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Vol. 7 • No. 22
March 10, 2016 • Volume 7 • Issue 22
715 Kirby St. Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262 www.thejambalayanews.com Publisher/Executive Editor Lauren Abate lauren@thejambalayanews.com
On Cover: The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc.
COVER 18 The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc.: Loving the League and Loving the Community! REGULARS 6 We Are SWLA! 8
Contributors Lisa Addison Dan Ellender Braylin Jenkins Roger Miller Justin Morris Britney Blanchette Pitre Brian Pitre Terri Schlichenmeyer Jody Taylor David Yantis
Sales lauren@thejambalayanews.com
Graphics Art/Production Director Burn Rourk Business Office Manager Jeanie Rourk
Fishin’ Tales
10 A Ruff Life
12 Adoption Corner 13 Stir Dat Pot FEATURES 5 Performing for the President 14 The Newcomers Club: Fun and Friendship!
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16 SWLA’s Quality of Life Taskforce
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THE SPICE OF SWLA 22 Event Guide 23 Julian Q 24 Royal Teeth
28 Family Fun Night at the Movies 29 Bookworm Sez… 30 Nightlife Guide
Vol. 7 • No. 22
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12 This Functional Family
26 heART of SWLA
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.
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32 Lake City Beat! 34 Justin Morris’s Lake Charles 37 Funbolaya
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38 Society Spice
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Kicked
in the Head Cats and dogs. Dogs and cats. Living with them is never dull. Never. Dogs are predictable, for the most part. They’re much more steady. It’s been almost a year, and I generally know what Cooper will and will not do. He will eat cat food no matter how many times you tell him not to—even if his own food bowl is full. He will chase certain cats and leave others alone. He will stay up all night yelling at the raccoons in the wall if you let him. (I had to shut the bathroom door last night or I never would have gotten any sleep.) He thinks he’s a
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big watchdog and is fiercely protective, which is so cool. He is game for anything. He loves his rides. Everything makes him happy. Every day is a party. Then there are the cats. Every day is not a party. Cats are moody. One minute they’re all over you and the next minute they’ve gone to sleep for five hours. When they’re awake they’re instantly dying of hunger and scream in front of their bowls. Many of these bowls have food in them. It’s just not enough food. Or the right layering of the food. Or one bowl is too
close to the other bowl. There are always Issues. Cats. The cats that stay outside generally get along well, but occasionally, one will look at another the Wrong Way, and there will have to be an intervention. But strangely enough, cats that have hated each other for years often wake up one day and decide to call a truce and suddenly become friends. For no reason. No explanation. Cats. Otto lived with us for years. One day he moved in with Charles and Doris, who live two doors down. He stayed there for almost two years. When I’d try to visit him, he’d run away or glare at me. Then one day he just came back---and stayed for over a year, loving and affectionate as ever. Last month, he moved back in with them. I went by there yesterday and once again, he acted like he didn’t know me. Cats. Crabcake and Coleslaw generally sleep with me and Coop every night. They are voracious eaters. Their appetites are scary. So I give them each a little late night dinner before we go to bed and that’s that until the next morning.
But apparently, their patience has run out as of late. Crabcake, the big one, has taken to kicking me in the head and pulling on my hair (hard) around 6:30 a.m. to let me know he’s expecting breakfast. NOW. Cole hovers in the background, ready to pounce in case his brother needs reinforcements. Today, I pulled the comforter completely over my head to try and avoid them, and somehow, a big furry paw got under the comforter and managed to punch me in the eye. CATS! Cooper would never do that. He’s a booger, but he’s loving and sweet and gentle. Cats simply do not care. It’s all about them. That’s why it’s good to have the balance. From sweetness and light to getting kicked in the head. I guess that’s life.
