2 January 14, 2016
Vol. 7 • No. 18
January 14, 2016 • Volume 7 • Issue 18
715 Kirby St. Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262
REGULARS 6 We Are SWLA! 8
The Dang Yankee
8
Adoption Corner
Publisher/Executive Editor Lauren Abate
9
Tips From Tip
lauren@thejambalayanews.com
10 Fishin’ Tales
www.thejambalayanews.com
12 This Functional Family Contributors Lisa Addison George Cline Dan Ellender Mike McHugh Roger Miller Justin Morris Brian Pitre Terri Schlichenmeyer David Yantis Sales
13 Stir Dat Pot
FEATURES 5 The Art of Greta Painter
5 8 13
14 National Catholic Schools Week 15 Time for Tubes
sales@thejambalayanews.com
16 It’s Flu Season
Graphics Art/Production Director Burn Rourk
17 Group Fitness
Business Office Manager Jeanie Rourk
THE SPICE OF SWLA 18 District Livestock Show & Rodeo
18
20 Event Guide
24
22 Mardi Gras Event Guide 24 Family Fun Night at the Movies 25 Bookworm Sez… Legal Disclaimer The views expressed by The Jambalaya News columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Jambalaya News, its editors or staff. The Jambalaya News is solely owned, published by Jambalaya Media, LLC, 715 Kirby Street, Lake Charles Louisiana 70601. Phone (337) 436-7800. Whilst every effort was made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the standing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. The Jambalaya News cannot be held responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations, even if they are sent to us accompanied by a self-addressed envelope. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Copyright 2014 The Jambalaya News all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.
Vol. 7 • No. 18
26 Nightlife Guide 30 Justin Morris’s Lake Charles 33 Funbolaya
25
34 Society Spice
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Those of you who read my articles know that I’m a nostalgia buff. The older I get, the more I long for the “good old days.” Things were so different back then. But they’re the good old days because they no longer exist and most of the people who played a big part in my life back then are gone. I’m not wearing rose-colored glasses. There was turmoil and sadness growing up in the ‘60s, with the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, the violence of the Civil Rights Movement, the young men coming home in body bags day after day, week after week, year after year as the Vietnam War escalated. There was rampant drug addiction and
4 January 14, 2016
Joy to My World
kids ran away from home to be “free.” There were protests and more protests, anti-war and antiestablishment demonstrations. But it was also an exhilarating time. The stiffness and formality of the 1950s gave way to the “Swinging Sixties” and the “Age of Aquarius.” The winds of change were blowing. A free, open-air concert in upstate New York in 1969 made history. My parents longed for the security of the 1950s, which were their “good old days” after the hell of the World War II years. But for them, they were gone for good. I was reminded of my good old days the other night when I had the absolute pleasure of attending the Three Dog Night
concert at the Golden Nugget. Three Dog Night was MY band when I was in high school. I adored them, my friends adored them and their songs were a backdrop for everything, good or bad, that happened to me during those years. Danny Hutton is the only real Dog left, as Cory Wells passed away recently and Chuck Negron has not been a part of their revival. But Hutton’s voice was strong and true, and they opened with “Family of Man,” which has always been one of my favorites. From there, it was one hit after another. I never realized how prolific they were. Each song brought up a different emotion, a different memory. I was transported back to the halls of Pope John XXXIII High School in Everett, Massachusetts. I wore my hair (tinted with SunIn or Lemon Up) in a long shag, ran around in platform shoes, wore glitter nail polish (which has made a big comeback, I see) and hiked my blue plaid uniform skirt up as high as I could and tried to avoid the elderly nuns with the rulers who would pull you out of line and measure your exposed leg from the knee up to the hem of your skirt. I forget what the acceptable length was, and what the punishment was if your skirt was too short.
“Mama Told Me Not to Come” brought me back to the DeMatteo’s basement on a Saturday night in East Boston where we would drink Ripple and Strawberry Hill and smoke pot and dance and sing and party like it was 1972. I remember my bellbottom jeans with peace signs on them; the love beads and incense and my favorite patchouli oil which I still wear to this day. What a time, what a feeling. To be young and crazy with your whole life ahead of you, but tortured by teenage hormones and anxiety at the same time so that every day is filled with drama. “Relax,” I would tell my younger self if I could. “It’s not so bad.” But of course it was bad, it was miserable and awful and wonderful and scary, all at the same time. For just a little while, it all came back and I was 16 again, without all the angst, grooving to the joyful songs of a time that will never come again, but will forever live in my soul.
Lauren Abate
Vol. 7 • No. 18
Greta Painter The Artist Behind Thirteen By Brian Pitre
Art is not always created with a purpose or inspired by a goal. Often, the most influential and revered art was a mistake that the artist nurtured into a passionate masterpiece. We as fans and patrons tend to “oooh” and “aww” over the completed work with admiration for its existence, but with little consideration to the individual and their artistic nature. Artists often put everything about themselves into their work and their thoughts and desires become colors and shapes for everyone to fall in love with. For local artist Greta Painter, her work is who she is. Greta took some time away from her brushes and colors to answer a few questions about herself and her art so we can see just what she means when she says “I am my art.”
JAM: Where is home for you? GP: Well I was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but home is where I want it to be. JAM: What brought you to Lake Charles? GP: My mother was in the art association. My stepfather trained three world champion race horses. We moved with the horses to Vinton when I was still in high school from Albuquerque. JAM: What was your introduction to art? GP: My mother was an artist. She was a potter. So art was always around. I could paint, make jewelry. Really, just everyone in her circle was some sort of artist. JAM: So what made you decide to become an artist? GP: I grew up with my hands in clay, going to art shows and hanging out with my mom and her artist friends. I saw her doing what she loved to do, and being able to eat at the same time. I told myself if she can do. it so can I. JAM: When did you complete your first watercolor? GP: I was 21, and I was so proud. JAM: Where did you learn your skill? GP: Nancy Melton taught me to paint. Like, really paint! I took lessons with her because McNeese didn’t offer watercolors, and I was in love with the medium. JAM: Why watercolors? GP: The unpredictability and unforgiving aspect. It’s sudden
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death on paper. Do or die. A painter can’t cover up watercolor like acrylic or oil. You have to have skill, creativity, and ability to be free. There is a certain level of controlled chaos that reminds me of me. It’s just what I love. JAM: How did you stumble upon the medium? What did you see that inspired you? GP: Hmmmm, Gail Maio. She painted women. Growing up in Albuquerque you see all sorts of art, but her work stood out to me from the time I was a kid. Even today, I look on it as an adult and have new love for it. JAM: Your Dead Chicks (Las Muertas) have become somewhat of a signature for you as an artist. How did the subject catch on? GP: Well the Hispanic culture is prevalent where I’m from. We often celebrated “Dia de los Muertes” (Day of the Dead) with painted faces and dolls. I started painting them when my stepfather died five years ago. I loved him very much and had a hard time with his death. The dead chicks made me feel better. They were beautiful and made everything OK. They got me through the darkest time in my life. Instead of art, I saw them as women with personalities and character. Now each one of them speaks to me even with their lips sewn shut. I painted one, and then it just never stopped from there. JAM: What is your favorite color? GP: Ha! Black! Well, black and hot pink! JAM: Your works are all so different, yet your style is so recognizable. How did you develop your style to fit on any subject? GP: I just paint how I feel. My style is me on paper. Its years of painting mashed into completed projects. I couldn’t change it now if I wanted to. JAM: What most inspires you now? GP: My daughter Clara. It’s all about her. The funny, the serious, the epic, the simple, I do it all so that I can spend more time with her. JAM: If you could offer an aspiring artist any bit of advice what would it be? GP: Trust yourself. Everyone else will tell you that you cannot succeed without a side job. Don’t listen to them. Listen to your art, sell your art, and let that speak for itself.
January 14, 2016 5
Scholarship Established at Washington Marion
Magnolia LNG Supports Children’s Theatre Company Magnolia LNG recently presented a $1,250 donation to the Children’s Theatre Company, a nonprofit organization dedicated to theatre education for area children. The donation will be dedicated to the organization’s upcoming production of The Addams Family, which will take the stage at Central School February 26-28. For more information, go to www.childrenstheatre.cc.
Cedrick and Tammie LaFleur announced the creation of a new scholarship at Washington Marion High School in the name of Cedrick LaFleur’s grandparents. The Frank and Effie Washington Education Scholarship will be awarded annually to one student. The LaFleurs both graduated from Washington Marion in 1985 and 1987 respectively. Cedrick is one of the founding members of WMHS Alumni Association Inc., and serves as its president. For information about the alumni association, email wmhsalumniinc@gmail.com.
Memorial Scholarship Established at McNeese Dr. Rosemary Gray and her son, William S. Bundy II, have donated $10,000 to establish the Janie Vincent Turner Gray Memorial Scholarship through the McNeese State University Foundation. The scholarship will be open to freshmen and sophomores majoring in education who are active members of the McNeese Student Government Association and who are committed to promoting inclusion, diversity and equal opportunity. The scholarship honors Gray’s mother and Bundy’s grandmother. For information on contributing to the scholarship, contact the McNeese Foundation at (337) 475-5588.
L to R: CTC artistic director Kerry Onxley, CTC actors Malloree Newell and Jack Griswold and Magnolia LNG office manager Tammy Truax.
