today. >>
photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com
by Kelly Rasmus
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Inside Northside
photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com
During those high school summers, she began taking lessons at the McCrady Art School in the French Quarter. John McCrady was a well-respected artist with deep Mississippi roots. His work and his life were imbued with the richness of a very Southern perspective. At the school, Gretchen studied with artists Alan Flattman, Jeanne de la Houssaye, Mary McCrady and others. Her love for art took her to LSU as an art major and back to New Orleans to complete her studies at the art school and also
at the New Orleans Art Institute. “I knew from a young age that this is what I was going to be,” says Gretchen. “I’ve never pictured myself doing anything else.” A common characteristic among successful entrepreneurs is a visualization of the goal. That vision is written all over Gretchen’s face as she talks about her work. “Art has always made me happy. To be able to create something that is beautiful and appealing to others is uplifting.” Gretchen sold her first painting when she was just nine, and it has been her career ever since. In the ensuing years, she has done just about everything. She has painted murals in some of the French Quarter’s historic buildings and on hundreds of canvases for galleries across the South. A very proficient commercial artist, Gretchen has designed custom art for posters, wine bottle labels, invitations and other materials for New Orleans organizations such as Bacchus, and even specialty art for a Hollywood set director. While she paints in all media—watercolor, oil, pastel, pen and ink, and charcoal—her favorite is oil. “I don’t have a favorite subject,” Gretchen says. “That constantly changes. I like to paint it all. I like to try new things.”
It was only later in life that Gretchen discovered her true love of teaching. Starting in the garage of her home in Mandeville, she quickly outgrew the space. She moved into a studio in downtown Covington and her classes exploded. Now, over 10 years later, she operates a full-time art school, including classes by two additional teachers. In those 10 years, she has taught more than 350 people to love art as much as she does. The studio on Columbia Street also features a gallery that includes work from many of her students, other area artists and herself. Using her talent as a gift to charitable causes is something that has brought Gretchen a lot of joy, and she shares that passion with her students. Last year, they presented a check for more than $8,000 to the Covington Boys & Girls Club, proceeds from their The Starving Artist Cookbook, which featured art
and favorite recipes from area artists. “It was a fun and very fulfilling project.” During the coronavirus-stay-home mandate, Gretchen created online classes for students and others to learn from home. Available through her website on the Patreon platform and on YouTube, the video classes represent another chapter in her evolving career. “Art can be very healing; it is our best companion during tough times, and it never lets you down. I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by art for my whole life. Now I am blessed to have the chance to bring that to others and to their lives.” For class information and art commissions, call Gretchen directly at 985-630-6295. Armbruster Artworks Gallery and School is located at 502 N. Columbia Street in downtown Covington. April 2020 17
These links take you to partner videos that will offer virtual tours, entertainment or education. Included are some that everyone in your family might enjoy!
Share the videos you love with the ones you love. 18
Inside Northside
Where the Heck is Houltonville? by Webb Williams
This story originally appeared in our April-May, 2002 issue.
Above: Regatta on the Tchefuncte River, 1940. Right: In 1917, this massive WWI ship was launched at Jahncke Shipyard in Madisonville, made by area craftsmen from wood milled locally. 20
Inside Northside
IN 1980 WHEN I WAS BUILDING Beau Swamp, my tin roof Acadian cottage in an undeveloped subdivision called Hidden Acres, the headline of the Sunday local paper read, “Mandeville Gets New Traffic Light.” I knew I was in the right place. No matter what else might have been happening in the world, the top news headline was about the new traffic light at Highway 22 and Causeway. This really was the special spot for my family home. Mine was the second home in the area. I fondly recall how driving Highway 22 then was like going through a green canyon, with trees from both sides of the road stretching up to touch the clouds. I often wondered about what life was like in this lovely place years ago. At the time, many maps still showed “Houltonville” to be a community on the east side of the Tchefuncte River across from Madisonville. I was curious, because there was no sign proclaiming Houltonville as a town-nor were there any businesses referring to the name. There was a quaint old chapel in great disrepair off the two-lane Highway 22 on Penn’s Chapel Road. The area showed a lot of character-thick woods with beautiful pine, wild magnolia, and oaks of every variety. In addition to its character, it also had a lot of characters, I would find. One of the first folks I met was my Mr. Sheridan, whose U-Call, We Haul garbage business serviced our neighborhood. Mr. Sheridan. Reverend Frank Sheridan, to be sure. When I donated clothes and appliances for his congregation, he fussed at me to load it all in his pickup truck. When I suggested that he pick up my garbage once a week for half the cost
of twice weekly, he scoffed and said he could pick it up once a week, alright-but at the twice-weekly fee. He was probably one of the most cantankerous men I’d ever met. I later found out he was a highly respected leader in the Houltonville black community, and I was glad I’d given this grouchy fellow the benefit of the doubt. Sure enough, his gruff façade belied a genuinely kindhearted soul. He told me stories about the area’s past; I’ve since done some research with quite a few other old timers, and found some interesting local history.
Jay’s Sawmill Around the turn of the 19th century, the lumber business was as popular as the restaurant business seems to be today in western St. Tammany. Times were a whole lot tougher, however, and work was a whole lot rougher. Men would saw timber by handoften rock-hard cypress-and live on steam-powered flatboats that doubled as floating mills. Danger abounded, including the very engines that powered the boats. They tended to explode if not operated properly. The men worked the marshes for 11 hours a day, wearing coveralls and long sleeves even in blistering summer heat to avoid the relentless swamp mosquitoes. Even worse, working the marsh often involved surprise encounters with deadly water moccasins and fierce, hungry alligators. From 1885 through 1906, the community slightly upriver and across from Madisonville was known as Jayville, named for the sawmill built by entrepreneur W.T. Jay. Virgin cypress and yellow pine were >>
Floating sawmill operations of the Mire-Hayden lumber partnership show the hard life in the swamps of Houltonville. The portability brought the men and machinery to the marsh where the logs were cut, drilled and pulled aboard for milling. April 2020 21
milled, and a booming shipping business that ferried the goods across Lake Pontchartrain supplied lumber to the bustling market in New Orleans. The growing company built a logging railroad from Madisonville to the town of Uneedus in Tangipahoa Parish. The developing communities along the gulf coast were among the other markets for the valuable lumber goods. Massive steam boilers ran the sawmill, shingle mill, and planing mill. Pilings for utility poles were a very lucrative part of the business. Soon new sash, door and blind manufacturing operations were added to the thriving enterprise. Jay built his home near the mill. The splendid mansion was later called the Fairview House and is today’s Otis House at Fairview Riverside State Park. Raw timber was brought right in front of the elegant home and processed to finished lumber, with drying
docks all along the river. More than 300 workers were employed, settling with their families in the surrounding community. The lumber business was booming. Excitement and opportunity were in the air. Top: Houltonville’s
The Houlton Lumber Company
postmistriss, Bianca
In 1906, Charles and William Houlton of Duluth, Minn. bought the lumber company and mansion from Jay. Charles, the elder brother, was a distinguished businessman-charming, articulate, clear thinking and shrewd. It was said he could prepare a contract better than most attorneys. He was 5 feet 10 inches tall, stocky, and loved cigars. William Houlton was over 6 feet tall, quite thin, and smoked a pipe. He was the quiet one who preferred the outdoors. He’d stroll around the
Oliver Chatellier, served from 19061910. Above: The Houltonville Pavillion, c. 1909, was a popular gathering place, the lively site of a barroom and dancehall. 22
Inside Northside
lumber operations in his boots and plaid shirt, often with a copy of Thoreau in his back pocket. He was married briefly, but the marriage ended bitterly. He once reflected, “Yes, I once was wed, but do not wish it ever again.” William was not frugal like his brother. In fact, he’s quoted as believing the old adage, “Money is like manure; not much value in itself unless it is spread around.” The Houlton Lumber Company was a sprawling operation, probably extending from where Salty’s Marina is today to Fairview Riverside State Park. A massive three-story pavilion and other imposing structures supported the business and provided community goods and services for the workers. The pavilion, built over the water, housed a store, a barroom, and a dancehall. Prizefights were held there on occasion. Several thousand feet of docks made the location the most valuable in St. Tammany Parish for water and rail shipments. By this time, virgin long leaf yellow pine lumber was king, as most of the other timber had been depleted. The company’s annual yield was 20 million board feet of lumber, and it boasted that its sawmill featured the “latest improvements in sawmill machinery.” The company owned and operated 20 miles of logging railroads; it had timber holdings of more than 35,000 acres. Business was so good, the company even considered operating the mill 24 hours a day to increase production. The days were long, the work was hard, and
the pay was low. Shouts of “Timmm-berrrr!” were familiar around Houltonville in those bygone days. Singing and chanting helped to ease the workload, and often mixed with the sound of two-man saws cutting near hand-axed notches. Wages at the Houlton Lumber Company? $1.75 a day! And keep in mind that a day’s work was 11 hours long. Skilled laborers earned a whopping $2.50 a day. Workers were paid in company scrip instead of legal tender, while the company conveniently sold everything the employees needed or wanted. Even gambling was a company operation! Seventy percent of the all-male work force was black. Five children, ages 16-18, were on the payroll. All workers were covered by Workman’s Comp. Injuries were especially dangerous; those requiring a hospital or doctor’s care had to take a slow boat across Lake Pontchartrain for emergency treatment in New Orleans. William Houlton may have been a tall and quiet gent who enjoyed peace, but a story has it that he
feared no man. When called to a remote, secret rail car meeting with some local hooligans who threatened the brothers to stop them from employing blacks, William stood up to them-unarmed-and won them over. His bravery and refusal to yield to threats of violence quashed the dispute. One of his adversaries ended it, remarking in favor of “a man who would not only come to meet with us-but would come to meet us without a gun.” Elegant parties were held at the mansion. In the 1920s, the brothers remodeled the lodge in the antebellum style with columns, stucco and portico. Charles and William entertained lady friends from as far away as Chicago, and guests from New Orleans would flock to elaborate parties in horse and buggy carriages-and horseless carriages-by boat across Lake Pontchartrain. It was sort of like “Gone With The Wind,” but without the Civil War. In 1936, Frank Griffith Otis, the world’s largest mahogany manufacturer, bought the Houlton >>
Above: Houltonville’s classic Otis House mansion on the banks of the Tchefuncte River at Fairview Riverside State Park was originally built in the 1880s. Left: Penn’s Chapel as it was in 1980 (far left) and as it appears today. The Chapel was renovated in 2000 by the developers of Penn’s Chapel Place. April 2020 23
mansion and property, consisting of one hundred acres, for $4,550. Otis renovated the home and lived there until 1962, when he bequeathed the Otis House, its lavish furnishings and the surrounding acreage to the State of Louisiana with the condition that it be used as a park. Fairview Riverside State Park is considered one of the most beautiful parks in the state, and has been the location for many motion pictures and television productions.