Lauren Abate
Vol. 7 • No. 22
P E R F O R M I N G for t he P R E S I D E N T
By Lauren Abate Several days ago, former First Lady Nancy Reagan passed away at the age of 94. After the death of the President in 2004, Mrs. Reagan’s last years were reclusive due to her age and health issues, along with the strain of caring for her beloved husband, who had suffered from Alzheimer’s for many years. Nancy Reagan’s death brings the Reagan Era to a poignant close. But memories live on, and there is someone in our city that has very special memories of the Reagans. Leif Pedersen, the Senior Vice President of Philanthropy for the Memorial Foundation, performed at their inaugural ball with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. “President Reagan was a big fan of Big Band music and one of his very good friends was Frank Sinatra, along with his wife Barbara,” Pedersen remembers. “The President asked Frank if he would serve as his honorary chairman of entertainment for the inaugural. I guess it was only natural that one of the bands that would be selected would be Frank Sinatra’s former band, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, albeit 30 years later. Frank also knew Buddy Morrow, the leader of the Tommy Dorsey Big Band at the time, as they were both young 19-year-olds when they performed on the original Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.” Pedersen said the orchestra
had been on the road with a busy schedule performing throughout the United States and abroad. “We did around 250 concerts and dances a year including cruises and sailing to foreign countries, so you can imagine how difficult it was to keep up with where we would be.” Of course, the band made sure they would make that special night! The venue that evening was inspiring. “We performed at the Smithsonian institute’s American History Museum,” Pedersen said. “The stage was positioned on the second floor of the museum and our backdrop was the actual American flag that flew over Fort McHenry and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem.” The band got word from the White House advance team that President and Mrs. Reagan had not done a photo op and wanted to dance to the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. “Buddy Morrow was told that we needed to have a song ready because the President was on his way,” Pedersen recalled. “Buddy turned to me and ask what was coming up next. I looked at the book and replied, ‘You’ll Never Know.’ He said, ‘That’s the song we’re going to do.’” When President and Mrs. Reagan arrived, they were accompanied by about 40 members of the Press Corps. “They came on stage,
Leif Pedersen with the David Torkanowsky Orchestra performing at the New Orleans Orpheum Theatre for “The Sinatra 100 Celebration Concert” in October 2015.
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President and Mrs. Reagan at the 1981 Inaugural Ball while Leif Pedersen sings “You’ll Never Know” and just as Buddy started to count off the song, I heard one of the members of the press say the two most dreaded words any singer could hear. ‘There’s Sinatra!’” Pedersen laughed. “My only thoughts at that time were, here I am singing to the President and Mrs. Reagan, the honorary chairman is Frank Sinatra, I’m singing with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra who he formerly sang with, and I’m singing a song that was recorded by Dick Haymes, the singer who replaced him!” he said. “Every other song in my book was probably a Frank Sinatra arrangement and we pick a Dick Haymes song... I look back on that now and I laugh to myself and when I listen to the recording of the evening, I can definitely hear my voice shaking throughout the whole song.” Pedersen said that although their conversation was short, President and Mrs. Reagan “couldn’t have been more delightful. He thanked me for singing a very special song and said they love to dance to Big Band music. About three months later, I received two photographs that the Press Corps
had taken. They were from the White House and signed by both President and Mrs. Reagan. Something that was totally unexpected that just shows you their graciousness.” Pedersen says he thinks of that time often. “It was elegant… nothing like what we are experiencing today,” he said. “The other thought that always go through my mind is how fortunate I was to have had the opportunity to perform in every state and in many countries abroad. And to this day, the credential of being one of the singers who followed Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is something that has provided a wonderful outlet apart from my real job and allowed me to do my little bit to keep Big Band music alive. They talk about the Great American Songbook. Frank Sinatra was the one who created that song book. It is my legacy, along with others like me that are privileged enough to be able to carry on that tradition. With my 1944 big band, we plan to continue that tradition for many, many more years to come.” March 10, 2016 5
at Golden Nugget Lake Charles. The faculty and staff of LABT are dedicated to staging full-scale ballet performances, producing new and innovative works, and providing a strong and diverse curriculum for the next generation of dancers in Southwest Louisiana.