McDonald’s of SWLA Recognizes Team Members McDonald’s of SWLA recently recognized four team members who have displayed exemplary leadership skills and have made positive impacts on Calcasieu Parish McDonald’s restaurants. Doug Gehrig, owner and operator of McDonald’s of SWLA, and Gerard Mack, director of operations, presented the awards. Maire O’Brien, the General Manager of the Nelson Road restaurant, was awarded Contributor of the Year. Tracey Fontenot was presented with the Department Manager of the Year award for her work at the Nelson Road restaurant. The Hourly Manager of the Year award was presented to Yolanda Snell of the DeQuincy McDonald’s and Janella Wilson was awarded Crew Person of the Year for her leadership as Crew Trainer at the Prien Lake Road restaurant.
Benoit Named WCCH Safety Award Recipient
Russell Benoit 6 January 14, 2016
West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital recently named Russell Benoit, director of WCCH’s housekeeping and laundry departments, as the recipient of its safety award. The award, which honors employees for their promotion of safety and safety awareness in and around the hospital, is distributed to those employees who demonstrate extraordinary awareness and action in minimizing potential safety risks.
L to R: Richard H. Reid, VP for university advancement and Exec. VP for the McNeese Foundation; Bundy, Gray and McNeese President Dr. Philip Williams. McNeese Photo
Memorial Specialty Hospital Opens Inside CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital Lake Charles Memorial Health System’s long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) is now located on the third floor of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital. The Memorial Specialty Hospital was previously located at a facility on Ernest Street, but Memorial leadership decided Larry Graham, President/CEO of LC Memorial Health System to move the facility in order (left) and Donald Lloyd II, CHRISTUS Health SWLA President and CEO officially open the Memorial Specialty Hospital on to provide a higher level the 3rd Floor of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital. of care, expanded clinical Vol. 7 • No. 18
services and an enhanced patient experience. Memorial Specialty Hospital is a freestanding 29-bed LTACH that is part of the Memorial Health System.
Golden Nugget Supports McNeese Golf Golden Nugget Lake Charles was the title sponsor of the McNeese State University Men’s Golf Dinner Auction held on December 14 at the Lake Charles Country Club. PGA Champion John Daly was the special guest speaker and participated in an entertaining Q&A session during the event.
and the entry that garnered the most votes was the Wizard of Oz creation by Jamie Roberts’ class at Iowa Middle School. The gingerbread display included Dorothy with the Yellow Brick Road, the field of poppies, the Emerald City and all the timeless characters of the story. For more information, contact the LC/SWLA CVB at (337) 436-9588 or check out www.visitlakecharles.org.
Iowa Middle School teacher Jamie Roberts and student, Mya Minter, are pictured next to the gingerbread representation of the Wizard of Oz, which garnered the votes for the People’s Choice award.
LC Financial Representative Receives Certification Mike Buckley, Executive Director of Operations, and Liz Fertitta, Director of Player Development for Golden Nugget with the $20,000 check presentation to Austin Burk, Head Coach of Men’s Golf at McNeese State University.
L’Auberge Donates to CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a division of Family & Youth Counseling Agency, Inc. received a check for $19,500 from L’Auberge Casino Resort. The funds were raised during the Dinner at MI CASA event hosted at the home of Sam and Denise Hebert on Oct. 4, 2015. The chefs of L’Auberge presented a sophisticated culinary experience to support CASA and the abused and neglected children they serve. CASA recruits and trains volunteers who are appointed by Family and Juvenile Court Judges to advocate for the best interests of children who have be removed from their homes because of abuse and neglect.
David Girola, CFP®, financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual in Lake Charles has been authorized by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (CFP® Board) to use the CFP® and CFP (with flame logo)® certification marks in accordance with CFP Board certification requirements. These marks identify those individuals who have met the rigorous experience and ethical requirements, have successfully completed finanDavid Girola cial planning coursework and have passed the CFP® Certification Examination. CFP® certificants must also agree to meet ongoing continuing education requirements and to uphold CFP® Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Financial Planning Practice Standards.
Westlake Chemical Donates to McNeese Westlake Chemical has donated $10,000 to the McNeese State University College of Engineering and Computer Science through the McNeese Foundation for the college’s engineering endowment.
L to R: Chef Gerry Gulla, L’Auberge; Julio Galan, President & CEO of Family & Youth; Keith W. Henson, VP/GM L’Auberge; Chef Kevin Thompson, L’Auberge; and Chef Lyle Broussard, L’Auberge.
Gingerbread House Contest People’s Choice Winner The annual Gingerbread House Contest People’s Choice winner was announced recently at the Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Welcome Center. All month, residents and tourists visiting the Welcome Center voted on the People’s Choice Awards, Vol. 7 • No. 18
L to R: Richard H. Reid, VP for university advancement and Exec. VP of the foundation; Joe Andrepont, senior community affairs rep at Westlake Chemical; Wayne Ahrens, plant manager at Westlake Chemical and Dr. Nikos Kiritsis, dean of the college. McNEESE PHOTO January 14, 2016 7
A Fair in Foul Weather On a rainy weekend, there’s only one thing worse than attending a Renaissance Festival, and that would be camping out at a Renaissance Festival. I didn’t want to do it, but my wife, Susan, insisted. She’d bought our tickets well in advance, hot off of Gutenberg’s Press, and there was no way she was going to see them go to waste. “Besides,” she told me, “do you think every day was sunny back in Renaissance times? Those people survived rain, even without RVs. If they did it, we sure can.” It was obvious that our minds, and by that I mean Susan’s, were made up. She wanted to prove to everyone that we were not just fair weather Renaissance people. We could live for a weekend just like they did in the old days, except for our trailer and its flat screen TV. That’s been Susan’s attitude ever since we got the trailer.
Now that we’re out of the tent business, nothing short of a Biblical-style torrent would cause her to think of calling off a camping trip. She’s right, in a way. A trailer is much better at keeping you dry than a tent, as long as you stay inside. The minute you leave its cozy confines to, say, visit the campground port-a-potty, you end up as drenched as if you’d brought nothing more than a sleeping bag and an ice chest full of Lone Star. (Believe me, I know!) Most trailers do come with bathrooms, of course, and they are much like the ones you find on airplanes, only smaller. They are designed to accommodate people whose physiques resemble that of a vine snake, as if Olympic gymnasts and supermodels are the only people who ever go camping. The campground port-a-potty is like a Grecian spa compared to the bathroom
in your average camper. Regardless, Susan wasn’t about to spend the weekend cooped up in our tin can. She’d come to experience RenFest, by golly, and 98 percent of it is, coincidentally, outdoors. Always wanting to look the part, she wore her best costume. However, the polka-dotted raincoat and boots she chose to cover it with weren’t exactly what I’d call period dress. I’ve watched a lot of Game of Thrones and not once, even in the rainiest scenes, did I ever see a character walking around in a polkadotted raincoat. Apparently, Susan is in the distinct minority when it comes to Renaissance Folk of the 21st Century persuasion, as we discovered that most choose not to leave their castles on such days. The grounds were nearly empty, as if the weekend theme was “Plague Aftermath” rather than the advertised “Pirate Adven-
ture.” For this reason, I avoided the indoors part of the festival, as it consisted fully of shops. These were dutifully attended by shopkeepers who had no choice but to be there and were obviously starving for customers. I stayed far away from the Torture Shop, imagining how the proprietor might demonstrate his wares on me until I forked over my credit card. We did learn that you could have a fun day at the Renaissance Festival no matter what the weather. So come on out next year, rain or shine. I swear, I would say this even if the organizers hadn’t told me to say that in the newspaper if I wanted to see my wife released from the dungeon. Mike McHugh is a syndicated columnist from Lake Charles. You can follow him on his blog at thedangyankee.com or on Twitter @dang_yankee.
Meet Dixie, our newest addition. She is 3-4 years old, medium sized, and is a love! Playful and high-spirited, she will be an excellent addition to any family. Having some experience with 9 and 10 year olds, she would be delighted to go to a home with children. Her heritage is Boxer with a little something mixed in-she has the perfect Boxer body but not the full Boxer face. Don’t be fooled by the sad look--she is one happy girl, ready to add lots of joy to your life. She is housetrained, knows “sit” and “shake” and is eager to learn more commands. If you would like to begin the new year by giving this girl her new forever, call or email: (337) 478-7294; lapaw@bellsouth.net. Home visit and vet check required prior to all adoptions. 8 January 14, 2016
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I have used the app and as of this date, I have been credited and redeemed $10.12 on a subsequent purchase. We like knowing that we will receive the best advertised price available in our area when purchasing from Walmart.
New Markets Coming to Town
Facebook Pages: Be Aware My readers know that I believe in truthful business practices. There is a Facebook page on the Internet that I have been following called “SWLA Restaurant News and Reviews.” They represent themselves as an outlet for restaurant customers to report both the good and bad experiences that they encounter in local eating establishments. It became apparent that many reviews were outright promotional advertisements put out by restaurant owners and/or staff under the guise of customer reviews. There were legitimate critiques by genuine patrons, but more and more, the page became a promotional endeavor. I consider it unethical to represent yourself as a customer when in truth, the writer has a vested interest in the “review” they are posting. I questioned the page administrators regarding this practice, and was informed that they considered these advertisements as news. They then deleted my posts and removed me from the page. I don’t have any problem with advertising, but I do have a problem with deception. I feel that if your food, service, quality and price is worth noting, your patrons will make your establishment be known. Like so many things in life, you cannot take for granted any information that is unsubstantiated. There are many good Facebook pages out there. But please be wary of items posted on pages that may have the pursuit of your dollar as the objective without the honesty that we all would like to see. Advertising is the backbone of business, without it few would be successful; but making advertising look like an unsolicited testimonial is fraudulent and should be called out as such.