The Houltonville That Was
Holes were drilled in the ends of the felled trees, and plugs enabled pull boats to get the logs to the mill. On dry land, sharp tongs were used with chains so that oxen could hall the logs to the mill. 24
Houltonville eventually had a general store, a United States Post Office, a schoolhouse and three churches. A savvy merchant by the name of Andrew J. Johnston teamed with the Houlton brothers to form the Houlton & Johnston General Store. Canned goods, hams, flour, sugar, shoes, fabric, hats, hardware and all other varieties of merchandise were available to the workers and citizens of the area. This provided for the needs of the employees and their families-and managed to get the workers’ wages back into the company coffers. Mr. Johnston also provided meals and lodging for a fee. Up the road from my home, Penn’s Chapel A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) was built through a community barn-raising type effort in 1904. The neighborhood’s men built the chapel while the ladies cooked the food. Local resident Peyton Penn sold the property to the congregation for one dollar. Flourishing as a church and school for years,
Inside Northside
it declined during World War II, becoming more a school than a church. After years of neglect and vandalism it was turned and moved a bit farther off Penn’s Chapel Road. To the relief and delight of many of us who revered the old chapel, a thorough reconstruction was completed two years ago, thanks to developers Kelly McHugh and Gary Intravia, with former partner Ross Levee. It is the focal point of our neighborhoods, Penn’s Chapel Place, Penn’s Chapel Estates and Hidden Acres. The small building that was the Houltonville Post Office now sits beside the Otis House at Fairview Riverside State Park. Don’t go there for stamps, though. It’s been converted to restrooms for visitors to the museum and park grounds. Unquestionably the most beautiful postmistress Houltonville ever had was Bianca Oliver Chatellier, who served from 1906-1910. Her daughter Laura Mae (now a sprightly 85) recounts that her mother was also the bookkeeper for the Houlton & Johnston General Store. Laura Mae’s father worked at the Jahncke shipyards, building incredibly large ships used in World War I. Times were hard when Laura Mae and her brother were growing up, but Bianca helped by playing piano at the silent movies, which wowed local audiences in those days. The family milked their seven cows, tended their poultry, picked strawberries, sweet potatoes, and anything else they grew. “Times were hard, but life was good.” Mr. William Maylie, now 91 years old and residing in Mandeville, remembers how life was in
old Houltonville. “Before Highway 22 was built, the road used to go through where Beau Chêne, Wedgewood Farm and Del Oaks are now and proceed right along the riverbank to a ferry landingwhere the Madisonville bridge is today. Cypress logs were stacked everywhere. It cost a nickel to cross the ferry boat, which could accommodate about four to five cars.” As a teenager, former mayor of Madisonville (1960-1976) Eddie Badeaux, now 85, operated the Houltonville ferry for his father. His memory is as incredible as his painting skills. He’s created a lively gallery of paintings vividly reflecting life as it was along the Tchefuncte River in the 20s, 30s and 40s, with a keen eye for historic detail and a talent for portraying architectural accuracy. “My father bought a barge and fitted it with a one-horsepower FairbanksMorse engine,” Badeaux recalls with a grin. “I operated it and lived in a little house that we built on the Houltonville side. I had chickens and a garden, and I remember folks shouting my name from the riverbank when they wanted a ride across.” With a sense of family pride he recounts, “Though the fare was five cents, my dad told me I could let those who couldn’t afford it ride across at no charge. We were a close community during the great depression years. We had to help each other survive.” One of Mr. Badeaux’s historical recollection paintings shows a tugboat pulling barges filled with shells dredged from the lake at the mouth of the Tchefuncte. To me, the lighthouse on the western shore looked too close to the eastern shore. “That was the original course of the river,” Badeaux explains. “It’s eroded over the years to its present course.” He chuckles. “That’s why so many newcomers to boating get stuck in the shallows. They don’t know how >>
to read the markers to hug the channel to the right, and it’s like a sand bar there in the middle.” He tells how, some years back, a guy used to hang out and actually charge boaters to tow them to deep water. “Takes all kinds, I guess.”
happened moments before.” Then he looked toward the site of the then-abandoned Jahncke shipyard, where many ship hulls and relics were abruptly lifted by a huge wall of water that “smashed the east half and the middle section of the Madisonville bridge to smithereens. I got off the bridge just in time,” he remembers.
Tragedies I asked Mr. Badeaux about a grave in the front corner of the Madisonville cemetery that puzzled me. A 29-year old mother, Leona Heughan Rousseau, daughters Agnes (10), Muriel (8), and son Rodney (4 mos.) all died on the same day, March 19, 1933. “It was a most horrible tragedy,” Badeaux sighs. “She drove the car onto the ferry, but didn’t stop in time. The car with the momma and three children busted through the metal barricades and plunged into the river. It was terrible, terrible.” Valiant efforts to save them were for naught. Mr. Badeaux also recalls the hurricane of 1947, which wreaked havoc with a monstrous force, worse than any storm in his memory. “I was on the bridge at the time, scared to death, when suddenly the eye passed over and there was total calm-as if nothing had
The Riverside Lumber Company George Mire operated a lumbermill in partnership with Thomas Hayden. The two were old friends who had distinguished themselves as decorated U.S. Marine pilots in World War I. Hayden handled the sales and business end while Mire ran the operation. According to local lore, Mire was a tough taskmaster known to challenge problem laborers to a round of fisticuffs to settle differences. He usually won the fight and always told the defeated to “get back to work.” One time he lost a fight that resulted in his arm being broken, but Mire never gave up-or gave in. He told the laborer not to quit, but rather to go back to work and they would square off again once his broken arm mended. The arm finally healed. The rematch resulted in Mire winning the
fight-by knocking his employee opponent down decisively. Mire pronounced the dispute over and, quietly but firmly, told the man to “get back to work.” The two men worked together in peace and harmony for years thereafter. Harrie Ulysses Hayden, the father of Mire’s partner Thomas, was an interesting Houltonville character, too-but for entirely different reasons. He was a wealthy Connecticut Yankee who loved the Tchefuncte River and sailed his family yacht along the banks of Pineland Park. No, not the Pineland Park of 2002, but the name applied to a place that is now the western section of Beau Chêne. Hayden bought that property in 1905, planning to run it as a resort. During the Great Depression, he lost the land, which was later owned by Louisiana Governor Dick Leche, his crony Seymour Weiss, and other members of the Huey Long bunch. Governor Leche purportedly hurried the funding and building of Highway 22 and the Madisonville/ Houltonville bridge for easier access to his property in what today is Beau Chêne. Leche and many of his pals were subsequently convicted of a variety of federal charges, serving serious jail sentences.
Hayden had staying power, though, and was a prominent Houltonville citizen for years. He had lived in the Jay/Houlton mansion and had run the general store and post office. His son Thomas Hayden finally took his own floating sawmill operation to Pass Manchac and then to Bayou St. John in New Orleans. He kept the name Riverside Lumber Company, after the Fairview Riverside area he left forever. Specializing in fine cypress and western red cedar, the business has done quite well since its founding in old Houltonville. Many Hayden family descendants still operate the company on Morrison Road in New Orleans East today. The lumber business had just about run its course in Houltonville by the 40s and 50s.
The “Mayor of Houltonville” My personal search for Houltonville really hit home when I interviewed my crotchety old friend, Reverend Frank Sheridan (then 71) and his brother Joseph (then 77). We met for our talk at the Magnolia Baptist Church on Fairview Drive, the road leading to Fairview Riverside State Park. The 110-year-old >>
church was originally called the Eagle Eye Baptist Church, then later the Love and Charity Baptist Church. Sheridan’s father, Frank Sr., was the church’s pastor in the early 1900s. The acorn doesn’t fall too far from the tree. The Sheridan brothers’ faces lit up when I showed them a large aerial photo of Houltonville taken in 1936 that I had unearthed in my research. They were like kids on Christmas morning, pointing out friends’ and relatives’ houses and recalling memories of their youth. Families who lived nearby farmed most of the area, the Sheridan brothers say. Most of the men worked at the lumber mills or picked strawberries, but farmed for their families as well. (Mayor Badeaux told me that we should have been the Strawberry Capital instead of Ponchatoula.) Strawberry fields abounded and folks grew or raised most everything else they ate. Cattle and oxen grazed where my home is now, and the men would hunt for wild pigs, wild turkeys, deer, rabbit, squirrels, raccoons and anything else to feed not only their own family-but their neighbors as well. The brothers say their dad often hunted on horseback; he was a good hunter and a good provider. “Saturday night was always extra special.” (Reverend Frank and his brother Joe alternate talking at this point.) “The Saturday night fish fry got the whole community together at somebody’s house.” “A different house each week.” “Always had plenty to eat.” “Homebrew for the grownups, homemade root beer for the kids.” “And music-either live with a bass and washtub drums or on a windup Victrola.” Mama locked the Victrola up on Sunday and the rest of the week. “Did we think life was tough? Guess we thought so, but now I know it wasn’t so.” Joseph shook his head. “No, sir. We never had dope or crime problems 28
Inside Northside
The author presenting Rev. Frank Sheridan a certificate proclaiming him “Mayor of Houltonville.”
like the city has today. Heck, we kids had marbles, spinnin’ tops, kites, fishin’ holes, and when things got dull, we’d hitch a goat to a wagon and take off!” Reverend Sheridan recalls going to the highway as kids and marveling at the automobiles. “If we saw six or seven in a day we thought it was really something.” Last June, on the occasion of Houltonville’s Reverend Frank Sheridan’s 20th anniversary and the annual Homecoming Celebration of the Magnolia Baptist Church, the Rev’s wife invited my wife and me to attend. Church members came from all over the country, reuniting again at the place where they found their spiritual home. It was like a magnificent time warp, where all was well and hope abided. The preaching was inspired, the gospel singing, heaven-sent. Asked to testify, I presented Reverend Frank Sheridan with a special calligraphy certificate, attesting to his moral and spiritual leadership in the community and proclaiming to all the world that he was now “Mayor of Houltonville.” He beamed. Reverend Frank Sheridan passed away since this was written, and the Magnolia Baptist Church he preached in has fallen into terrible disrepair and vandalism. There’s hope it can be moved across to Fairview State Park and preserved, but no one has stepped up to the plate.