Energy Transfer Sponsor of Dragon Boat Race Energy Transfer is making a significant commitment to promoting the health and wellness of the children of Southwest Louisiana by sponsoring the Dragon Boat Race benefitting the Children’s Miracle Network program at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital. The event will be held April 23 on the lakefront. Elizabeth McLaughlin, Community Relations Manager and Janice Romano, Social Sales Manager, both at Golden Nugget present Kristin Draper, LABT Board President, and Colleen Cannon Benoit, LABT Artistic Director, with a $5,000 check, as sponsor of the Patron Party.
WCCH Announces Safety Award Recipients West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital recently named Daniel Drymon, RN, WCCH’s Intensive Care Unit, and Lynne Reichard, clinical laboratory scientist in WCCH’s Laboratory Department, as recipients of its Safety Award. The award, which honors employees for their promotion Daniel Drymon Lynne Reichard of safety and safety awareness in and around the hospital, is distributed to those employees that demonstrate extraordinary awareness and action in minimizing potential safety risks. Energy Transfer representatives Dennis Odum, VP, Trunkline Gas (far left) and Jeff Brightwell, VP, Lake Charles LNG, (far right) present a check for $5,000 to CHRISTUS representatives Kay Barnett (second from left) and Cara Wyland, Children’s Miracle Network Director (second from right).
Tilman Fertitta Stars in Billion Dollar Buyer Tilman Fertitta, chairman, CEO, and sole shareholder of Landry’s, Inc. and one of America’s wealthiest businessmen, will star in CNBC’s new original primetime series, Billion Dollar Buyer, premiering March 22 at 10 p.m. ET/ CT. CNBC’s new reality show introduces small businesses from across the nation to Fertitta, giving promising start-ups the opportunity of a lifetime. He’s personally scouting the country Tilman Fertitta for the most innovative new products America’s entrepreneurs have to offer. In each episode, Fertitta will spend time with two small businesses. He’ll point out flaws in their product and operations, share his expertise, and push for improvements. In the end, he’ll decide whether to place a transformative purchase order with one of the companies, both, or neither. For more information, visit cnbcprime.com.
Golden Nugget Sponsors LABT Patron Party Lake Area Ballet Theatre held its Patron Party on February 28 6 March 10, 2016
Aflac’s Ellis Hassien Honored Aflac Sales Associate Ellis Hassien, who has been with the company for 18 years, ranked number one for the Lake Charles area region and number five in the state for 2015 in sales. In addition, he was honored as Mr. Louisiana West for 2015, an award that goes to the most determined and motivated associate in the state. Throughout his time with AFLAC, Hassien has spent several years in sales management receiving Aflac’s Founder’s Award For Management Excellence for 13 quarters. He was also named to L to R: AFLAC Louisiana West Market Director Blaze Fremin, AFLAC AFLAC NaSales Associate Ellis Hassien, and Lake Charles area AFLAC Regional tional’s PresiSales Coordinator Teddy Authement. dent’s Club. Vol. 7 • No. 22
SOWELA Hires Instrumentation Instructor SOWELA Technical Community College is pleased to announce the hiring of Ceth Talbot as an Industrial Instrumentation Instructor in the School of Industrial Technology. Talbot will prepare students to install, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair various types of measuring and control instruments and peripherals. He joins SOWELA with eight years of experience working in industrial hygiene and analytical instrumentaCeth Talbot tion while consulting as an industry contractor. He holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Instrumentation Technology from SOWELA, and is a Certified Asbestos Inspector, Water Operator, and EPA enforcer.
Entergy Kicks Off Construction of Lake Charles Transmission Project
food prepared by local chefs in the area. “It was an exciting undertaking to coordinate all the chefs, restaurants and volunteers to display the variety of food experiences in Southwest Louisiana from the sophisticated to the rustic. We are extremely proud of what we have to offer to visitors and are ready to make the world hungry to try our unique twist on Cajun food and local cuisine,” said Shelley Johnson, executive director of the CVB. To view the Cajun Fusion Cooking video, log onto www.visitlakecharles.org/CajunFusion.