With the growth occurring in Lake Charles, we are being blessed with some new supermarkets. Kroger is building at a new location on Country Club Road in the area where the old Mere’s Grocery was some years ago, between Nelson Road and Weaver Road. That will certainly increase competition and should help consumers get better pricing. Walmart Neighborhood Market is getting ready to open on the corner of Ryan Street and 12th Street and will give that area’s residents an improved shopping opportunity. On Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive, close to Lake Street, (old South Ryan to most of us), the City Market is getting ready to add to the mix with a deli-style atmosphere, supposedly a Chicago-influenced type of food. These new locations should enhance our Lake Area quality of life. Nice when things work out in our favor. Follow up item: thanks to the efforts of many, the I-210 Boat Launch is back open and being well-used.
Supermarket Roundup As we have entered the New Year, with all of our resolutions and good intent, we shall price survey some healthy salad ingredients to help us with our quest. We checked these prices on Friday, January 8. These are the posted price where the product was placed for sale. The stores we checked were: Market Basket-Lake Street, Albertsons-Country Club Road, KrogerMcNeese Street and Walmart-Nelson Road. Iceberg lettuce, per head: Market Basket $1.69, Albertsons $2.29, Kroger $.99, Walmart $.98. Romaine lettuce, per head: Market Basket $1.99, Albertsons $1.99, Kroger $.99, Walmart $.98. Celery, per head: Market Basket $1.99, Albertsons $1.59, Kroger $1.87, Walmart $1.68. Green onions, per bunch: Market Basket $.69, Albertsons $.95, Kroger $.69, Walmart $.58. Parsley, per bunch: Market Basket $.34 (6/$3), Albertsons $1.29, Kroger $.89, Walmart $.98.
New App Can Save You $$$ Walmart (aka The Great Satan) has a rather neat app that can actually save you money even after you have shopped at one of their locations. The free app, for either Apple or Android, allows you to scan the receipt from your purchase and Walmart will compare the prices you were charged to advertised specials for that product in the surrounding area at competing stores. If you are a Walmart shopper (and who isn’t), it will cost you nothing to have them check competitors’ prices for you. If they don’t have the best price, you will be refunded the difference by sending your phone a credit coupon that you redeem at checkout the next time you shop at a Walmart. Vol. 7 • No. 18
January 14, 2016 9
Photos by Chris Romero
Doing The Split Since I no longer have to spend the two weeks between waterfowl seasons re-brushing blinds, restringing decoys or tuning my Go-Gator engine, I fish. Master fisherman Mark Fontenot and my podna Ronnie Shaw joined me to take advantage of the split in the waterfowl season and headed to Jim Bel’s Hunting and Fishing Lodge, just north of Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. We were there to fish the three culverts where I had caught so many fish over the years. If the water is pouring in or out of the marsh, it is a veritable haven for red fish, flounder and even speckled trout. Arriving just after sun-up, we caught the tide rushing in. Hurriedly attaching chartreuse Gulp lures to our lines, we cast past and around the edges of the swirling black clear water. As usual, Mark had a fish hooked and landed before I could even get my pipe lit. His first fish and many after that were what we call rat reds, fish under the 16-inch keeper size. Enthused now, we were soon mimicking Mark’s cast-and-retrieve technique. Well I did. Ronnie was struggling with the first of 10 January 14, 2016
many backlashes. It’s somewhat difficult to backlash an open-faced spin cast reel but Ronnie, engineer that he is, managed to do it several times. Kind soul that I am, I offered my ex-
tra rod and Abu-Matic spin cast reel. Ronnie made it clear he didn’t need any help, thank you very much. The fun was there as even I, with the reaction time of the Living Dead,
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managed to hook and land a few catch and release rat reds. Unbacklashed Ronnie soon joined the angling and catching. Just as Mark reminded me that I had forgotten the fish landing net, he hooked his first of many keepers. The race was on with me doing the old fart scramble and returned barely in time to net our first keeper. Then, for no discernible reason, Mark gave up his hot spot and moved just beyond the culvert and fished the edges of the tidal swirl. As is normally the case for him, there was reason to his seeming madness. If setting the hook and falling on your ass is an angling method, Mark had it. He landed his first of six flounder flat on his ass. This one fell short in size but not fight. Mark stood and began to work the bank and the edges of the swirl and with a yelp and no fall he hooked and landed his first flounder keeper. Between his catch and release of rat reds and small flounder Mark managed to land four keeper flounders. I even managed to land a red keeper who had considerately hooked himself and even fought toward the bank for an easy retrieve and then release into the ice chest. Meanwhile Ronnie had crossed the road and was fishing the broad open pond expanse where the water flowed out through the north side of the culvert. He hooked and landed the keeper red fish pictured. As the south side fishing had slowed, we quickly joined Ronnie casting out into and around the edges of the outward flow. More rat reds and a couple of keepers later the fishing slowed., Vol. 7 • No. 18
We loaded into Mark’s truck and drove the three minutes to the Earl Barger Memorial Wharf and the culvert there. Jim had the two diesel pumps roaring and water gushed out the flume from the 2,600 acre impoundment into the open brackish marsh. The question was where to fish, on the south side or where the flume gushed water. Mark set the pace with several nice red fish and a couple of drum fish on the flume side. We soon joined him and added a number of rat reds and a couple of keeper reds. Then Mark yelped, his pole bent sharply and the fight was on. drum or red Fish, whatever it was, it was really big. I finally netted the fish and groaned as I lifted the net-filling fish onto the bank. By noon, we had added some throw-back rat reds and a couple of keepers to our catch. Naturally I had forgotten my camo folding chair so I had to head for the wharf to rest. Somewhere, someone was laboring re-brushing blinds, restringing decoys or tuning an engine. I was perched on a piling contentedly watching Mark and Ronnie work the edges of the gushing water. At 67, I can only spend a half day fishing or hunting but oh what half days they are. For those few hours I am 16 again. It’s no longer about me and what I catch or shoot. It’s friends, fish and fowl and all that entails. From Ronnie’s patiently unraveling a backlash to Mark’s exuberant hooking and landing of a fish, all are part of the epiphany fishing has always been. That, and I enjoy the fillets.
Shane, Roger, Jeanette & Glenn
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Hope is a Good Thing I was reading an article the other day by Elizabeth Gilbert, one of my favorite authors, and I really liked something she said: how one of the most important things to do in life is to simply show up. The author of eight books, including the bestseller Eat, Pray, Love that was made into a movie, doesn’t think she’s all that great at anything. But she still shows up. “I’m not the smartest, most talented, prettiest, strongest; not the best traveler, best novelist; not the best at foreign languages and not the best yogi. Not the best at anything. But my heavens, I do show up,” Gilbert said. “It
12 January 14, 2016
comes down to this: Refuse to be unseen. Believe me, it will take you far.” I wholeheartedly agree! And it’s something I tell my kids often. I’m also fond of telling them to hold on to their faith in God and to never give up. Ever. It’s gotten to the point now that when I start to say it, they say, “We know, Mom. We know!” But I want them to know it deep in their souls. I want them to understand that resilience is huge and that not giving up is everything. Even though I’m a very positive person, I still let them see that life can also
throw us curve balls at times and it’s perfectly all right to be sad, upset, disappointed, to cry, etc. When they see me wipe away tears and say, “Well, tomorrow is another day,” it shows them that they can bounce back too, and that temporary setbacks happen to all of us, but we can still have hope for a better day or a better life or a better future. You can find plenty of inspiration all around you of people who never gave up even though things were looking dismal in their lives. And there are lots of celebrities who reached success after many failures. Michael Jordan is one of the greatest professional basketball players of all time but he attributes his success to all of his failures! He never gave up, even when he knew he had missed many shots. He played in big games when he was sick, and every time he got knocked down he got right back up again. Another success story is Tyler Perry. Born in New Orleans, he was raised with an abusive stepfather, attempted suicide at 16, dropped out of high school, was homeless for a time, but refused to give up. He wrote a book, turned it into a screenplay, kept doing odd jobs and continued writing screenplays while living out of his vehicle. He eventually became an incredibly successful actor, screenwriter, and author. If you think about it, hope is everything! One of my favorite Emily Dickinson quotes centers on hope: “Hope is the thing
with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words – and never stops at all.” If the movie Shawshank Redemption is a favorite of yours as it is mine, then surely you’ll remember this great quote from the character Andy Dufresne about hope in his letter to his friend: “Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” The reality is that none of us will get through life without having disappointments, heartbreaks, losses, and grief. But nobody can take away our memories, the happy moments that we shared with others and the hope that lives in our hearts. So, keep on going. What choice do you have, anyway? It’s a brand new year and by not giving up and steadily plodding along, you might even inspire others. Who knows what someone else might achieve because you were the one who inspired them to not give up and to keep chasing their dreams? Many times, people throw in the towel right at the point when they are about to realize success. It’s like the saying goes: “Don’t get discouraged. It’s often the last key that opens the lock.” Never give up! Lisa Addison wrote her first short story when she was 7 years old and hasn’t stopped writing since. She has two young children, enjoys trying new recipes, and loves going on adventures with her kids. She blogs at: http://swlamama.wordpress.com. Vol. 7 • No. 18
Asian-style Chicken with Cabbage Hello everyone! This is the time of year when we all say we are going to watch what we eat, work out and save money—what we say at the start of every New Year. While I can’t make you work out, I can help you eat a little better and save some coin. I like this dish because it will feed a lot of people for well under $20.