Music can help cope with stress and anxiety. LISTENING TO MUSIC is known to have a relaxing effect on our minds and bodies and can be instrumental (no pun intended) in reducing stress. Did you know that making music can lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate and lessen anxiety and depression? Seems to me we should, and can, be making beautiful music together right now. Watching YouTube videos of people singing and playing instruments together through their open windows speaks to the creativity we all possess. Many adults and children are involved in music lessons, and it is imperative that we continue to support them through this unusual time. For those individuals not taking music, perhaps the time is now. Whether looking for social connection, creative expression, relaxation, or pure motivation, music can be the answer you’ve been looking for. If you are interested in all types of music lessons in the comfort of your home, contact Anna Kate Normand at 985-302-7329 with Little Chopin’s Music Lessons. Getting started is easy and fun. Bring the gift of music into your home during this time!
one of my many passions, especially since I, too, have heart issues. I volunteer for my family, friends, HUB, my team and business partners. I volunteer for me because it makes me a better person, and it is the right thing to do for all of our sakes,” says Annette. A visionary who dedicated her life to volunteering, Willie Paretti demonstrated extraordinary interest and effort in serving organizations that made significant and lasting impacts on improving community health. With this award, the American Heart Association of Greater New Orleans and Lakeview Regional Medical Center want to recognize people who have made positive changes to improve their quality of life and health, and/or the quality of life and health of their community. No change is too small, and every accomplishment is significant. The inaugural Northshore Go Red for Women
Annette Dowdle: the Willie Paretti Heart Hero Award Honoree by Mary Fein
Lakeview Regional Medical Center initiates a tribute at Go Red for Women
Annette Dowdle. 32
BECAUSE OF HER YEARS of work broadening employee wellness programs in companies across our community and creating productive work forces through intentional health and wellness solutions, Annette Dowdle, Senior Vice President, HUB International Gulf South, was awarded the inaugural Willie Paretti Heart Hero Award at the American Heart Association’s Northshore Go Red for Women luncheon. “Willie Paretti was a champion for volunteerism, health and wellness for our community, and I am humbled to receive such an honor in her name. The American Heart Association’s Circle of Red has been
Inside Northside
luncheon on March 6 raised more than $185,000 for the American Heart Association’s efforts against our number one killer, heart disease. The luncheon, co-chaired by Lori Murphy and CJ Ladner, was sponsored nationally by CVS Health and locally sponsored by Lakeview Regional Medical Center, Sophrosyne, Humana, Jennifer Rice, Mercedes-Benz of Covington, HUB, Monica Ernst, State Farm, Netchex, Diane Laplace Real Estate, St. Tammany Parish Hospital, Armbruster Artworks, TD Ameritrade, and Fidelity Bank. To learn more about the Northshore Go Red for Women movement, visit NorthshoreGoRed.heart.org. Mary Fein is the Communications Director for the American Heart Association, New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
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Go Red For Women
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More PhotoBooth fun at Go Red from Fidelity!
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Anxiety in the age of coronavirus Or, how to cope in a suddenly weird world
by Mike Scott, mscott@stph.org
“PANDEMIC.” Just the word is enough to trigger anxiety in most sensible people. But, for some, the medical concerns surrounding the current COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak is just the start of the stress. With kids now home from school, adults being sent home from work, and the state urging people to hunker down at home for the next few weeks, you need not have contracted coronavirus to feel waylaid by its fallout. And that, according to Covington psychotherapist Randall Parent LCSW, is perfectly understandable. “The number one, number two and number three reasons people have anxiety are health-related and financial related, and then relationships and family,” Parent said. “This (coronavirus outbreak) is involving health and financing, so we’re hitting two of the biggest ones that cause people anxiety, so anxiety is going up because of that. That’s a reality.” One of the biggest culprits, Parent said, is the loss of a daily routine, which can make people feel as if they’ve lost control over their day-to-day lives. Without that, and without the level of predictability it brings, he said, it’s only natural for anxiety to mount. “When you’ve got routine, you don’t have to think about a lot. When 38
Inside Northside
you get up in the morning, you know what you’re going to do,” Parent said. “Right now, we don’t have any control of what’s going to happen, and it’s freaking everybody out.” That’s normal, too, he said. “If people wouldn’t react initially with this anxiety and concern, then there’s something wrong with them,” Parent said. “It should faze you. Then you have to readjust to your new normal – and to find a new normal, find a new routine.” That means you should resist sleeping in every morning during your coronavirus “holiday.” Instead, wake up as usual, get dressed for the day and then – if you’re not able to work from home -- perhaps tackle some household chores you’ve been putting off. Or, better yet, and as long as you’re utilizing proper social distancing protocols, take a walk. Do some gardening. Call or Facetime someone. Get some sun on your face. “Sunshine does help,” Parent said. “That is a biological, scientific fact. Sunshine increases your mood.” The staff at St. Tammany Health System’s Mandeville Emergency Department put that bit of advice into practice during a recent lull, according to Off-Site Emergency Head Rebecca Bozzelle, who on Thursday led her >>
April 2020 39
team on a spontaneous lap around the building. “Just because we have to wear masks all the time, it’s just nice to get out and get sunshine,” Bozzelle said. “We got out, we did a lap around the building, a couple of nurses sat in the grass. We looked for four-leaf clovers. They were making flower crowns.” It didn’t take long, she said. But after that brief respite, everyone’s mood was noticeably lifted. Parent pointed out that such outings take advantage of another key to dampening anxiety: distraction. “The number one treatment for anxiety that doesn’t involve medication … is distraction, because anxiety is really excessive worry,” Parent said. “Anxiety goes from excessive worry to lack of concentration, inability to focus, then it becomes physical illness -stomachache, sore throat, panic attacks – and then, at that point, people start thinking they have the illness. “You want to stop the thought process – ‘Oh, my god, am I going to get sick?,’ ‘Oh, my god, are we going to make it financially?’ -- which are real thoughts. You just can’t focus on them constantly.” That, of course, is easier said than done -- especially with the 24-hour cable news networks focusing on little else but coronavirus lately. Thankfully, the recent proliferation of online streaming services – Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, just to name a few – offer endless opportunities for electronic distraction. And while Parent said he wouldn’t ordinarily endorse binge-watching, “ordinary” left town couple of weeks ago. “For right now, we can do some binge-watching,” he said. “You’ve got to take a break from it all -- from the news, from your iPhone, from Twitter and 40
Inside Northside
Facebook. That’s real important, to get away from that.” While things are trickier for people who were sick even before coronavirus disrupted all of our lives, many of the same coping tips apply, according to St. Tammany Health System’s Colleen Hughes MSW LCSW OSW-C, an oncology social worker at St. Tammany Cancer Center who also stressed the value of positivity. “It has been said that our biggest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another,” Hughes said. “Instead of allowing negative and ‘worst-case scenario’ thoughts to overwhelm you, try to replace those thoughts with healthier, more adaptive thoughts. What pleasurable or meaningful thing might you accomplish during this time of social distancing? What can you do that might be helpful to others? What will you learn about yourself or the world? She continued: “Remember, stress is bad for the immune system. Be sure to get good sleep, take a walk, get some fresh air, and get good nutrition. All these things can strengthen your immune system. Sleep is power, food is fuel, and movement is medicine!” It’s also important, Parent added, to keep in mind that, as surreal and as topsy-turvy as the world might seem right now, normalcy will return – just like it did after Hurricane Katrina, after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and after other recent disruptions to our lives. “This is passing. This is not here to stay. This isn’t the rest of our life,” he said. “Even though we’re not sure when it’s going to end and we don’t know how it’s going to affect us, we do know it’s going to end. It’s passing. “One day, we’ll get back to our normal, we’ll be back in our restaurants and we’ll be back to shaking hands.” April 2020 41
The Best Kept Secret on the Northshore
CHRISTWOOD CATERS TO MORE THAN JUST ITS RESIDENTS! Over the last 24 years, Christwood, the northshore’s Premier Retirement
ellipticals, NuStep, CyberCycles, and Hoist ROC-IT weight machines. The aerobics
Community, has grown to occupy one hundred and seventeen beautiful acres of
studio offers low, medium, and high intensity classes, yoga, tai chi and more. In-door
senior living surrounded by an abundance of green space and has been a long-
pickleball court and game area makes for great way to stay active and socialize.
standing icon in Covington. From the beginning, Christwood’s mission has been
The 25-yard multi-lane swimming pool, with accessible ramp, makes it easy for all
very clear–to help all seniors live with dignity and independence.
levels of aquatic takers. Additionally, there are fitness specialist on staff and personal
“The residents and staff have always been the heart of our Christwood community,” said Scott J. Jones, the Executive Director of At Your Service by
trainers available to help create a program designed for anyone’s specific needs. On the heels of the community center’s success, the Lotus Spa at Christwood
Christwood. “And from the beginning Christwood’s vision has also included
opened its doors to the general public as a full-service spa and hair salon for men
expanding into the local community to create, in a sense, a Christwood without
and women. From manicures, pedicures, facial and body waxing, and brow services,
walls,” continued Mr. Jones. “This initiative included reaching out to and
to soothing facials and eight different types of massage, there’s something for your
supporting those who wished to age in their own home, but who could also
every mood. Located inside the community center, this oasis of relaxation also offers
benefit from the amenities and socialization Christwood has to offer.”
a full line of skin care products to pamper and help inspire ageless living.
A little over five years ago that vision became a reality with the opening of The
In keeping with Christwood’s vision, the next addition was the Forever
Community Center at
Fit Kitchen, offering the
Christwood. The state-of-
general public a fresh,
the-art health & fitness
flavorful and wholesome
center, complete with
breakfast and lunch menu
the first and only indoor
that fills body and soul.
heated swimming pool
Additionally, the Forever
in Covington, gave
Fit Kitchen features “Eat
northshore adults 55+
Fit” certified soups, salads,
a great place to stay fit
sandwiches and more for
and socialize. Whether
dine in or take out.
you’re an avid swimmer,
And finally,
experienced exerciser, or
this year Christwood
just seeking to maintain
launched At Your
or enhance your fitness,
Service by Christwood, a
you can do it all at your
comprehensive in-home
own pace in a friendly
wellness and home
and encouraging
maintenance program
environment. The
designed for those adults
exercise room
55+ who wish to remain
boasts user friendly
at home and age in place
equipment including
surrounded by the people
Precor treadmills and
and things they love.
recumbent bikes, Octane
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Inside Northside
In home wellness
services include personal assistants for those who would like assistance with tasks like the scheduling and keeping of appointments, transportation, personal correspondence, errands, grocery shopping, light housekeeping, meal preparation and more. For less independent clients, At Your Service offers caring companions who are Certified Nursing Assistant’s and can do all that the personal assistants do, but can also help with the activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, personal grooming, repositioning and a strong focus on overall personal wellness. And lastly, for those caring for a loved one, they offer an on campus Adult Day Stay program to give you a much-needed break so you can run your errands and manage everyday life. For as little as two hours or as many as ten hours, leave your loved one with them and rest assured they are well cared for, fed healthy meals and snacks, entertained and engaged in activities designed to stimulate and sharpen cognizance. What makes At Your Service so comprehensive is it takes support one step further and offers an array of general home maintenance. They realized that maintaining a home can sometimes be daunting, even for the fittest of the fit, but At Your Service can help with a variety of services like gutter cleaning, pressure washing, changing lightbulbs and smoke detector batteries, hanging light fixtures, furniture repositioning, and home organization, just to name a few. A couple more things that make At Your Service a great option is a guarantee that all of their service representatives are Christwood employees, thoroughly vetted through background checks and drug testing. And just as important, there are no contracts or membership fees. Services are simply A’ La Carte where and when you need them at a price you can afford. Introductory rates start at just $25 per hour. For more information, www.christwoodrc.com.
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Infectious disease specialist discusses misconceptions about COVID-19 by Mike Scott, mscott@stph.org LATELY, IT SEEMS EVERY DAY that passes brings more disruptions to the day-to-day life of Americans, all in an effort to stem the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. In Louisiana, schools, movie theaters, bars and casinos are closed. Masses have been cancelled. Restaurants are under orders to offer takeout, delivery or drive-thru orders only. And while some people might be frustrated by it all, St. Tammany Health System infectious disease specialist Mike Hill MD recently appeared as a guest on Healthy Living to discuss with host Melissa Hodgson why such measures aren’t overreactions – and why responsible people of all ages should heed them. Below, find five key takeaways from Hill’s segment, in which he clears up COVID-19 misconceptions and shines a light on coronavirus containment efforts.