Dr. Dale Archer Donates to Memorial for New Psychiatric Hospital The Foundation at Lake Charles Memorial Health system would like to recognize Dr. Dale Archer, Jr., psychiatrist, for his major donation towards a new psychiatric hospital that will be part of Lake Charles Memorial Health System. Plans for the new facility are in the early stages and it will be named to honor Dr. Archer’s legacy as a leader and mental health advocate in SWLA.
Entergy officials joined with business and community leaders and elected officials at the Nelson Power Station in Westlake to “cut the wire” on one of the largest single transmission projects in Entergy’s history. The wire-cutting ceremony officially launched construction of Entergy Louisiana LLC’s Lake Charles Transmission Project – a $159 million project that will help bring power to one of the fastest growing areas in the nation in terms of private-sector job growth. The project, which is expected to be completed in early 2018, involves building 25 total miles of high-voltage transmission lines and the facilities needed to support them. The new lines are being constructed to support and enable economic growth in SWLA, as well as to enhance reliability for existing and future customers.
First Federal Donates to McNeese First Federal Bank of Louisiana has donated $5,000 to McNeese State University through the McNeese Foundation for the C. Marshall Abadie Memorial Scholarship Fund it established in 1988. Donations to the scholarship fund now exceed $100,000.
L to R: Leif Pedersen, Sr. VP of Philanthropy at LC Memorial, Dr. Dale Archer, Jr. and Larry Graham, President/ CEO of LC Memorial Health System.
The Landrys, Gehrigs, and G2X Energy named Philanthropists of the Year The Family Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, the endowment arm of Family & Youth counseling Agency, will honor Dr. Stuart and Blanche Landry, Doug and Gay Gehrig, and G2X Energy for giving their time, talent, and treasure for the betterment of Southwest Louisiana during the Philanthropy Celebration and Awards Breakfast, presented by Entergy, at L’Auberge Casino Resort on Tuesday, March 15, 2016. Tickets for the event are $10 per individual or $75 for a table of eight. To purchase tickets please visit www.fyca.org or contact Roxanne Camara at roxanne@fyca.org or (337) 436-9533.
L to R: Charles V. Timpa, president/CEO of First Federal Bank and a Foundation board member; Leslie Harless, VP and marketing director of First Federal Bank, and Richard Reid, VP for university advancement and executive VP for the Foundation. McNeese Photo.
Video Launch: Cajun Fusion Cooking Video Louisiana is known the world over for its culinary creations, and Lake Charles/SWLA is always cooking up something tasty for visitors and locals alike. To highlight our delicious food culture, the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau produced a Cajun Fais Do Do video entitled “Cajun Fusion Cooking in Lake Charles, Louisiana” that showcases traditional and creative Vol. 7 • No. 22
CSE Sponsors An Afternoon With MusicMakers CSE Federal Credit Union donated $10,000 in sponsorship of An Afternoon With MusicMakers to be held on May 7 at The McNeese Tritico Theatre. A dessert reception and silent auction will preceded the 3 p.m. concert. Go to musicmakers2u@gmail.com or call (337) 244-9314 L to R: Eva LeBlanc, President and Founder of MusicMakerfor ticket information. s2U; and Colleen Desselle, CSE Director of Marketing.