What You’ll Need 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 head of cabbage (shredded) 1 red bell pepper (diced) 1 onion (julienned) 2 cloves garlic (minced) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon corn starch 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 cup water reduced sodium soy sauce some red pepper flakes if you like a little spice
What You’ll Do Cut the chicken thighs into strips. In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the chicken and sauté’ for about three minutes. Add the garlic, onion and bell pepper, and cook an additional three-four minutes. Next, add the cornstarch and toss it around a bit, then add the ginger, soy sauce and red pepper flakes (if you want them). Let all of these ingredients get acquainted and then add the water and cabbage and toss and cover. Cook for three minutes under reduced heat and serve with rice or noodles. As with any dish, feel free to add what you’d like to make this your own: mushrooms, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, etc. You can also use ground beef, pork or turkey instead of chicken. Enjoy, save a little money, but don’t forget to… Stir Dat Pot!!!! Vol. 7 • No. 18
January 14, 2016 13
Bishop Glen John Provost will be the celebrant of the annual Catholic Schools Week Mass in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 3. Eighth grade students from Catholic schools in the diocese will join St. Louis Catholic High School students for the liturgy. National Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. The theme is “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.” Schools typically observe the week with events that focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation. Daily themes for the week are: Sunday - In Our Parish; Monday - In Our Community; Tuesday - In Our Students; Wednesday - In Our Nation (National Appreciation Day For Catholic Schools); Thursday - In Our Vocations; Friday - In Our Faculty, Staff and Volunteers (Teacher Appreciation Day); and Saturday - In Our Families This year, the seven schools in the Diocese of Lake Charles have set a number of events: Holy Family Catholic School in Moss Bluff will start the week with the 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Theodore Catholic Church. Students will attend in their school uniforms. On Feb. 1, a week-long book fair (7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.) begins in the library and open houses are scheduled from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
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A student pep rally will take place on Feb. 2 and on Feb. 3, eighth graders attend Mass at the Cathedral. On Feb. 4, parents will be presented with a treat as they drop off their students in the morning and a Grandparents Day mass will be celebrated with a reception following in the library. Students will pray a living rosary in the afternoon.
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Scheduled events at St. Louis will include a middle school dance in the Krajicek Gym on Feb. 4, from 7-9 p.m. with middle school students from other schools invited. A hospitality room will be open for parents in the Landry gym at the same time offering King Cake and coffee. At Our Lady’s School in Sulphur, the 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday is dedicated to the school while Feb. 1 is Staff Appreciation day and Feb. 2 is Parent Appreciation Day with an open house starting at 6 p.m. A weeklong scavenger hunt and dress-up days will also highlight student activity. An open house for prospective families opens the week at St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic School on Feb. 1, starting at 6 p.m. Tours of the school for interested families will be from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 2. At a school-wide Mass on Feb. 4 beginning at 8:40 a.m., the introduction of the 2015-2016 school’s Distinguished Graduate will be made. The week culminates with Pre-K through eighth grade enjoying an afternoon playing bingo. Immaculate Conception Cathedral Catholic School has student appreciation day. It will also be a T-shirt day with a skate night set for the evening. A new family open house is Feb. 2 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and it is also Cafeteria Staff Appreciation Day. Feb. 3 is Parent Appreciation Night and a parent/teacher organization meeting. The teachers and staff will be honored on Feb. 4. A new family open house is set at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic School beginning at 5 p.m. in the school gym on Feb. 1. The annual eighth grade vs. faculty volleyball game will take place at 1:15 p.m. on Feb. 3, while the annual school and alumni mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. in the church on Feb. 4. A school-wide mass will be held at 8 a.m. on Feb. 2 at Our Lady Immaculate Catholic School in Jennings with an open house from 5:30-7 p.m.
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Time for Tubes?
Having a child prone to ear infections is definitely no picnic. Depending on the age of the child, and the severity of the infection, it can often be impossible to determine that an ear infection is the culprit without a trip to the doctor’s office. Some of the symptoms of ear infections in young children include pulling on the ears, discharge coming from the ear, fever, trouble sleeping and crankier-than-usual behavior. Sometimes the symptoms may be so mild that parents don’t even notice them, as anyone who’s ever brought a seemingly-well baby in for a check up only to discover he has a double ear infection can tell you. “Typically the result of a common cold, upper respiratory infection or allergies, ear infections occur when one of these conditions causes the eustachian tubes - which connect the ears to the throat - to become blocked,” said Dr. Samuel Sprehe, an ear, nose and throat physician (ENT) with Memorial Medical Group. “This causes germs and fluids from the nose and throat to end up in the middle ear with no way of draining back out again, which makes for a perfect place for bad bacteria to breed and thrive.” Once diagnosed, ear infections are usually successfully treated with antibiotics, but for some children who are prone to recurring infections, or ones that don’t easily heal, ear tubes may be the answer. When a child’s pediatrician determines that there is a significant recurrence of ear infections, he will refer the child to an ENT like Dr. Sprehe, who will then examine the child and decide if ear tubes will be beneficial. “When ear tube placement is determined to be the best course of action, it’s actually a simple procedure that requires very little recovery time and is virtually painless,” Dr. Sprehe said. “The child is put under anesthesia. We make small surgical cuts in the ear drums and insert small plastic tubes into those openings. This allows for air to reach the middle ear, and for any fluid that may form in the middle ear to drain out through the tube, which dramatically reduces the chance of the child developing future ear infections.” The tubes require very little upkeep, but following your ENT’s advice and attending scheduled follow-up appointments are important. Most children with ear tubes are able to do everything they normally would, even swimming. The tubes remain in the ears for anywhere from six months to one year before they typically fall out on their own. So if you find that your child is fighting a constant battle against ear infections with all those doctor visits, rounds of antibiotics, sleepless nights, scary fevers and maybe even missed daycare or school (or work, for parents) that go along with them, talk to your pediatrician to find out if tubes are a good option. To find out more about Memorial’s ENT physicians and the services they offer, please visit lcmh.com/ENT. January 14, 2016 15
It’s Flu Season
The influenza virus causes serious illness. It mostly affects the breathing system, but may also affect the whole body. People can get the flu more than once per season and many times in their lives. Influenza viruses are unpredictable; they are always changing over time and from year to year. As many as four flu viruses are expected to make children sick again this flu season. Signs of the flu All flu viruses cause a respiratory illness that can last a week or more. Flu symptoms include: •A sudden fever (usually above 101°F) •Chills and body shakes •Headache, body aches, and being a lot more tired than usual •Sore throat •Dry, hacking cough •Stuffy, runny nose Some children may vomit and have diarrhea. Talk with your child’s doctor if she has ear pain, or a cough, or fever that will not go away. There can be serious complications, even death, from the flu, but these are uncommon. Prevention Get the flu vaccine every year as soon as it is on hand in your community. Everyone should get the flu vaccine each year since protection from the flu vaccine lasts for only about six to 12
months and the virus strains in the vaccine often change. Vaccinations are especially important for: •All children, including infants born preterm, who are six months and older with conditions that increase the risk of complications from the flu •All household contacts and out-of-home care professionals of children with high-risk conditions and children younger than 5 years (especially infants younger than 6 months) •All healthcare personnel •All childcare professionals and staff •All women who are pregnant, are considering pregnancy, are in the postpartum period, or are breastfeeding during the flu season There are 2 types of flu vaccine: •Inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) is given as a shot, and there are 2 kinds of shots. The intramuscular (into the muscle) shot is licensed and recommended for children six months and older and adults, including people with and without chronic medical conditions. The intradermal (into the skin) shot is licensed for use only in people 18 through 64 years of age. •Live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is sprayed into the nose. LAIV is licensed for use in healthy people two years and older. Both types of flu vaccine are very safe and work well to protect your child from the flu. Neither vaccine is preferred over the other. Check with your doctor about which is best for your child and family. Does the flu vaccine have any side effects? The flu vaccine has very few side effects. The area where the IIV flu shot is given may be sore for 1 or 2 days. Fever may occur within 24 hours in about 10 to 35 percent of children younger than 2 years but rarely occurs in older children and adults. Because LAIV is sprayed into the nose, your child might get a stuffy, runny nose within the first few days. LAIV may also produce mild symptoms, including headache, wheezing, vomiting, muscle aches, and fever. You or your children will not get the flu from the vaccine. It takes two weeks for the vaccine to start working, so people can catch the flu before they are protected. Source: CDC
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WCCH: Group Fitness Offers Strength in Numbers Staying fit and healthy is one of the top New Year’s resolutions, according to a recent Nielson survey. One of the best ways to accomplish that is through group fitness, according to Suzy Trahan, ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist, ACE certified personal trainer and manager of Dynamic Dimensions fitness centers of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital. “Group fitness classes counter the most common reasons people drop out of an exercise program, which are not knowing what to do, boredom, dissatisfaction with results and no sense of belonging among peers at a gym. Those things are not an issue when it comes to exercising with others in a group setting and being led by a qualified exercise specialist,” she explained. “The classes we offer today incorporate a variety of training techniques and fitness components so that regardless of your fitness level, you get everything you need in one efficiently packaged workout,” says Trahan. “That’s the key benefit of group fitness: you don’t have to figure out a workout routine on your own to get in the cardio, strength and flexibility training aspects you know you need because the class was designed to do that. The classes we offer are designed and tested by the top professionals in the fitness industry to ensure that they provide a well-rounded, safe, and effective workout. ” She says the high energy music that provides the foundation for group fitness classes also gives a boost to your workout. This is supported by a multitude of studies, but the bottom line is that music increases the ability to exercise at higher levels. “Combine that with the camaraderie, encouragement, motivation, and instructorprovided direction of a group fitness class and you’ve got the perfect environment for fitness success,” says Trahan. Additional benefits of group fitness supported by national research include:
Cross Training Options By mixing and matching the classes that you take, you cross train automatically. For participants who commit to a regular and varied class schedule, results will be seen quickly in cardio endurance, muscle toning, flexibility, balance and core strength. Trahan says these are just a few of the many documented benefits of group fitness. “If you’re curious, frustrated or just looking for a fitness option that fits your lifestyle, do a little research and find a group class that sounds interesting and give it a try. I think you’ll like what you find.”