Misconception No. 1: Young people have nothing to worry about. While most young people aren’t considered at high risk of developing a severe case of COVID19, the unprecedented social restrictions being
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enacted aren’t necessarily about them. They’re about Meemaw, too. Statistics show that those most vulnerable to COVID-19 are those with underlying health conditions and the elderly, particularly those over 70 years old. Young people are just as likely to catch it, though – which means they should avoid large gatherings in the interest of their at-risk loved ones, if not themselves. “This is a major inconvenience for everyone, and we understand that,” said Dr. Hill. “But we want to be safe, and it’s not just about you. It’s your loved ones and the potential to give the virus to someone who may be more susceptible.” He continued: “We’re all at risk for catching the virus, and that’s why we’re going to practice social (distancing). Most patients, 80 to 85 percent of patients that get COVID-19, are going to have upper respiratory tract infections, fever, chills, much like what you would get from the flu. About 15 to 20 percent of patients are going to have more severe illness that would require a visit to the doctor’s office or even to be hospitalized. About one-fifth of those patients could develop severe disease requiring hospitalization and even ICU treatment.”
Misconception No. 2: The truth about hand sanitizer “Really and truly, hand washing is the best way to prevent spread of infection, of any type of infection,” said Dr. Hill. “Good hand hygiene is paramount. It’s better than hand sanitizer. The only time we want to use hand sanitizer is when we don’t have access to soap and water. Don’t pass up the soap and water for the hand sanitizer if you can get to the sink and do soap and water.” And when Hill says “hand washing,” he means vigorous scrubbing for at least 20 seconds – about the length of time it takes to sing Happy Birthday to yourself twice. And that’s not all, especially when using a public restroom. “(When you’re leaving the bathroom), open the door with a paper towel and then, when you leave, throw the paper towel away, because you >>
April 2020 45
can contaminate yourself on the door handle.”
Misconception No. 3: The tissue issue If it’s done one thing, COVID-19 has provided Americans with a crash course in “cough etiquette” – and particularly the importance of coughing or sneezing into your elbow rather than into your hand. But there’s a big “but” for those who prefer to use a tissue. “It’s very important, if you cough into a tissue on your hand, to immediately hand wash after you throw that tissue away,” Hill said. He added: “We’re also asking you not to touch your face, because you get secretions around your nose and your mouth. Touching your face then transfers that to your hand.”
Misconception No. 4: When to go to the doctor’s office Given the heightened concern about COVID-19, there are those who might be inclined to rush to their doctor’s office upon detecting the first sniffle. That’s not necessarily a good idea unless symptoms are severe or the patient is in a high-risk group, according to Dr. Hill. “Most people won’t need to go to the doctor,” he said. “If you have mild symptoms – respiratory symptoms, lowgrade fever, sort of like you have a bad cold or a mild case of the flu, you don’t need to go to the doctor, necessarily. “Now, if you have any of the underlying conditions we talked about, it may be important to call your physician or to do a video visit with your physician. But we’re really trying to discourage people, unless they’re really ill, from going into (their doctor’s) office or the emergency room.” 46
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Hill stressed that anyone experiencing respiratory difficulty or increased respirations, or are feeling as if they can’t catch their breath should, indeed, call their doctor. Similarly, those experiencing high fevers – more than 100.4 degrees for people under 65 years old, and more than 99.6 for those ages 65 and over – should also call, he said. “(But) for the majority of us out there, we probably can stay home and have some chicken soup and time,” Hill said. “There’s no outpatient treatment for COVID-19 right now other than symptomatic treatment, good nutrition and good hydration.”
Misconception No. 5: Revisiting visitation rules Family members of patients might find themselves taken aback by newly enacted visitor restrictions at Louisiana hospitals that limit visitors to one essential caregiver per patient – and no face-to-face visitors for COVID-19 patients and suspected cases. Similarly, deliveries to the hospital – of flowers or food – are being turned away until further notice. Those restrictions, however, are there for a reason, and they’ve been enacted at every hospital in the state at the direction of the Louisiana Office of Public Health. “I understand it can be a hardship,” said Dr. Hill, “but it is very difficult to contain the virus if you have people going in and out of the room and you also have other people to care for. It puts a strain on containment and it puts a strain on the healthcare facility if you have more visitors. … We are making sure that (isolation rules are) followed without variation and with every one of these patients to protect our community and our healthcare workers.
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Inside Northside
by Stephen Faure
photo: STEVE FAURE
This wonderful story was originally published in the March 2011 issue of Inside Northside. It is such a nice departure from the current 24-hour news channel droning that I wanted to share it again. Reading it, I found myself riding along in the boat with the sun on my face. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! –Lori Murphy
ALL I CAN SAY IS, “People, be thankful for the crabs you eat.” When we hear the words “going crabbing,” we think of idyllic days spent at the seawall checking our nets in between beers; terrifying the kids, chasing them around with a crab after you pull it from the net; or laughing at your uncle Sal when a crab latches on to his hand as he puts another one into the ice chest. And finally heading back to the camp to “berl ’em up,” feasting, drinking more beer and collapsing in bliss with a full belly and a sunburned back. This was not one of those days. It had an inauspicious start. I was up and about at 3:45 on a January morning—that I’m not a morning person is something of an understatement— to spend the day crabbing with commercial fishermen. I didn’t want be late driving to Slidell from Mandeville, and it didn’t help that when I went outside my car was covered in ice. >> April 2020 49
I thought about when I first contacted fisherman Shannon Moragas about doing a story on crabbers; he tried to warn me. I’d meet him in Slidell. We’d drive for nearly an hour from Slidell to Hopedale, ride another hour on the boat from Shell Beach to the outside marsh along Chandeleur Sound and then pull 500 traps in freezing temps all day long. Having scraped just enough ice off my windshield to hit the road safely, I began to wonder if I might be a little crazy for volunteering to undergo the odyssey Shannon described just for a chance to observe and take some pictures. I wondered even more when told to “watch the ice” when climbing down onto Bobby Evans’ boat as it was fueling up at Blackie Campo’s Shell Beach dock. Luckily, there was room in the small cabin at the bow of the 32-foot skiff for all four of us—Shannon; Bobby; the new hand on the boat, Mike Hukill; and me. The cabin has no rear wall, but Bobby had a tarp stretched out to block the back and hold in the heat from the small space heater. Shannon, Mike and I huddled around it while Bobby drove. Every inch of the boat is dedicated to fishing and/or storing the catch, which
means there are no “amenities” (like seats) or “facilities” (like toilets) that salesmen of recreational vessels might brag about in their products. Ice chests proved to be just as good as anything else to sit on for the trip out. Several boxes of frozen menhaden, or “pogies” as they are called, rode out back on the fantail, fresh bait for the day’s traps. We travelled out of Shell Beach, turning east into the MRGO (Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, aka “Mr. Go” or “the ship channel”), heading to Bayou La Loutre, which intersects MRGO just west of where a wall of rocks, constructed in 2009, now severs MRGO from the Gulf of Mexico. (The rock wall, closing off the channel, is a response to the water wall that Katrina’s storm surge pushed up MRGO straight into St. Bernard Parish and the Ninth
photos: STEVE FAURE
Ward of New Orleans.) Once out in the open, Bobby relied on his GPS to find the first row of traps he had laid out a week before. It was still cold when we arrived at the first trap, but there wasn’t any wind, and the sun came up on a beautiful clear morning as Bobby, Shannon and Mike got into the swing of things on the first row of the day. I sat back to watch and take pictures. I’ve been out on the water quite a bit in my time, boating and fishing recreationally, but that in no way prepared me for the non-stop labor I witnessed over the next eight hours. Bobby drives the boat to the first float. There are many different colored floats attached to crab traps out on the water; his are colored orange. It’s something the commercial fishermen choose for themselves here. (He says that in Mississippi the state assigns the float colors.) Then the action starts. There’s definitely a rhythm to it, and Bobby and Shannon have been working together long enough that it’s all done almost in one motion. The boat’s steering wheel and controls are a couple of steps from a stainless steel winch, the trap puller, mounted horizontally on the boat’s gunwale. Bobby gets the boat to the float, puts it in neutral, >> April 2020 51
steps out of the cabin to the trap puller and grabs the gaff hanging on the side of the cabin. Mind you, the boat is still moving, and with perfect timing, it passes the float just as he’s grabbed the gaff. He leans over, snags the float and the line attached to it, wraps the line onto the trap puller and hauls the trap to the boat. Bobby switches off the puller, pulls the trap on to the gunwale, immediately steps back into the cabin, puts the boat in gear and heads toward the next float in the row. All of this takes place in about 30 seconds. Shannon takes over. In his role as “shaker,” he has another 30 seconds to grab the trap, open it, shake the crabs out into a hamper floating in a big tub of ice water, empty out the old bait and slide the trap down to Mike. Mike either baits the trap with two fresh pogies and tosses it back over the side, or, if they’re moving a row to a new location, stacks the trap onto the skiff’s large fantail. If there’s a minute or two extra in between floats, Shannon takes the opportunity to dump the hamper out and sort the crabs he shook from the last few traps. The ice water has the effect of calming the crabs so Shannon doesn’t get pinched while sorting. Too small? The crab goes back over the side. Males and females are separated and sized. By this time, Bobby has gotten the boat to the next float and is leaning over the side with the gaff, ready to snag the line. Repeat 499 times throughout the day. It’s not that the 52
Inside Northside
photos: STEVE FAURE
day isn’t without some entertainment. A pair of porpoises and a flock of sea birds—gulls and pelicans—dog the boat, competing over the bait remnants taken out of the trap, all of this taking place to a loud soundtrack of classic rock coming from the car stereo Bobby has installed in the cabin. “From doing this so long, we know the migratory paths. I have friends who shrimp in the Rigolets and in the Chef that tell me when the lake crabs are moving. The males in Lake Pontchartrain never leave in the winter; they bury themselves in the mud until the water warms up. The females get out of the lake to find salty water to lay eggs,” Bobby says. “You have to follow them as they go. The water temperature dictates when they leave. When the ship channel [MRGO] was open, there were three places for them to get out. Since they blocked off the MRGO, they have to go towards Mississippi, to the northeast through the Chef or the Rigolets, before they go south. It’s March or April before they go back to the lake.” It’s a tough life, but it reflects on the sense of pride in hard work and the freedom it brings for people like Bobby and Shannon. “No boss and no deadline, no weight on your shoulders that you don’t want,” says Shannon. “It’s a way of life. If you don’t like it, you won’t do it. Money ain’t the object.” April 2020 53
Flourishes
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1. Budding gold-tone candlesticks; small, $29; large, $39. 7
Beeswax candle, $32 each. Niche Modern Home, Mandeville, 624-4045. 2. Williamsburg Lantern on Square Yoke; available in three sizes; gas or electric; $675 - $800. Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights, Mandeville, 249-6040. 3. Antique Persian Heriz rug measures 3’ 2” x 13’ 3”. Nola Rugs, New Orleans, 504-891-3304. 4. Prom corsages, starting at $40. Florist of Covington, Covington, 892-7701. 5. Tan Towel selftanning towelettes, $29. The Annex, aesthetic medical solutions by Dr. Martha Stewart, Mandeville, 727-7701 6. Custom paint-and-fabric spindle chair covered in a Spa Blue Leopard print with matching ottoman. Price for chair and ottoman is $3,475. Bliss Clothing + Home, Mandeville, 778-2252 7. Waves In Motion Kinetic Wind Spinner; 27”w x 81”h; $130. Outdoor Living Center, Covington, 893-8008.
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Flourishes
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2 1. The Easter Story Egg; seven wooden nesting eggs, $35. Olive Patch, Covington, 327-5772. 2. Graduation Pendant features wide rings of wrought iron in blue accentuated by small exterior squares;
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interiors of the rings have contemporary gold finish to enhance glow. 18.5”h x 18” dia .Southland Plumbing Supply, Mandeville,
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893-8883. 3. Hand-painted wood block cross by local artist, $28.95. DeLuca’s Fine Jewelry and Gifts, Covington, 892-2317. 4. Biltmore Approach contemporary lantern available in gas or electric in three sizes. Gulf Coast Lanterns, Covington, 800-910-3275. 5. Kendra Scott T-Bar Jewelry Stand in Antique Brass, starting at $80. Greige Home Interiors, Covington, 875-7576. 6. Rose gold metal serving bowls in three sizes; $35 $69. Redoux Home Market, Mandeville, 674-8811. 7. Egg planter available in three sizes, starting at $399. EMB Interiors, Mandeville, 626-1522. 5
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INside Look 2
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1. Handmade 18” adjustable etched chain with bee locket; chain $95, locket, $20; $115 as shown. Mélange by kp, Mandeville, 807-7652. 2. Yellow gold, diamond, orange and sapphire ombré teardrop earrings, $2975. Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, Metairie, 504-832-0000. 3. Sandal of pythonprint leather with subtly colored blocked heel, wide Mary Jane strap and peep toe. Shoefflé, Covington, 898-6465. 4. Christian Elizabeth & Co. coral bloomer set with beach hand embroidery and eyelet trim. Kiki & Lolli, Covington, 900-2410. 5. V-neck, cold-shoulder striped jumpsuit. The Lifestyle Boutique at Franco’s, Mandeville, 792-0200. 6. Ophelia Swing Dress in Prosecco Pink Wildflower Stripe Lace, $198. Palm Village – A Lilly Pulitzer Store, Mandeville, 778-2547. 58 58 Inside InsideNN orthside orthside
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INside Look 2
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1. Softly textured top with alternating creamy white and varying shades of blue stripes. Columbia Street Mercantile, Covington, 809-1789 or 809-1690. 2. Classic white textured tweed jacket with fringe detail over super-soft sky blue blouse with contrast trim by Ecru; high-rise skinny Joe’s jeans with tie-dye stripe. Ballin’s Ltd., Covington, 892-0025. 3. Powder blue cuffed pant and Jackie O neck top. The Villa, Mandeville, 626-9797. 4. White gold, aquamarine, sapphire and diamond earrings, $10,250. Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, Metairie, 504-832-0000. 5. Summery Body from the Nyssa series by Prima Donna with trendy stripes on the body and feminine embroidery with a lace look on décolleté. Bra La Vie, Hammond, 662-5065. 6. Jude Frances Lisse blue labradorite, triple-diamond, pavé drop earrings, $1,740. Boudreaux’s Jewelers, Mandeville, 626-1666. 7. 1905 7
Collection Tailored Fit Suit in Bright Blue. Jos. A. Bank, Mandeville, 624-4067. April 2020 61
By the Numbers THE CENSUS—EVERYBODY COUNTS. by Stephen Faure
THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF HUBBUB over the upcoming census the U.S. government will be conducting this year. So what’s the big deal? Despite the controversies over how it will be completed and who will be counted, the census is as American as the proverbial apple pie. It’s mandated by the Constitution, and its 220-year history is a remarkable tale, well worth a look.
How it all started... Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution governs the legislative branch embodied by Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. While they decided each state would be represented in the Senate by two senators, the founding fathers wanted to apportion the citizens’ representatives evenly by population, but no more than one representative for every 30,000 people. There have never been that many representatives; currently there are 435, which brings the apportionment to about one per 700,000. As population shifts occur, some states gain representatives, while others lose, but at present the total remains 435. The issue of whom to count in determining congressional representation was a contentious one for the Constitutional Convention. Delegates from 62
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slave states argued that slaves should be included in the enumeration, although they were not citizens and not eligible to vote. Anti-slavery delegates argued otherwise. In the end, a compromise was reached. The population of each state would be determined by counting “...the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other Persons.” The census itself was created by the Constitution’s next provision: “The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.”
“Knock, Knock.” “Who’s there?” “It’s the U.S. Marshal. I’m here to count you.” The Constitution went into effect in March 1789. A year later, the law governing how and when the first census would be conducted was passed. Modern concerns regarding government intrusions by workers collecting census information would not necessarily be mollified if Congress put back the 1790 system. It wasn’t some friendly civilian who came a-counting;
it was the U.S. Marshal or the assistants the marshal was allowed to appoint. That the law requires everyone to provide information is not new, either. The 1790 legislation stated anyone over the age of 16, whether head of the household or not, who failed to “give a true account... of all and every person belonging to such family” could be fined $20. In a provision that today would be considered ripe for abuse, half of the fine would be paid personally to the marshal’s assistant and half to the government. The marshals and their assistants were also subject to penalties for failure to complete their task on time—marshals, $800; assistants, $200. Census takers asked six questions and had to supply their own paper, pens and ink. The 1790 census questionnaires were public; the authorizing legislation required that they be posted in a public place so that people could check the accuracy of their entry. This changed over the years as lawmakers recognized that an accurate and honest count >> April 2020 63
depended on people being confident their personal data would be protected. Data that could be used to identify any individual, such as name, address or telephone number, are now kept private by law for 72 years. Census workers undergo background checks and could pay fines up to $250,000 or go to jail for up to five years (or both) for sharing census information. That first census was completed in October 1791, and 3.9 million inhabitants (about the same as Los Angeles today) were counted. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who oversaw the census, and President George Washington were reportedly skeptical of this figure, thinking it was too low. As the country grew, so did the country’s appetite for data. Government and business leaders recognized the importance of demographic information. How
many people live in a specific area? How do they make their living? How do they get around? Do they have any special needs? Questions designed to help solve policy and commercial concerns, such as those regarding occupations, education and home ownership, were added to later surveys. Some questions asked in earlier years seem quite politically incorrect. From 1850 to 1880, one question asked if a person was “...deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic?� In 2010, questionnaires were sent to 130,047,668 housing units with a 63.5 percent mail-back response rate. While the 2000 census had a longform questionnaire sent out to about 15 percent of all households, the 2010 census questionnaire was quite short, as is the 2020 census form, which has only 12 questions. The remaining detailed data gathered by the bureau will be submitted via community surveys
in between the decennial censuses. The importance of the statistical information collected by the census to the economy is reflected by the census’s shift over the years from the State Department to the Department of the Interior in 1850, and then to the Department of Commerce, which has been responsible for it since 1903. Data collected are used by all levels of government in deciding where schools, highways, hospitals and other services are needed; for emergency planning; and in developing a wide variety of programs ranging from reducing traffic congestion and providing job training to meeting the healthcare needs of the elderly. The use of demographic data in planning and decision making by the private sector is allpervasive, influencing everything from television programming and where to locate a new store to
what to market to teens.
Local Facts
St. Tammany Parish’s population as of the 2010 census was 233,740, making it the fifth-most populous parish in Louisiana. The 2000 census was 191,270, with the parish seeing a 22 percent increase during that time. The parish is on track for a further increase; the Census Bureau’s 2019 population estimate was 258,111. Tangipahoa Parish in the same time grew from 117,001 to 121,097.
Finding your ancestors
A great way to get your family involved with the 2020 census would be to take the opportunity to learn more about your family’s history—and census records provide an excellent place to start tracing your genealogy. Although the Louisiana Territory was included in the 1810 U.S. census, St. Tammany had not been annexed in time to be included, so the 1820 census is the first complete count of St. Tammany Parish. (Tangipahoa Parish wasn’t created until 1869, when it was carved out of St. Tammany, Washington, Livingston and St. Helena parishes.) Finding your way around published census records isn’t always easy. Early records weren’t indexed by name; they were hand-written and often difficult to decipher. Families were listed in the order the census-taker visited each home, sometimes in seemingly random routes. Records contain a lot of information, such as family members they may not have known, or about their neighbors, which can be useful. There are limitations, however. The census only has the information people gave them, so it’s not always 100 percent accurate. It is important for today’s responders to be truthful—100 years from now, your descendents may be tracing their genealogy. Internet subscription services such as Ancestry.com are a good place to start a search, but you don’t need to be computer literate. We’re fortunate to have had genealogists, scholars, volunteers and commercial services who have undertaken to index those old records. Thousands of indexes have been published, and of course, someone has compiled a telephone book-size index of these indexes, titled The American Census Handbook, which is available at most local libraries, along with many of the indexes themselves. Researchers may have focused on indexing only one parish or county, or on one ethnic or occupational group. So while there may not actually be an “Index to the Civil War veterans of Irish Ancestry living in St. Tammany Parish,” that’s the type of esoteric information enquiring minds have compiled over the years, sifting through the “…thousands of pages of pages…arranged by the random routes taken by census enumerators every ten years since 1790,” as author Thomas Jay Kemp observed in The American Census Handbook. Fairly comprehensive indexes of the area that were compiled by local historians and genealogists from the 1800s are in both the St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parish public libraries. 66
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Riding the Trace
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TAMMANY TRACE, Louisiana’s first rail-trail and known by the locals as The Trace, runs across St. Tammany Parish. Adapted from a former Illinois Central Railroad corridor, this flat asphalt ribbon – a favorite with bikers and hikers -- winds its way through piney woods and moss-draped live oaks from Covington, to Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe, and on to Slidell. The Trace is a magic carpet ride through a place rich with natural beauty and graced with people happy to share their vibrant heritage and home with visitors. All skill-level bike riders will find the Trace a comfort zone. (No motorized vehicles are allowed.) You may be accompanied by red-shouldered hawks and ospreys flying overhead and herons and egrets hunting in the marsh. One of the few sounds comes from the chorus of bullfrogs croaking in the bayou
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that can sometimes drown out normal conversation. Bikers range from compression-pant-clad Tour de France dreamers whizzing by on racing bikes to families leisurely pedaling on their cruisers. Families often take breaks at the playgrounds situated near the small towns connected by the Trace.