Power in Numbers One of the most overlooked benefits of group fitness is the socialization factor. The connections you make in class can be just the thing you need to get you into the gym on those days when you just don’t have the motivation yourself. Working out regularly with friends you already have – or those you make in class – creates an expectation and a built-in accountability system to get you to class when you otherwise might skip a solo workout.
Motivation Having someone telling you to work harder and encouraging you to take your fitness to the next level will get you there faster. Studies have proven that working out with a group results in a bigger calorie burn. Group dynamics also help you put forth a better effort.
Time Saver No more trying to schedule a set day or amount of time for using machines, running or lifting free weights. It’s all conveniently worked into one efficient class. The same goes for watching the clock. There’s a set time to start and stop and you know exactly when it is. The pace of group fitness classes makes the time fun and the energy level makes you forget how hard you’re working.
Learn Something New A good class and a great instructor will show you how to work your body and muscles properly. Trying something different challenges both your mind and body, two things that have been proven to fight the effects of aging. Vol. 7 • No. 18
January 14, 2016 17
The SW District Livestock Show
The Greatest Show on Dirt! It’s a family tradition, 77 years in the making. Each year, around late January and early February, old and young gather at the Burton Coliseum for an event they’ve all been waiting for. While the attendees sit in anticipation, the lights suddenly dim to blackness. The festive crowd is hushed as a spotlight illuminates a lone figure in the center of the dirt-floored arena. The cowgirl on horseback appears to shimmer as the light scatters across her bejeweled outfit; a brilliantly colored American flag draped at her side. The national anthem echoes from the domed ceiling. All around the darkened arena, hats are dutifully removed from heads and placed over hearts. At the final extended note, a flash of fireballs sends a wave of heat over the crowd as a cannon boom of fireworks rattles the seats, jolting the crowd into a roaring applause. And with that, there can be no doubt - the rodeo is back in town. This is the opening performance of the Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo - the “Greatest Show on Dirt!” In our modern world, lasting traditions seem harder and harder to find. True traditions require a steadfast commitment to history – a devotion to the way things were. Not simply because it’s the way it’s always been, but because it’s the best way. In short, traditions require time. And time is a seemingly vanishing luxury in an instant text and selfie culture where everything seems to change so quickly and so often. As rare as it is to find true tradition, it’s even rarer to be able to participate in it. After nearly a century in existence, those often sought roots of tradition and heritage run deep at the Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo. True to its heritage, it remains a family event at heart. Multiple generations within families have participated in the livestock shows – the elders passing down hard-earned secrets and techniques of showmanship to their kids and grandkids. At the rodeo, parents laugh along with their children at the antics of the clown, just as they laughed along with their own parents decades before. From the bucking horses, to the barrel races, to the white-knuckle bull rides, to the sight of flying dirt and the sound of thundering hooves; the Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo is an event like no other. It’s a liv-
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ing salute to those uniquely American ethics of independence and ruggedness, distilled into a potent spectacle of patriotism, pageantry, and pure competition. It’s tradition done right. A tradition likely to last another 77 years. This year’s Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo is presented by JD Bank and Ram. Professional rodeo competitors, including pro world champions and national finals contestants from across the nation, will vie for approximately $250,000 in prizes. The “Crazy Cajun” Rudy Burns returns as barrel man and comic relief. Known for his mischievous antics and quick wit, Rudy is a beloved favorite of Lake Charles rodeo fans. A former partner of the legendary Lecile Harris, Burns began his career as a professional rodeo clown in 1976, has been awarded the title of “Barrel Man of The Year” twice, and has been a runner-up for the honor four times. This title is the highest honor bestowed upon the profession by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). Alongside the “greatest show on dirt” is the annual livestock show set for February 2-6, which hosts more than 2,500 4-H and FFA exhibitors and awards more than $50,000 in scholarships. The livestock shows are open to the public and free to spectators. The Western Heritage Trail Riders will emerge in Lake Charles after a week-long ride on February 4. Other events include the Western Heritage Rodeo Parade, which is set for Thursday, February 4 at 5 p.m., and the McDonald’s SWD Stick Horse Rodeo set for Saturday, February 6 at 11a.m. There is no registration fee for parade entrants. Trailride, parade and Stick Horse Rodeo entry forms and info are available at LakeCharlesRodeo.com. Rodeo performances will be 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 4th and Friday, February 5th, and 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 6th. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster online and will be available at the Burton Coliseum Box Office January 25-February 6. Discount coupons for $1 off the price of a child’s ticket and $4 off the price of an adult’s ticket are available at all Jeff Davis Bank locations after January 20, For more information and complete schedule, please visit www.lakecharlesrodeo.com. Vol. 7 • No. 18
New Exhibitions Reception Jan. 15
Gun & Knife Show Jan. 16-17
Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center will host an opening reception for two new exhibitions on Fri., Jan. 15 from 5:30-8 p.m. All ages are welcome, admission is free, and refreshments will be served. Carol Brown Goldberg: Recent Works is currently on national tour and will hang at Historic City Hall through April 9. Marilyn Melancon Cox’s Mysteries, Signs and Wonders: Paintings, Pastels, Mixed Media is in the second floor gallery and will hang through Feb. 27. (337) 491-9147.
Hosted by Gator Gun and Knife of Louisiana, the Lake Charles Gun & Knife Show will be held at the Lake Charles Civic Center January 16-17. Adults $8; Children under 12 free. All Federal, State and local firearm ordinances and laws must be obeyed. (337) 527-9885
ACTS Theatre Presents Wait Until Dark Jan. 15-17, 22-24 ACTS is proud to present Wait Until Dark Jan. 15-16 and 22-23 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 17 and 24 at 3:00 pm at the One Reid Street Theatre in the newly created Nellie Lutcher Cultural District. It is a tale of three criminals matching wits with a clever and resourceful blind woman. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students with a valid ID. They may be purchased online at www.actstheatre.com, at the Lake Charles Civic Center ticket office, Gordon’s Pharmacy, Moss Bluff Flower and Gifts, and at the box office on the day of show. (337) 433ACTS (2287), www.actstheatre.com.
Champagne Bingo Symphony Fndraiser Jan. 23 The 4th annual Champagne Bingo fundraiser, “The Symphony Plays Bingo: Beethoven, Buffet and Bubbly,” has become one of the Lake Charles Symphony’s most popular fundraisers! This fun event will be held Sat., Jan. 23, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Lake Charles Country Club. Doors open at 10:30 am. For tickets and general information call (337) 433-1611 or visit www.lcsymphony.org. Be sure to like us on Facebook!
Dictrict Livestock Show & Rodeo Feb. 4-6 The District Livestock Show & Rodeo returns to the Burton Complex in Lake Charles for “The Greatest Show on Dirt.” There will be a variety of rodeo performances, livestock shows, a Queen’s Pageant and more. This year’s parade is during the 2016 Mardi Gras Season! The Western Heritage Parade begins at LaGrange and Ryan Streets and travels South on Ryan Street to McNeese Stadium. (337) 9449710.
Color Vibe 5K Feb. 20 The Color Vibe 5K is returning to Lake Charles on Sat. Feb. 20 at the Arcade Amphitheatre at the Lake Charles Civic Center (1000 Bord du Lac Dr.) and will begin at 8 a.m. The Color Vibe is a unique 5K fun run series. Throughout the course, participants run, walk, or dance their way through color stations, where vibrant colors tie-dye white outfits and costumes. When it’s over, everyone is invited to a large colorful dance party hosted by a professional sound crew and DJ. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Lake Charles. Children 12 and under can participate for free. www.thecolorvibe.com/ lakecharles.php, support@thecolorvibe.com.
The Addams Family Feb. 27-28 The Addams Family launches The Children’s Theatre Company’s 2016 season. Directed 20 January 14, 2016
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by Kerry A. Onxley, this family musical will be performed on Sat., Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Feb 29 at 3 p.m. Seating is limited to 400 guests. The weird and wonderful family comes to devilishly delightful life onstage! Performances will be held at the Central School of the Arts & Humanities Center (809 Kirby Street) located in downtown Lake Charles. (337) 433-7323, mail@childrenstheatre.cc
Brewers Dinner March 4 Gearing up for the Louisiana Winter Beer Fest, L’Auberge Casino Resort will once again host a Brewers Dinner on Fri., March 4, which will feature Louisiana beer selections paired with unique menu items prepared by award-winning Chef Lyle Broussard of Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill. The dinner is an opportunity to dine with brewers and beer industry professionals in an intimate setting. Tickets are limited and will be available at www.lawinterbeerfest.com for $100 per seat.
Live @ the Lakefront Sponsorships Available The Arts Council of SWLA, City of Lake Charles, and Deep South Productions are getting ready for the upcoming season of Live @ the Lakefront, the annual free outdoor concert series taking place at the Lake Charles Civic Center’s Arcade Amphitheatre on three consecutive Fridays, March 11, 18, and 25, 2016. The Arts Council invites area businesses to reach the thousands of Lake Area residents who attend this concert series each year through various sponsorship packages. Live @ the Lakefront will be from 6-10 p.m. and will offer an extensive artisan market, local food vendors, and interactive activities for the whole family. All beverage sales benefit the Arts Council’s year-round services and programs. The live music line up and Headliner sponsors will be announced after the New Year. For information on sponsoring this event, call (337) 439-2787.