Honor the Past – Imagine the Future In the late 1800s, New Orleans residents gravitated to the breezes of the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain as a vacation spot. The Trace’s spur along the lake in Mandeville takes riders past where many of these grand retreats from yesteryear still stand. Tammany Trace was chosen by the White House Millennium Council as one of 50 Millennium Legacy Trails. It was added to the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame in 2017.
photo: KEVIN GARRETT
by Kevin Garrett
The shady, mélange of green forests, wetlands and the expansive lakefront that the Trace traverses attracts a remarkable number of bird species to St. Tammany Parish. Almost 200 species have been counted during the spring migratory season including neotropical birds from songbirds to shorebirds to raptors. Colorful warblers, tanagers and hummingbirds flock to the Louisiana Coast after long journeys. John James Audubon studied the state’s winged beauties and drew inspiration for eight of his images found in Audubon’s Birds of America. Along the 31-mile Trace, 31 bridges are built over the old railroad trestles. On a summer day, you may find teenagers jumping from the trestle spanning the Bogue Falaya River or see them flipping from a rope swing along the shore. A good launching point for your exploration of the Trace is Covington, on the northwest side of the popular trail. This artsy town, dotted with boutiques and galleries, offers a wide range of restaurants from white table cloth to family-style comfort food. On normal Wednesdays 10 am to 2 pm during the growing season, you can procure locally-grown provisions and prepared food-to-go at the Covington Farmers Market and stop at one of the many picnic spots along the Trace for lunch or a snack. The Market on Saturdays offers a more extensive selection of farm-fresh items, baked goods, homemade kombucha, local honey, coffee growers, and locally caught seafood. Sometimes a band serenades shoppers. It’s a great way to mingle with the locals. Enjoy a stroll through the H.J. Smith and Sons General Store & Museum, family-owned since 1876. An antique wagon marks the entrance to this western-style wooden building with its original wood floors. Half the store is a treasure trove of the past with a 20-foot dugout canoe as the centerpiece. The other side of this hardware store is chockful of interesting items from flashlights to knives to camping gear and military surplus. For the leisure biker, who happens to love beer, several craft breweries have sprouted in St. Tammany Parish. The Parish features more breweries than any other Louisiana parish on the Louisiana Brewery Trail – the state boasts 25 breweries. St. Tammany has three sites on the new Louisiana Craft Brewery Trail, all on the Trace. Adjacent to the Trace and just 3.5 miles from
Covington, the rustic Abita Brew Pub in Abita Springs offers patio seating and two indoor dining rooms with views of the trail. Crazy for craft beers? Tour the Abita Springs Brewery and visit the Tasting Room. Don’t miss a chance to get some career advice from the artist John Preble at Abita Mystery House, the quirky folk museum housed in an old gas station over which he presides. Continuing south toward Lake Pontchartrain to Mandeville, enjoy a free concert at the amphitheater on summer Friday evenings. The outdoor venue is adjacent to the Trace and the old train depot, which has been transformed into the heart of the community. This lovely town has long been a favorite of leisure guests. Children love the splash fountains, and on Saturday mornings a Farmers Market opens next to the train depot. Old Rail Brewing Company serves pub fare and is featured on the Craft Brewery Trail with everything from Crazy Train Coffee Stout to Hobo Helles to Rusted Rail Ale. After Mandeville, the Trace runs east toward the bayou. There may be a photo-op at the brick ruins of an 1829 sugar mill or among the majestic mossdraped live oaks of the 2,800-acre Fontainebleau State Park, a bird-watcher’s dream. Between the lake and the small fishing town of Lacombe, bikers find the peaceful stretch of the wetlands of Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Encompassing 18,000 acres along the Northshore between Mandeville and Slidell, the Refuge is relatively young – established 1994. Its freshwater and brackish marshes, bayous, nearshore grasslands, and cypress tupelo forest offer shelter to creatures such as red-cockaded woodpecker, wood ducks, deer, mink, otter, and alligators. The Trace gives the gift of green space and carves a clear path where history, nature and the future for our children all merge. The Trace remains open, many attractions mentioned along the way are currently offering modified operations. Click below to see updated business operations around St. Tammany Parish.
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Generous Hearts by Susan Bonnett Bourgeois
Focus on the Good
IN EARLY JANUARY, our Northshore Community Foundation staff thought we were being very clever in setting our theme for the year as “2020 – Focus on the Good.” What started as a not-so-subtle reference to 20/20 vision ironically became our guiding principle as we navigate the unchartered waters of COVID-19. It is beyond easy to find the stories of panic, fear and dread. The health and economic implications of this pandemic are staggering, and we are heartbroken about those realities. We are not ignoring that truth. We are, however, committed to also finding, supporting and promoting the good. Neighbors are shopping for the elderly on their block, teachers are cleaning out classrooms and sending disinfecting products to hospitals, local residents are supporting small businesses in creative and intentional ways. All of those stories are good, and maybe even obvious, but the subtle stories are ultimately where we will be changed as a people. • Has anyone noticed the numbers of families taking walks or riding bikes together? Our neighborhood streets are sloughing cars and 70
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stacking up bikes and walkers to the point of 6-foot distancing becoming a challenge. • Is there anyone now homeschooling their children who hasn’t developed a deep (and perhaps new) appreciation for our teachers, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and the entire institution of K-12 education? • Everyone knows someone who works in the health care industry. Do we now better appreciate the commitment they make to the greater good and, more importantly, the sacrifices they are willing to make on behalf of others? • Governmental borders and typical definitions of “place” are useful for telling this story through data. However, we have all learned that this isn’t a local problem or a national problem, but rather, a challenge to all of humanity. It links us in a new and almost primal way. Hopefully, long after COVID19 passes, we will be a little changed, remembering that we are humans first and foremost—just like our brothers and sisters all over the globe. Finally, there is tremendous power in this “pause.” I was personally startled at the discomfort
I initially felt by being forced off the hamster wheel of working, producing and consuming. My life felt out of sorts that I was staying home, interacting face to face with my family much more and enjoying the simple outlet of a walk in nature or home-cooked meals days in a row. My life was out of balance before, and I didn’t even realize it. So, when things get back to normal—and they will—I will forever appreciate the value of this “pause” and it reminding me of what really matters and what normal really should look like for me. In these new and trying times, I most want to encourage us all to keep our collective chin up and #focusonthegood, because there is lots of good to be found. Susan Bonnett Bourgeois is President/ CEO of the Northshore Community Foundation. April 2020 71
photo courtesy: ST. TAMMANY PARISH GOVERMNENT
TODAY, CAMP SALMEN is a lovely 130-acre Nature Park maintained by St. Tammany Parish for visitors to enjoy. The peaceful respite has 3.3 miles of an interpretive journeys trail system in various stages of development, a boundless Kids Unlimited playground, boardwalks and an accessible amphitheater located on Bayou Liberty, with plenty of opportunities for exploration. Budding botanists appreciate the Camp Salmen Live Oak, accessed via the Camp Ridge Trail and listed on the Live Oak Society Registry, as well as the presence of Pitcher Plants sprinkled through the boggier areas of the park. Hikers and bikers appreciate the recent extension of the Tammany Trace into the park. Camp Salmen’s scenic setting along Bayou Liberty in Slidell is also a site of significant historical interest. In the late 1700s, the property of Camp Salmen was awarded as a land grant by Spanish governor Estevan Miro. In the early 1800s, Joseph Laurent acquired the land and is thought to have built one of the oldest trading posts in the Bayou Liberty Region there. Laurent regularly engaged in lake trade, transporting bricks made from clay at the Camp Salmen site and other products from settlers along the rivers across Lake Pontchartrain to New Orleans. Worth noting: as a result of fires in New Orleans in 1788 and 1794, much of today’s French Quarter was built with bricks and building supplies from the Northshore. Laurent’s trading post, a French Creole-style cottage later renamed Salmen Lodge, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. Salmen Brick and Lumber Company purchased the land in 1901 and extracted timber and clay for bricks in a large scale. A chance encounter with a Boy Scout extending an umbrella during a rainstorm led to Fritz Salmen donating
Camp Salmen the parcel to the Boy Scouts of the New Orleans area in 1924 for a summer camp. In gratitude, the scouts named their new camp and its old trading post after him, which operated until 1983. Camp Salmen is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, but make sure to visit this peaceful respite when it reopens. Click below to see updated business operations around St. Tammany Parish.
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The OWEL Project with Candra George
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Health & Wellness 2020
Fitness Machines Fit for 2020 Many of us renew an internal motivation for health and wellness in
January. We look for ways to fit taking care of ourselves into our busy routines, and for many of us, ideas for early morning before the kids are up are perfect. Or maybe it’s while I watch my favorite prime-time TV show. Sometimes home solutions make the most sense. With that in mind, we asked our experts about the latest trends in home fitness. Here is information to help get your New Year’s resolutions off to a fresh start. “This year, interactive consoles that coach you throughout your workout are at the top of the new technology list,” says Rodney Rice of Fitness Expo. “Precor and Matrix machines have the latest and greatest in interactive consoles. We’re excited about Run TV by Precor that is provided free-of-charge to all Precor networked consoles. The Lifefitness IC6 indoor cycle with My Ride Coaching is also a great option that has no streaming charges! We want people to come in and try these machines to see the quality that they’re getting, unlike internet and TV fads.” For the most comfortable way to work out, Austin Rice recommends an Octane seated xRide elliptical. He adds, “These machines allow for full leg extension to activate three times the muscles and burn more calories.” The xRide collection also gives the ultimate variety at every workout by featuring workout boosters, including X-mode and chest and leg press, which elevates cross training through intense short bursts. For a focus on strength, the latest functional training machines are designed to fit in the corner of your home or office. The Hoist V Express Gym gives a multiple strength workout for legs, arms, chest and back all from one small footprint machine. Whether you want to gain strength, intensify your cardio session or anything in between, there are options to help you reach your goals in 2020. Fitness Expo offers two-year, no-interest financing to get you exercising at home fast. Learn more at fitnessexpostores.com. 78
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Northshore Humane Society Northshore Humane Society has implemented an updated plan
of action following the statewide stay-at-home order to further fight the spread of COVID-19. As an essential services provider, the no-kill animal rescue and community vet clinic will continue to operate in accordance with the order to further ensure the health of its clients and employees. The community clinic will continue providing essential medical care. Spays and neuters, Woofstock appointments and annual vaccinations are all deemed essential at this time. Their adoption center will now be operating by appointment only and the animal shelter, housing more than 150 homeless pets, has been reduced to essential personnel only. PRECAUTIONS
NHS has implemented new protocols that ensure the safety of both you and your pet. All staff will be wearing personal protective gear including face mask and surgical gloves. In addition, all high traffic areas of the facility are disinfected every hour. Volunteer hours have been reduced to only what is needed. FAMILY PETS OFFER UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
Did you know that owning a dog makes for healthier children?
Not only can it encourage more nurturing behavior, but it can also help your children feel less lonely. Dogs and cats can help create a happier, more active family environment. ADOPTION CENTER
Until further notice, adoptions will be facilitated by appointment only. To schedule an adoption appointment or if you have questions regarding any adoptable pets, email adopt@nshumane.org. April 2020 79
Honey Island by Renee Kientz
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FORGET THE SWAMPS you’ve seen in movies. You know, the ones with 20-foot gators launching themselves into canoes, hissing black snakes dangling from every moss-hung tree and wild-eyed Cajuns who live off the bayou’s bounty. Well, that last stereotype might be true but the other two are pure Hollywood. What you can expect to find in the Honey Island Swamp, on the northeast edge of St. Tammany Parish, is pristine beauty, lush nature in harmony, and abundant wildlife. There are gators, to be sure. You’ll see them sunning themselves on logs or watching warily from the banks (you make them nervous); if they swim out to the boat it will be to score a few marshmallows or a hot dog dangled on a stick by the tour guide to lure them closer. You probably won’t be seeing any snakes, though they’re out there. And despite reported sightings that date back centuries, odds are you won’t be catching a glimpse of the Honey Island swamp monster, either. You will see turtles, maybe an eagle overhead, and snowy white egrets patiently stalking a bullfrog dinner. You might see a nutria, prehistoric-looking pileated woodpeckers, or great blue herons, depending on what time of year you visit. And fat little feral pigs, all muddy and deceptively cute, may greet you from the banks of the bayou. The wildlife you see varies because this isn’t a Disney park, after all, and nature has its own reasons and rhythms. Regardless of who or what steps up to greet you, one thing never changes: You will see an absolutely lovely patch of planet Earth, one that’s been largely protected from …. us.