Louisiana Winter Beer Festival March 5 The 2016 Louisiana Winter Beer Festival will be held on Sat. March 5 from 1-5 p.m. at the Historic Calcasieu Marine National Bank Building (844 Ryan St.) in Downtown Lake Charles. Tickets can be purchased at www.lawinterbeerfest.com. This will be the second year for the Craft Beer festival, benefiting the Lake Charles Symphony. Regular admission tickets are $50 per person. VIP tickets are $100 per person and are limited.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Festival: January 15-18 The Martin Luther King, Jr. Festival will be held Jan. 15-18. The festivities will kick off with the annual memorial breakfast, held at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles on Fri., Jan. 15, at 7:30 a.m. The service honors several outstanding individuals in the community. A highlight to this year’s festival will be the second annual Glitz, Glam & Stars Gala held on Sat. Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Pioneer Club. The gala is a night with the stars and includes entertainment from a national recording artist. On Sun., Jan. 17, bring the family to the Gospel Extravaganza at Throne of Grace Church, 2401 6th St, Lake Charles. The celebration continues on Mon, Jan. 18 with the annual parade rolling through the streets of Lake Charles at 11 a.m. with the lineup beginning at the Lake Charles Civic Center at 8:30 a.m. Don’t miss the Family Day celebration where you can enjoy live local and national entertainers with the best in Zydeco, R&B, Blues and Southern Soul music. The Celebrity Gumbo/Sauce Piquant Cook-Off Contest, as well as the hundreds of local vendors that feature arts, crafts, Creole and Cajun food promise to be a treat for all ages. For more a complete list of the festival events, please call 337-491-9955 or visit www.kzwafm.com. Vol. 7 • No. 18
January Activities! Monday, January 18 Diversity Wreath Create a diversity wreath in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Class begins at 11 a.m. and is limited to 20 children, ages 4 and up. Saturday, January 23 Playdough Build something fun with Playdough from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. in the ArtSpace. Saturday, January 30 Mardi Gras Pasta Necklaces Stop by the ArtSpace from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and make a Mardi Gras necklace using purple, green and gold pasta!
The Children’s Museum is located at 327 Broad Street downtown Lake Charles. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is $7.50 for children and adults. Call 337-433-9420 or visit www.swlakids.org January 14, 2016 21
Krewe de Les Cajuns MG Dance Jan. 30
Gueydan Run Jan. 16 Annual run sponsored by Le Krewe de la Originals et Les Enfants features an early morning chicken run beginning at 9 a.m., lunch, live music, an auction and a dance. Parade begins at 3 p.m. Dance starts at 5 p.m. Downtown Gueydan (337) 789-6134.
Krewe of the Golden Years Jan. 20
Come and cut a rug Cajun style with the Krewe de Les Cajun at their Mardi Gras Dance from 7-11 p.m. at the Cajun French Music Association Building at 3481 E. Prien Lake Road. Come in casual dress or costume and enjoy some gumbo! Cash bar or BYOB (hard liquor ONLY). No ice chests. Music provided by Chris Miller & Bayou Roots. All are invited to enter the costume contest. Admission is $10; children 12 and under get in free. (337) 477-4475.
Mardi Gras in Lake Arthur Jan. 30 Mardi Gras run begins at 9 a.m. Parade starts at 2:30 p.m. followed by chicken throw downtown. (337) 368-6948.
Lake Charles Merchants Parade Feb. 5 Local business leaders and social organizations take to the streets on festive Mardi Gras floats from the Lake Charles Civic Center to Ryan Street, ending at Sale Road. Begins at 7 p.m. (337) 661-3361.
Calcasieu Council on Aging presents the Krewe of the Golden Year’s Annual Mardi Gras Ball from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum. Wear a mask and dress in your favorite Mardi Gras attire. After a continental breakfast, enjoy an entourage of Kings and Queens representing Calcasieu Parish Nursing Homes, Senior Living facilities and the Krewe of Krewes. Live entertainment will be provided by Louisiana Scramble and will be followed by lunch. Free for seniors 60 and over who must be residents of Calcasieu Parish. (337) 474-2583.
Carlyss Mardi Gras Trail Ride Feb. 6
Mardi Gras Community Dance Jan. 21
Gumbo Cook-off Feb. 6
Enjoy a special free dance sponsored by the City of Lake Charles and Community Inclusion at the Lake Charles Civic Center from 6-8:30 p.m. Free admission. (337) 436-9588.
Vinton MG Celebration & Gumbo Cook-off Jan. 21 Vinton will usher in the Mardi Gras season beginning with the Knights of Columbus hosting a gumbo cook-off at 10 a.m. and a parade at 2 p.m. The parade will run through downtown Vinton and end at the Knights of Columbus Hall where the gumbo judging will begin at 3 p.m. (337) 5897453.
City of Sulphur Mardi Gras Festival Jan. 30 The City of Sulphur’s Mardi Gras Parade will be held on Sat., Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. The parade will consist of Mardi Gras Krewes, merchants, individuals, groups and organizations, and the route will be from Cypress Street through the S-Curve to South Huntington Street. In addition to the parade, the City has also added a day-long festival at Heritage Square, which will include live music, food vendors, and entertainment for the kids from 12:30-6:30! There will also be a King Cake Taste Off from 3- 5 p.m. with local bakeries competing to take first place in the various categories! (337) 527-4500 or mayorsoffice@sulphur.org. 22 January 14, 2016
The Carlyss Mardi Gras Trail Ride day of festivities and chicken runs starts and ends at the West Cal Arena in Sulphur. Floats and horses are welcome. The line up begins at 6 a.m., and the parade will start at 8 a.m., with a $5 admission fee for trail riders. (337) 287-5919.
The public tastes from every pot of chicken and sausage, seafood or wild game gumbo in a hot contest of more than 50 teams on Sat., Feb. 6 at the Lake Charles Civic Center Exhibition Hall from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Amateur and professional teams will stir up hundreds of gallons of rich, spicy gumbo. Gumbo contestants begin cooking at 7:30 a.m., and judging is at 11:30 a.m., with gumbo served immediately afterward until 1:30 p.m. In addition to scrumptious food, there will be festive music. Admission is $5, and you can sample from all the different gumbo pots. (337) 475-7393.
Mardi Gras in Jennings Feb. 6 Parade and Festival in Jennings. Music, shopping, food and fun. 10:30 a.m.- 7 p.m. food and crafts in Founder’s Park. 11th annual Squeezebox Shootout Cajun Accordion Championship starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Strand Theater. Parade begins at 4:30 p.m. (337) 821-5532.
Krewe of Barkus Parade Feb. 6 A parade of costumed pets and their owners makes for a whimsical, carnival atmosphere. The title of “Mystical Dog” is given to the most strikingly costumed participant. This daytime parade attracts pet-lovers and families. Entry fee applies. Starts at 3 p.m. at 900 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles. (337) 439-3300. Vol. 7 • No. 18
Krewe of Omega Parade Feb. 6 The Krewe of Omega Mardi Gras parade will be held in downtown Lake Charles at 2 p.m. The krewe was formed to bring Mardi Gras activities to the black community. To this day, it is the only Southwest Louisiana krewe to hold its own parade. The parade is held each year on the Saturday prior to Mardi Gras.
Iowa Chicken Run Feb. 9
The oldest Krewe in the area presents their royal court in style with skits, songs and more. Don’t miss this glittering Mardi Gras show at Sulphur High School, 100 Sycamore Street, Sulphur, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Catch a chicken at the 36th annual Mardi Gras Run on Fat Tuesday Feb. 9 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 503 E Highway 90, in Iowa. Doors open at 8 a.m., the Mardi Gras floats start lining up at 9 a.m. and the parade rolls at 10 a.m. The Captain blows his whistle at participating homes for the crews to dance to Zydeco music. If the families approve, they donate ingredients to the gumbo, and a chicken is thrown into the air. The ingredients are then put into a pot with the chickens, and gumbo is served to the riders from 2-4 p.m. The event concludes with a Zydeco dance. Admission is $10 at the door for adults and $5 for children.
Krewe of Illusions Presentation Feb. 6
Motor Gras Parade Feb. 9
Celebrate Mardi Gras with the 25th annual presentation of the Krewe of Illusions. Tickets are $30 orchestra, formal attire required. $18 balcony reserved seating and $15 standard balcony seating, casual attire. Begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Rosa Hart Theatre. (337) 436-9588.
Downtown-Midtown Lake Charles. Hot rods, classics and motorcycles. Engines start at 11 a.m.!
Krewe of Cosmos Presentation Feb. 6
Children’s Day Feb. 7 Children’s Day, a free event open to children ages 3 to 11, combines Mardi Gras fun with culture, music and learning on Sun., Feb. 7, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center Exhibition Hall. Includes exhibitions of performing arts, technology and science, safety and health, and arts and crafts-all interactive and hands-on. (337) 4369588.
Krewe of Krewes Parade Feb. 9 Hundreds of elaborate krewe floats, costumes, beads and more wind through the city in the culmination of the Fat Tuesday celebration in downtown-midtown Lake Charles. Starts at 5 p.m. Catch some beads and laissez les bon temps rouler! (337) 436-9588.
Children’s Day Parade Feb. 7 A purple, green and gold parade for the young and young at heart. Goes from downtown Ryan St. to Sale Rd. in Lake Charles; begins at 3 p.m.
Taste de la Louisiane Feb. 7 All-you-can-eat traditional Louisiana cuisine for a $7 admission fee. Taste all the deliciousness Mardi Gras has to offer! 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., LC Civic Center (337) 436-9588.
Lighted Boat Parade Feb. 7 Be dazzled by the glowing boat parade on shimmering Lake Charles. Begins at 7 p.m. on the Lakefront Promenade.
Mardi Gras Royal Gala Feb. 8 The Cinderella night of Mardi Gras manifests on Lundi Gras, Mon., Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. with a lavish promenade of more than 60 krewes’ royalty in extravagant, glittering costumes before thousands of residents and visitors at the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum. Begins at 7 p.m., $5 in advance, $6 at the door, children 5 and under are free. (337) 244-1466. Vol. 7 • No. 18
January 14, 2016 23
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Disney / Lucasfilm, 2015) And now everyone’s expectLet’s see, Darth Vader got ing a billion-dollar movie. killed 1983, the year my oldThere’s only one thing they est son was born. Long, long can do: play their weaknesses ago. And now, 32 years later, as strengths. what’s his son, Luke SkySo everywhere you look walker up to? We don’t know. in The Force Awakens you’re No one knows! But everyone wants to find him. Such is the seeing echoes of the original: Little squeaking robots, sand plot of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, or Episode 7, or just worlds, and villains in masks. SW7. It’s all in the text crawl- Floating jet speeders, lots of ing up the screen at the begin- Stormtroopers and lots and lots of battles. ning of the movie. Make no mistake, ProducIt turns out an old man has ers Abrams and Kennedy a map and plants it in a little hit all the right notes. droid. Wait, what year is this The bad guys are again? I guess Disney, wanting to save money, decided to borrow from the plot of the original Star Wars movie. Remember R2D2? Well this newer model is named BB-8 and it rolls along like a bowling ball or marble with its head floating on top. So, I’m just kidding about borrowing from the original movie, right? Actually no, I’m not. It turns out that the producers of The Force Awakens are so smart. They’re geniuses. I mean, they’ve got nothing, a couple of aged actors, a nappy used Wookie costume, and a storyline so old it’s like an ancient history course. 24 January 14, 2016
everywhere. Lightsabers, too. Only, where’s Luke? Where? Without spoiling anything, I’ll be brief: Rey, a young scavenger of old junked starships runs into the BB droid. Rey is the scavenger’s name and she’s really tough, willing to risk her life to save the little droid. Then there’s a stormtrooper named Finn, who isn’t crazy about being a Stormtrooper. He and Rey get thrown together and there you go. Look, the plot isn’t original but that’s on purpose. It’s meant to pull you back into the world of those Star Wars movies where Han Solo and Princess Leia existed and more importantly, to make you forget all about those other three movies which came later. And by golly, it works. Beautifully. And most of this, I’m convinced is because Finn (John Boyega) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) are great actors, because, you know, Great Britain. Also, they’re appealingly young, as opposed to the currently ancient Han Solo and Leia, who even when they were young, were so-so actors. That’s not to say that we
mind them being in the movie, because their script for The Force Awakens is spot on, a resurrection of the wit and carefree attitude that made Star Wars so popular and memorable. In particular, Harrison Ford as Solo is just as reckless as ever, and meshes perfectly with Finn and Rey. Finn: “Look, I’m not who she thinks I am. “Solo: “Then you’ve got a problem, kid. Women always find out the truth. Always.” As for what the oldsters have been doing for 30 years, well, that’s a lot of the story, so go see. But rather than treat them as revelations, all these developments (and there are many) are just dropped like Easter Eggs as we go along. So, will the evasive Luke Skywalker be found? Will the Force push our characters to the Dark Side or the Light? And will Chewbacca find a girlfriend? Star Wars: The Force Awakens is rated PG-13 for blasters and light sabers. I wouldn’t bring small children, but everyone else: Enjoy! Happy 2016!
Vol. 7 • No. 18
Love, Animals & Miracles
Last night, as you walked into your house, you slammed the door. The humans in your home, sensing a bad mood, ran – but your dog met you coming in, eyes adoring, tail wagging, and it was hard to maintain the grumpies. Your pet isn’t just a pet – he’s a member of the family. And as you’ll see in the new book Love, Animals & Miracles by Dr. Bernie S. Siegel (with Cynthia J. Hurn), he might also double as caregiver. So you’ve got a pet. Or two. Or six, and you do everything possible to make sure they’re healthy. Perhaps not surprisingly, your furry family members might be doing the same for you. “Having a loving relationship with an animal is one of the most powerful factors in healing and maintaining well-being,” says Dr. Siegel When his children were young, he says, he encouraged them to raise, rescue, and study all kinds of animals, not just domestic ones. While that led to a lot of humorous family stories, it also led to lifetimes of compassion because “Allowing your children to grow up with animals is a gift that never stops teaching.” Vol. 7 • No. 18
Our pets, of course, keep us company and love us, which is undoubtedly one of their better traits. Just knowing that they’re there deflects loneliness, which Siegel says, “affects the genes that control immune function, making you vulnerable to illness and other problems.” Petting an animal also releases oxytocin, a bonding hormone; petting is also calming and may lessen the effects of depression. In the stories found in this book, the love and care that animals offer comes through loud and clear: a cockatoo comforts his owner with a “Kiss, kiss, kiss.” A homeopathic doctor gives “treatment” to a herd of cattle, thereby healing the farmer. Two beloved dogs offer comfort to cancer patients. A woman’s future is changed by a horse that needed her. An unwanted Newfoundland becomes a lifeguard, and sometimes takes matters into his own, um, paws. And you’ll read stories of animals helping creatures of other species, which is common because, after all, “the love between humans and their animals constitutes an interspecies relationship too.” If share your life with an animal, you already know who takes care of whom in your
relationship. In Love, Animals & Miracles, you’ll read dozens of tales from kindred spirits who underscore that knowledge; one of them is author Dr. Bernie S. Siegel who, with Cynthia J. Hurn, also offers insights from a retired surgeon’s point-of-view. While most of this book consists of tales of dogs, readers will also find other tails: cat lovers weigh in, as do bird keepers and horsey types, and stories of wild animals are also recounted. Readers probably won’t mind the anthropomorphizing that a few chapters contain, but there’s a pretty fair amount of new-
ageyness here, so beware. Even so, what pet lover can resist a good animal story? Not you, which is why you need Love, Animals & Miracles. Start it, and you’ll see that it’s a grand slam. “Love, Animals & Miracles” By Dr. Bernie S. Siegel with Cynthia J. Hurn, foreword by Allen M. Schoen, DVM ©2015, New World Library $21.95 / $30.50 Canada 289 pages January 14, 2016 25
Thursday, Jan. 14 Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC LA Express 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Orphan Annie 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC The New Waves 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
The New Waves 9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Tricky Dickies 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Brittany Pfantz 9 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. LC Time Machine 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Dance Night 9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC Rusty Metoyer 9:30 @ Jack After Dark Nightclub
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Friday, Jan. 15 Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Big Jimmy and Reckless 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC LA Express 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton 26 January 14, 2016
Vol. 7 • No. 18
L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Saturday, Jan. 16 Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
3 Hour Tour 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC LA Express 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge
Vol. 7 • No. 18
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton Special Event Night 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Disco Party/ DJ Justin Royer 8 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. The New Waves 9 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort
2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Sunday, Jan. 17
Signature
Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC
9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC Tricky Dickies 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Time Machine 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Clint Faulk 4-8 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
Thunderhand Joe & the Medicine Show 7 and 9 p.m. (two shows) @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
January 14, 2016 27
Monday, Jan. 18 Kevin Lambert 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Open Mic Night 9-midnight @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC
Tuesday, Jan. 19 Bryan Trahan 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Jazz Night with Mickey Smith 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC Kris Harper 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Two for Tuesday on Everything! 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Wednesday, Jan. 20 Chester Daigle 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Chris Miller & Bayou Roots
Street Side Jazz Trio 8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC Rapture 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Talent Night 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Thursday, Jan. 21
Rusty Yates 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC David Locklear and Zac Faulk 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC Joe Harmon 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Rusty Yates 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Rapture 9 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Galaxy Hotel
Electric Circus 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
8 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. LC Rapture 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Electric Circus 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
Joe Harmon & the Harmonics 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Ryan Bunch 8 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.
Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
28 January 14, 2016
Friday, Jan. 22
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Killawatts 9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC DJ CaGe 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Saturday, Jan. 23 Rusty Yates 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Flashback 7:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC Mark Reeves and Twisted X 8 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. LC Special Event Night 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Casey Courville Decades 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Dance Night 9 p.m. – 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Brian Racca, Jr. 9 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.