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The Honey Island Swamp encompasses almost 70,000 acres, more than half of which is preserved for posterity as part of the Pearl River Wildlife Management Area. The PRWMA is swampy in the south, more hardwood bottomland to the north, home to black bears, boar, cougars, nutria and an abundant year-round and migratory bird population. Created by the confluence of the west and east Pearl rivers, the Honey Island Swamp is rich in history, full of mystery and fragile. Unlike many of the nation’s other swamps, Honey Island has never been commercially developed. But like many, it is delicate and often jeopardized by human actions. Concerns have been growing recently about a proposed flood control project upriver in Mississippi that some say would adversely affect the fragile balance in the Honey Island Swamp. Tour operators like Cajun Encounters’ Jeff Rogers, Paul Trahan of Honey Island Swamp Tours and Neil Benson of Pearl River Eco-Tours say the project would devastate the lower Pearl by choking its water flow. Without the natural increased flow each spring brings, the swamp’s eco-system would not flourish, and maybe not even survive. If you ask them, the operators and their captains will speak passionately about what could be lost, but mostly they let the area’s natural beauty do the talking for them. They hope that anyone experiencing this special place would want to see it preserved. And so, each day, all year long, the tour companies take visitors into the Honey Island Swamp (and yes, bring them out, too). Reservations aren’t
Swamp mandatory but much appreciated and may avoid disappointment on your part. Most tours run around two hours in length. What you learn depends on your own powers of observation and on the perspective and personalities of your tour guide, each of whom seem to have a slightly different spin on the swamp. Some guides grew up there and know its every inlet, twist and turn, what plants are edible, where the biggest gators live, whose mama caught the biggest catfish ever seen 40 years back. Other guides are biologists, entranced into the profession by the area’s untouched beauty. One is a wellknown stride piano player who gigs in New Orleans’ French Quarter at night and helms a tour boat by day. All of them love the swamp and take their jobs as its ambassadors seriously. Visitors come from all over the country and the world. It isn’t uncommon to hear several languages spoken by the tourists who come to Slidell and Pearl River to see the swamp. But the universal language of wonderment is the same; all humans gasp at the sight of a majestic heron flying overhead or a 12-foot alligator sizing them up from a yard away. Rogers of Cajun Encounters tours says the sights of the swamp are different
every time, from day to day, season to season. Visitors in spring will see the most color, as irises and water hyacinths bloom in profusion; summer is prime time to see alligators. In the fall, the cypress trees begin changing from brilliant green to a rust color. And winter has its own beauty, the cypress trees bare, the gators mostly dormant but other wildlife more active and visible. Most tours take visitors out in motorized boats, holding 15 to 24 passengers. These aren’t airboats like the ones seen in Florida and some other Louisiana swamps. Tour companies have temporarily suspended operations due to COVID19, but the swamp waits patiently for visitors to return. St. Tammany Parish has more than 80,000 acres of wilderness preserve. The Honey Island Swamp, on the parish’s eastern edge, is just one course in a menu of state parks, nature trails, national wildlife reserve, scenic rivers and bayous, all easily accessible and waiting for you. Click below to see updated business operations around St. Tammany Parish.
Northshore state parks inspire campers to get out by Beth D’Addono
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Discover Fontainebleau At Fontainebleau in Mandeville, Louisiana’s mostvisited state park, accommodations for campers of all tastes abound. If your idea of roughing it is staying in a hotel without a pool, reserve one of 12 deluxe cabins that stretch out over the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Cabins may sound rustic, but these beautiful cottages, equipped with amenities like AC, Wi-Fi, cable TV and barbecue grills, are ideal for friends and family reunions who seek a cushy getaway. Sit a spell on the back porch overlooking the lake, and life is good. Bring bikes to ride on the nearby Tammany Trace and keep your eyes peeled for wildlife – birdlife abounds; you’ll most likely see deer and yes, there are gators in the park’s bayous. Get even closer to nature at one of the park’s campsites, 106 improved with water, electricity, grills and picnic tables, situated close to a bathhouse and dump station for RVers. Pearson and her family park their camper in this section of the grounds. “We bought it three years ago when my husband retired and it’s opened up a new world for us. Everybody is so friendly – it’s really like a big family.” The rest of the park’s sites are more primitive, ideal for getting away from it >>
photo: KEVIN GARRETT
ON DAYS WHEN Susan Pearson gets run ragged at her hospital human resources job, she closes her eyes and pictures the ancient live oaks and great blue herons she sees when camping with her family at Fontainebleau State Park. “What I love most about camping in the park is that it takes me away from my busy life. Being there helps me regroup, slow down and enjoy life with my family.” Pearson, who camps regularly with her husband Louis and their 10 grandkids ages two months to 17 years, isn’t alone. Camping is hot and getting hotter. According to the North American Camping Report, 41.77 million Americans camped in 2017, a spike of more than a million campers from the previous year. Ideal for families as well as young professionals eager to de-stress, camping delivers quality time with friends and family, a natural context for physical activity and a real world reset for overall well-being and health. On the beautiful Northshore, Fontainebleau and Fairview-Riverside State Parks deliver all kinds of options.
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all. Camping groups from 25 to 150 can meet up at the park’s two primitive group camping areas and enjoy park amenities like beachfront access and fishing piers. Set up for socializing and ideal for reunion groups, Group Camp I and Group Camp III feature dormitory sleeping areas, fully equipped kitchens and AC, most necessary during Louisiana’s steamy summers. Just across U.S. Highway 190 from the main section of the park is the Fontainebleau State Park Lodge, equipped with a full kitchen, two bathrooms and sleeping space for 10-12. Wherever you land in the park, bring your fishing pole (don’t forget a license!) for trolling fresh and salt water in the ponds, bayous and the brackish water of Lake Pontchartrain.
you’re sure to bring home with you after your experience. “Camping makes memories that will last a lifetime,” said Pearson. “That’s something money just can’t buy.” Day use of Fontainebleau and FairviewRiverside State Parks is allowed from 8am-5pm. The park is closed to overnight guests until 4/12/2020. Click below to see updated business operations around St. Tammany Parish.
Retreat to Fairview-Riverside State Park
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Fontainebleau State Park 62883 Hwy. 1089, Mandeville (985) 624-4443 Fairview-Riverside State Park 119 Fairview Dr., Madisonville (985) 845-3318
photo: THOMAS B. GROWDEN
Situated just two miles east of Madisonville, FairviewRiverside State Park sprawls over 99 scenic acres along the banks of the bucolic Tchefuncte River. Campers and day visitors can take pontoon tours of the river, wander the park’s nature trail, troll for crabs or fish or just relax under a canopy of live oaks. If you’re staying overnight, the park offers 81 sites perfect for RVers, all with electricity and water hook-ups, nearby bathrooms and showers as well as the necessary dump station. But campers interested in hanging out under the stars will love the designated tent camping section of the park with bathrooms nearby, but the rest of the scene is all Mother Nature. Yes, you can bring Fido with you-behaved doggies on-leash are welcome. However you use your outdoor time, there’s one thing
MONEY DOCTOR
Ask the Question!
Q A
W. Mike Stewart AIF, RFC
Jan asks: What questions can I ask a prospective financial advisor before considering hiring him/her?
One of THE most important professionals you will hire in your life
will be your financial advisor! This person will be a big part of the quality of your life and influence whether or not you can actually retire, afford to educate your kids, or take regular vacations. If you hire the wrong person, none of your dreams may ever come true. Ask these 3 simple questions and you will be able to determine if this is the right advisor for you. 1. Are you a fiduciary?
Fiduciaries, by law, have to work in the best interest of the client.
Non-fiduciaries recommend products that are “suitable”, even if the recommended product is not the lowest cost or most ideal for you. Non-fiduciaries have a constant conflict of interest because of potential compensation to them for the recommended product or products. 2. How are you paid and what are my all in costs?
Advisors can be paid in a variety of ways that can cause conflicts of
interest. To keep it simple, focus on ‘fee only’ advisors as they only get paid transparent fees and do not get paid for selling products. Any ‘fee only” advisor will gladly share with you all costs associated with the services they offer. There is a difference between “fee only” and ‘fee based”. “Fee based” will charge fees and/or also collect commissions. So my recommendation is to stick with “fee only” advisors. 3. What are your qualifications?
Unlike many professional occupations, there is no one standard for
a financial advisor to be “qualified”. There are MANY designations, but all should be appropriately licensed. Focus on years of experience as well as educational background. This part will be more of using your instincts and determining if you feel comfortable with the answers. You have financial questions? Call or email Mike today.
W. Mike Stewart AIF, RFC • Wealth Management Services 985-809-0530 • wmsgroup@advisormike.com Check out Research Materials and Video Library at: www.advisormike.com April 2020 87
Take a Hike
Click below to see updated business operations around St. Tammany Parish.
THE NORTHSHORE HAS MILES of peaceful hiking trails in accessible outdoors.
Interpretive Trail includes a boardwalk and overlook at Bayou Lacombe, and
Pack a backpack and commune with nature. In this part of Louisiana, you’ll find the
birders will likely spot the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker here.
terrain easy to navigate and the elevation no more than a gentle slope. Let the fresh air of the Northshore’s piney woods rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. Lovely Northlake Nature Center is a 400-acre preserve located along the banks of Bayou Castine. There are about 7 miles of trails taking you through
The state park trails at Fairview-Riverside in Madisonville and Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville also offer boardwalks and plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting and birding (over 400 species have been recorded at Fontainebleau).
three different eco-systems. Among the sights: a grove of giant magnolias,
Other spots to check out are the Lake Ramsey Savannah WMA and the
boardwalk overlooking a beaver lodge, and, if you’re lucky, you might catch a
Nature Conservancy’s Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve which features a Pitcher
glimpse of the center’s flock of wild turkeys.
Plant Boardwalk.
Over in Lacombe, Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Reserve offers
If a leisurely stroll is more your speed, walk along Lakeshore Drive’s
15,000 acres of south Louisiana eco-systems. Visitors enjoy hiking, fishing
paved path in Mandeville. The cool breezes off Lake Pontchartrain and the
and birding along its waterways and trails. The two-mile Boy Scout Road
shimmering sunlight on the water will make your heart sing.