Larry Tillery & Vagabond Dreamers 9:30 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC
9 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. Joe Harmon 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton Electric Circus 9 p.m.– 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Vol. 7 • No. 18
Rapture 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Decades 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder DJ CaGe 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Sunday, Jan. 24 Street Side Jazz Band
Tuesday, Jan. 26
Thursday, Jan. 28
Mark Henry 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Jazz Night with Clint Faulk 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC
Joe Ecker 4-8 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
Chester Daigle 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Monday, Jan. 25 Stacy Bearden 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Open Mic Night 9-midnight @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC Vol. 7 • No. 18
9 p.m.- 1:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Dancing 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Wednesday, Jan. 27
DJ Jose Mata 10 p.m.- 2a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Perkins Road
Angel Garcia 8 p.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC
Escalade 7 and 9 p.m. (two shows) @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Leroy Thomas & Zydeco Roadrunners 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live
Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Chris Miller & Bayou Roots 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
Brian Moore 8 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. Perkins Road 9 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Talent Night 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC Kevin Lambert 9:30 @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC January 14, 2016 29
Gogo Dolls 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Friday, Jan. 29 Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
To Bob Geiger, for reasons that need not be explained here – and to Bob Dylan, for Mister Tambourine Man Dedication: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
How Does it Feel to be Such a Freak... To those who know me, my affinity for both Doc Thompson and good ol’ Bob Zimmerman are no hidden secret. Their mutual affinity for one another and Hunter’s dire admiration for Dylan and his work are only reflective of my respect and appreciation of both them and their respective catalogues of brilliant and otherwise inspired works. Between these two, I find a personal touchstone for both my love of music and writing as well as something that takes me to my roots of artistry, creativity and everything that is, was and what may be the American Dream. Hunter chased it as far as I personally feel that he thought he could. But even in his works, lived and written a decade before my uncelebrated arrival in this madness that we call the world, I found a moment, an idea and a crazed poet’s voice telling me things I’d heard about my world and my country but never fully under30 January 14, 2016
Mike Fulmer 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
Louisiana Scramble 8 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC
stood. It connected me to something that I wouldn’t even begin to understand until years down the road. To be honest, it is largely the reason I ever picked up a pen in the first place. Aside from the drug fueled manic-ism of Fear and Loathing... there lies within a moment of brilliant clarity that encapsulates the entire heart of the work. It was a farewell of sorts, seeing the landscape of the 1960s as it looked in 1970 through the eyes of an emotive, unbridled spirit who saw the passion and fire of his beloved ‘60s fading into the embers. “There was madness in any direction, at any hour. If not across the Bay, then up the Golden Gate or down 101 to Los Altos or La Honda. . . . You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning. . . . And that, I think, was the handle—that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn’t need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting—on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave. . . . So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark—that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back.” The gravity and meaning of this particular scene took a few viewings to properly
Herman’s Hermits 8:30 p.m. @ Grand Event Center Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Tickets on sale now @ Ticketmaster Geno Delafose 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge
set in. Set against the backdrop of The Grass Roots’ “Get Together” with shavenheaded Johnny Depp banging away on an IBM Selectric as black and white scenes of the ‘60s played through the hotel windows, I finally got some kind of practical grip on what all the stories I’ve heard about the ‘60s were really about. It spoke to some unknown sense of unity and rebellion and great desire, and told me that making the world a better place is something worth fighting for. It made me want to write and to be able to be some part of what that spirit was about.
And You Say “Impossible” as he Hands You a Bone... Many years later, I stumbled across that very same spark once again, but this one was from the midst of that very time that Doc eulogized so poignantly. 1965 was quite a year for Bob Dylan. By May, he had finished a European tour that had all but drained his passion for music. A 20-page missive that eventually became “Like a Rolling Stone” and the opening track for his 6th studio album “Highway 61 Revisited” reignited a passion that he conveyed through a much bluesier and rock-oriented sound than his folk hits of the early ‘60s would have suggested. Nearly the entire album was backed by a rock band which goes hand in hand with Dylan’s legendary Newport Folk Festival performance where the folk star plugged in an electric guitar and, though booed by many in attendance, single-handedly transVol. 7 • No. 18
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Gogo Dolls 9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Perkins Road 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
formed rock and roll as anyone anywhere knew it. That occurred while “...61” was being recorded and this was the beginning of “Classic Rock” as we know it. It is one of the many reasons why I hold Dylan as one of the most influential rock musicians of all time. Admittedly, I’m not alone in this assessment. Rolling Stone has listed “...61” as number 4 in their “Greatest 500 Albums of All Time” and listed “Like A Rolling Stone” as number 1 on their “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” However, that is not the song that not only made me a true Dylan fan but remains my favorite Dylan tune and is one that I hold to a level of cultural importance to Hunter’s profound “Wave Speech.” That honor goes to the roughly six-minute A side closer, “Ballad of a Thin Man.” This dark, jangly piano-driven ode tells a tale of a man by the name of Mr. Jones who finds himself lost and alone in the midst of the “freaks” and “geeks” that represented the counterculture of the 1960s. He was the establishment man, the square, the “Jones” that everyone on the block wanted to keep up with, but he found himself terrified and demeaned by a motivated and rebellious generation that his societal position and high education could never have prepared him for. This song is that very sentiment that Hunter alluded to, but from the inside, by someone helping to sculpt that very generation. It’s from the album that author Michael Gray says “started” the ‘60s as we know it. The fact that Hunter and Dylan were friendly and fond is of no Vol. 7 • No. 18
surprise to me. The fact that I heard the same voice and spirit from these very different, yet dramatically similar artists only speaks to the unity and profundity of the message: Change will not come without hardship, discomfort and strife and even those are not necessarily enough to keep a revolution alive. In its own way, that revolution has still managed to survive. It lives in these and other bodies of work and in the hearts, minds and spirits that continue to embrace and be moved by them. The cries and chants from Ohio State and Berkley still resonate. The words of Ginsburg and Kerouac still reach some of us that
Troy Laz Band 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Dance Night 9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
have only been around long enough to remember Reagan in the Oval Office. Some of us have only read about LBJ and some only know of Vietnam as an answer on a geography test, but some of us get it, whether we were there or not. We heard the message through script and song and some hope for and are willing to fight for a better world than we see around us today. Some of us still have more inherent hope in humanity than we do our organizations, industry or political policy. Some of us still embrace the very things that made you say “Hell No, We Won’t Go” and now it’s the children of that generation that are left to continue the fight.
Luke Cooper 9 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. Larry Tillery 9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
The generational gap hasn’t completely consumed that. Many of us still feel that drive to speak out, speak up and rise above the dictum of the world “as we know it” and it’s largely because of those who wrote it down or scratched it into some vinyl. It is because of those artists that those sparks still exist. And if one is so inclined, they can still strike them anywhere, be it across the Bay, up Golden Gate, down 101 to Los Altos or La Honda or if it’s just here, up and down I-10 in good ol’ Lake Chuck. I promise you... you can still strike sparks anywhere. Please be sure to send my regards to Mr. Jones, when you do.
And Something is Happening Here, But You Don’t Know What It Is... I would like to start by thanking each and every one of you who’ve been reading JMLC for the last year and a special thank you of you who participated in our first ever giveaway! For the last two issues I have been talking about my Jeff Lynne’s E.L.O. “Alone In the Universe” 180-gram vinyl and digital download giveaway and it is finally time to announce our winner! For the record (‘scuse the pun) I DID warn everyone that this was a bit tricky and that your first answer was most likely incorrect. Apparently I was correct! While, admittedly, I did choose the particular selection of words with Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” (There’s something happening here…) that was not the song that the line was pulled from. If you cannot tell by the content of this column and the sequential section heads, the song we were looking for is “Ballad of a Thin Man” by Bob Dylan and our winner of the first ever JMLC vinyl giveaway is Charles from Lake Charles! Thanks so much for reading and keeping up with my crazy antics out here! Congratulations! And do keep reading, folks! This will certainly not be the last giveaway! A big thanks to everyone who submitted answers. Thanks for digging what we do and I hope to see your name in print next time!
Do You, Mr. Jones...? As we officially wrap up one full year of JMLC I would also like to thank Lauren and Burn and all the crazy wonderful folk that help make Jambalaya happen! And to all of our advertisers and supporters out there, please know that you all are the very Lake Charles that we live in, love and are honored and happy to write with and about. You are as much the Jambalaya as we are. Thank you so much for your love and support! And to all of you, I am humbled at the thought that so many of you give a bit of your time to read all of my random missives. Thanks to you all and please take with you my most sincere wishes for a happy 2016! UNTIL NEXT TIME, SWLA!!! I’ll See YOU at the show! January 14, 2016 31
32 January 14, 2016
Vol. 7 • No. 18
Vol. 7 • No. 18
January 14, 2016 33
NEW YEARS EVE AT HEIST If you wanted to ring the New Year in with all the glamour of Hollywood and you were NOT at Heist, I think you may have done it wrong. Limos came and went as guests channeling their inner movie stars walked the red carpet and soaked up the elegance while they welcomed in 2016!
John Holiday and Jilian Bosley
Marshawna Holefield and Tommy Wilkins
David and Tabatha Guillory
Steve and Beth Manz
Chandler Falcon, Alana Misiura and Anna Salvador
Jenny Soileau, Jason Tabor, Aaron Lasher and Madison Leveque
NEW YEARS EVE AT LUNA LIVE If red carpets are less your thing then, say, a red flannel shirt, you still had a home downtown as Luna Live welcomed AEP and The Tugboats to rock everyone into the New Year. A rockin’ 2016 to you ALL!!
Lacee Fontenot and Ben Burnham
Lucy San Miguel and Ryan Bunch 34 January 14, 2016
Shannon Comeaux and Dustin Leveque
Justin Morris and Miranda Graham
Patsy Chisholm, Josh Bruns and Greg Trahan Vol. 7 • No. 18
THREE DOG NIGHT AT GOLDEN NUGGET For many who survived NYE with at least a tolerable hangover, New Years Day still had a party in store as Golden Nugget welcomed the legendary Three Dog Night! Thousands of fans packed the sold-out room to rock out to their favorites. The classic rockers still had it and kept everyone going the whole show!
Van and Heidi Guidry
Lee and Emily Foreman with Matt and Natalie Thomas
Brittany Smith and Robin Thibodeaux
Lauren Abate and Shelly Appleby
Three Dog Night
BLUE DOG CAFE’S SUNDAY BRUNCH A bit back to normal after the whirlwind of holiday madness, local musicians Ganey Arsement and Chris Miller served up some spicy South Louisiana sounds while the packed house dug in on the Blue Dog Cafe flavors that have been a staple of the Lafayette food scene for years. Welcome to Lake Chuck, Blue Dog! Sit! STAY! Goood Dog…
Brandon Green and Honoria Hebert
Chris Miller and Ganey Arsement Vol. 7 • No. 18
Katrina Joubert and David Blaney
Jordan Fincher, Erica Nelson and Harley Lucas January 14, 2016 35