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Eating out in a stay-athome world.
by Pemmie Sheasby NORTHSHORE RESIDENTS love to eat out, but with
our new “stay-at-home mandate,” the way we dine out has had to change in the short term. I like that in this new environment it is a public service for us to keep the restaurants working. Food always tastes better to me when it is prepared by a chef—or a neighbor, or really anyone besides me! Doing my part for the community tastes great and gives me and my family something to look forward to in these endless days. There are so many reasons people eat out;
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sometimes it is a way to socialize, to see and be seen, a time saver or simply a convenience. No matter what motivates you, the options are dramatically different right now. Most of our favorite restaurants are offering curbside pick-up. Call ahead and take home something delicious. It might be fun to sample restaurants you haven’t tried. Saul Rubio, a longtime partner of Inside Northside, says that his restaurants, La Carreta and Streetside Café, are working very hard to go above and beyond for those curbside pick-up diners. He says, “We are lucky to have a loyal group of customers, and we don’t want to let them down.” I don’t know about you, but when I eat out at lunch, I tend to order too much and take leftovers home to enjoy later. So, to my way of thinking, “curbside service” or “food delivery” are just different versions of taking food home after eating out. Miss the ambience or socialization? It is time to get creative. This week might include your first ever Zoom dinner party. An invitation is probably coming, or you can throw your own. Just download the video conferencing app everyone is talking about and have your “guests” all order food from a local
favorite. This is a great way to share coffee, meals or cocktails with friends. I think that this could be one of the things that sticks after the stay-at-home situation subsides. Pancakes with your grandkids over Skype can be almost as much fun as being there, and you don’t have to help with the clean up! Plenty of our favorite restaurants are bending over backwards to keep their employees busy and employed while accommodating our love for eating out. Here are a few creative ideas from some smallbusiness Inside Northside advertisers who are working hard to keep our norms alive, albeit differently.
Half Shell oyster House, Covington, 276-4500 Dinner for Four meals are available at all Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida locations. Add a bottle of house wine for $10! Place orders 9am-3pm for same-day pickup 4pm-7pm. Or purchase a Local Meal Prep Kit. Get the ingredients to your favorite dishes to cook at home for yourself and family for 15 percent off menu price! Ready 15 minutes after ordering.
One of the most creative things Half Shell is doing is helping with shopping—they have groceries! By partnering with their distributors, they can sell household items now for curbside pickup. Items include toilet paper, paper towels, milk, eggs, bread, etc. Call, or email orders to curren.mirando@ halfshelloysterhouse.com.
Ceasar’s Ristorante, Mandeville, 951-2626 Authentic Italian meals; menu updated daily. In addition to daily Chef Specials, Ceasar’s offers a Family-Style Meal Plan at an amazing low price! Treat your family to a real taste of Italy—just add a perfect opera playlist from Pandora! Drive-thru window service 11am-7pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Call, or email c@ceasarsristorante.net. Please place family meal orders 24 hours in advance.
Nothing Bundt Cakes, Covington, 888-6555 With the help of the bakery, you make sure birthdays and anniversaries don’t go uncelebrated. >>
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But there is nothing wrong with ordering something just to make your hard-working, home-schooling family happy at the end of a long day! No-contact delivery and curbside pickup for your safety and convenience. Call, or order online at nothingbundtcakes.com.
Yum Yum Gimmie Sum, 276-9117 Who doesn’t like a snowball? This local mobile food truck will bring a taste of New Orleans direct to you as it visits several neighborhoods in the coming weeks to offer fresh snowballs to children and adults alike. That is a recess we can all get behind! If you want your neighborhood included, call, or email yumyumgimmesum1@gmail.com.
Menu Express, 875-7700 One of the ways I am following the rules of social distancing is to call Menu Express for my food deliveries. Established in 1996 as one of the first local meal delivery companies, Menu Express has been proactive by establishing “no-contact delivery.” The order is dropped off at your front door, but there is no cash transaction as everything is done online—you can even tip the driver online. Call, order at menuexpressdelivery.com, or use the mobile app available at the App Store or on Google Play. Just like you, I wanted and needed reassurance that businesses that are still open are taking extra precautions to protect my health. I was pleased to know the Louisiana Department of Health issued updated cleaning and disinfecting guidelines for businesses remaining open and serving the public during this health emergency. By minimizing person-to-person contact, we will continue to control the spread of the virus. At Inside Northside, our goals are to help you through this situation and to continue to connect you to our advertisers and their employees. If we work together now to support our community, we will thrive together when this stay-home order is lifted. Whether you choose poboys from a mom-and-pop food truck or Gulf-inspired fare from a talented chef, there’s a great meal waiting for you from one of our Tammany Taste restaurants! Click here for the St. Tammany Parish Tourist Commission’s listing of purveyors providing take-out, delivery, and curbside service during this time. Be sure and tag #LANorthshore or email support@louisiananorthshore.com if your restaurant or food truck needs to be added to the list. https://www.louisiananorthshore.com/about/about-stptcc/ business-operation-updates/ 92
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IN Great Taste by Yvette Jemison
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Inside Northside
Summer Pasta Salads SUMMERTIME GATHERINGS call for recipes that travel well and hold up to the heat. We have two pasta salad recipes that are up to the challenge. These salads are infused with flavor from seasonal vegetables and coated in a tangy vinaigrette. You can easily modify the recipes with vegetables that are readily available in your garden or farmers market. If you have an abundant supply of tender herbs, add a handful when serving the salads for a flavorful twist. Both of these salads can be served chilled or at room temperature, making them a perfect addition to your summer gathering. Go ahead and grab the picnic blanket and enjoy these make-ahead salads that beat the sweltering summer heat.
Summer Bounty Pasta Salad Servings: 8 Vinaigrette 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 3 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard 2 Tablespoons sundried tomatoes in oil, drained 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning squash 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning squash 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/3 cup olive oil 1 lb. corn on the cob (about 4 ears of corn) photos: YVETTE JEMISON
2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 lb. zucchini (about 2 large zucchini) 1 lb. crookneck squash (about 3 squash) 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained 8 oz. Radiatore pasta
1. In a blender, pulse vinegar, mustard, sundried tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar until purĂŠed. Add oil and blend just until emulsified. Let vinaigrette sit at room temperature for flavors to come together. 2. In a dry skillet on medium-high heat, add corn on the cob, turning every 3-4 minutes until mostly charred, but not completely blackened. 3. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut off kernels and set aside. 4. In a large skillet on medium heat, warm the 2 Tablespoons oil. 5. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to skillet, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened but still intact, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. 6. Cut crookneck squash in half lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to skillet with remaining oil, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, but still intact, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate to cool. 7. Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and boil, stirring occasionally until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water. 8. In a large mixing bowl, toss pasta and vinaigrette until pasta is well coated. Add corn kernels, zucchini, crookneck squash and sundried tomatoes and toss until well combined. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead. April 2020 95
Blistered Tomato Pasta Salad Servings: 8 Pickled Onions 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1 Tablespoon sugar 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced Salad and Vinaigrette 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus 1/2 cup for vinaigrette 2 dry pints mixed cherry tomatoes 3 large garlic cloves 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon sugar 8 oz. dry orecchiette 3 Tablespoons capers, drained 2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped Pickled Onions
1. In a microwave-safe bowl, warm vinegar and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar and add sliced onions. 2. Stir to coat onions well and set aside to lightly pickle until ready to use. 96
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Salad and Vinaigrette
1. In a large skillet on medium heat, warm 2 Tablespoons olive oil and add tomatoes and garlic. Frequently shake skillet until tomatoes are blistered and garlic is fragrant and brown, 8-10 minutes. 2. Transfer 1/2 cup of the blistered tomatoes and all of the garlic to a blender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer remaining tomatoes to a plate to cool. 3.To the blender, add vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar and blend until purÊed. With the blender on low speed, add 1/2 cup olive oil. Increase speed just until emulsified. Set vinaigrette aside to let flavors come together. 4. Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and boil, stirring occasionally until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water. 5. Transfer drained pasta to a large mixing bowl and toss with the vinaigrette until well coated. 6. Drain the pickled onions and add to mixing bowl. Add remaining blistered tomatoes, capers and parsley and toss just until combined. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead. We’d like to see your version. Share your creation by tagging us on Instagram at @InsideNorthside. For more recipes, go to YDelicacies.com or follow on Instagram at @y_delicacies.
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Haute Plates
Antoine’s
713 ST. LOUIS ST. NEW ORLEANS 504-581-4422
Established in 1840, Antoine’s is the oldest French-Creole fine-
A selection of restaurants and haute dishes found around the northshore and beyond.
Ceasar’s Ristorante
Half Shell Oyster House
La Carreta
MANDEVILLE • 951-2626
COVINGTON • 276-4500
HAMMOND
408 N. CAUSEWAY BLVD.
CEASARSRISTORANTE.NET Located just off the Causeway,
70367 HWY 21
HALFSHELLOYSTERHOUSE.COM Local Gulf oysters and a variety
MANDEVILLE, COVINGTON,
AND PONCHATOULA
CARRETARESTAURANT.COM
dining restaurant in New Orleans.
Ceasar’s offers an Italian classic and
of Gulf Coast seafood with a New
Come see what it is all about and
contemporary menu, plus dishes from
Orleans flair and influence that
food in a fun and festive atmosphere, La
enjoy great food along with a
European recipes. Everything made to
extends throughout our ambience
Carreta offers authentic Mexican cuisine
memorable experience! Make your
order from scratch. Featuring dishes
and menu. Steaks, chicken, pasta and
at several locations across Southeast
reservation today.
that are meant to be shared. Available
so much more. Lunch, dinner, daily
Louisiana. Daily lunch specials, fiesta
for parties and private events.
happy hour, Sunday brunch.
time daily and family friendly.
Nothing Bundt Cakes
1111 GREENGATE DR. #D COVINGTON • 888-6555
NOTHINGBUNDTCAKES.COM
Pat’s Seafood NEW LOCATION!
1905 W. THOMAS ST., STE. V
AND 70456 LA #21, STE
SISENORTAQUERIA.COM
1248 N. COLLINS BLVD. 400 COVINGTON 892-7287
Step into a Nothing Bundt Cakes bakery and let the aroma of
Si Señor
Fresh local seafood and a large
HAMMOND • 393-0090
Whether you are looking for an
Celebrating over 20 years of fresh
Yum Yum Gimme Sum YUMYUMGIMMESUM1@GMAIL.COM 276-9117
YUMYUMGIMMESUM.COM A mobile food truck that travels to
enhanced dining experience or a happy
meet the need of festivals, celebrations,
hour, Si Señor Taqueria is the best
reunions, birthday parties, and corporate,
freshly baked Bundt stir your senses.
offering of deli to-go items, such as
spot for authentic Mexican dining in
church or sporting events. Delicious
Choose from ten luscious Bundt
boiled crawfish, gumbo, crawfish pie,
Southeastern Louisiana. Experience our
foods that no one can resist. Our meals
flavors and forty unique cake designs.
corn and crab bisque, crabmeat au
upbeat atmosphere while enjoying our
can be customized to meet your personal
We also provide easy online ordering
gratin and po-boys. On-site catering
fresh cocktails, like the House Paloma
needs. Give us a call, and we’ll have a
and local delivery!
available.
with fresh agave nectar.
“Yum Yum” good time.
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Inside Northside