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Photos by Chris Romero
The Never Was Trips I was going to north Louisiana’s hill country last weekend to help close down Damon Hanchey’s deer lease and do a bit of wild hog hunting. We’d been planning this for a while as it seemed like a marvelous “Hunting Tale” idea. We were all set to go. But nooooooo. Damon was put on call and no one would cover for him. No biggie, we just put it off a week, so y’all get to read about hog hunting in the next issue. Meanwhile, I had to write about something. I’d planned to return to Jeannette and Sean Stephens’ farm pond near Grand Lake for my second “Karaoke Fishing Tale” later this spring. One quick call to Jeannette and it was on. I had promised Greg Duhon, a former W. O. Boston student of mine and his son that I’d take them to Jeannette’s. There, I assured him, his son would catch beaucoup fish. So, I
Jodie Nelson Arabie & Max 8 March 10, 2016
contacted him and they were all set to go--but they had to cancel and re-schedule for later in the spring. Undaunted, I moved on. My photographer extraordinaire Chris Romero said he could go, as could my pal Glenn Bordelon who’d made the first trek to Jeannette’s. She promised us as marvelous a lunch as we’d had last time, if that was possible. This time, we were to dine on Shrimp Creole and homemade Italian cream cake. My girlfriend Rue, Jeannette and her sister Jodie Nelson Arabie were all set to serenade us karaoke-style after we loaded up on bass, brim and catfish. This time it wouldn’t be a record-setting 104 degrees, but a perfect, cool spring day. So much for the best-laid sportsman plans as my chronic pain was so bad that early a.m. I had to call the whole trip off. Chris and Glenn were understanding at 6 a.m. that morning and will be speaking to me again someday. Jeannette and her husband Shane, family and friends had their pond fête anyway and I have the pics to prove it much to my editor Lauren Abate’s delight. There is even a pic of Shane holding up the lunker bass that I’m sure would have been mine had I been able to make it. This is just one of a string of missed trips that still haunt me. While I was on the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, I had a meeting to make so my pals went hunting in my place. I’d even said they could hunt my blind. I had forgotten about them until a perplexed secreShane Stephens with tary interrupted my meeting, his lunker bass telling me we had an emerVol. 7 • No. 22
gency situation I had to deal with. I excused myself and hurried into the waiting room. Standing there were John Hood, Jack Duke and Ron Foreman all decked out in hunting regalia. Draped around their necks on duck stringers were 30 pintail drakes as a reminder to me of what I’d missed. They were still chuckling as they exited the waiting room leaving muddy tracks Henry Joe Nelson behind them. and his daughter On yet anJeannette Nelson Stephens other occasion I had to babysit Yet another time, I was my daughter, so I told Carl scheduled to hunt the rice Fastabend that I couldn’t fields on my farm but got make the hunt and to get a last-minute call to guide someone to take my place. that day for The Sheraton Around ten that morning I Chateau Charles. I told my heard an SUV pull up in my podna Butch Poole to grab driveway. My daughter ran to Joe Gray Taylor and someone the door and gawked out the to hunt in my place. I arrived window. With a truly excited at the Chateau Charles in expression she said, “It’s Un- a drizzling rain cold front. cle John, Ron and Carl. They I knew then I was missing are so funny.” out again as that was perfect Sneaking up my driveway weather for hunting my rice on all fours like retrievers field. I made my hunt and we with five geese each around had a limit by 10 a.m. Enertheir necks were Raine’s sogized now, I called to find called uncles. When I opened out how they’d done. Butch the door, Raine ran out to said, ”We had limits of malhappily greet the Three lards, pintail, and teal. All Stooges of Waterfowldom. drakes. Then we had a limit Not only were they harassing of specklebellies and...” And me for not going, they added I hung up on him. I knew insult to injury by dropwhat he had. ping their geese, standing All this is in the spirit of and then hauling a limit of Terry Shaughnessy’s “You ducks out the back of Carl’s should have been here yesSUV. Then the jovial revelers terday,” KPLC’s outdoors hugged Raine and were on show of yore. In my case it’s their merry way. All I could “You should have made the say was what I said to Raine: never was trips.” Neverthe“Those men are not your less, it’s off to hog hunt next uncles.” weekend. Hopefully. Vol. 7 • No. 22
Shane, Roger, Jeanette & Glenn
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Child Safety with Dogs We have all seen the “cute” photos and videos of children interacting with dogs posted and shared on social media. We have, also, seen some pretty scary ones that are close calls or that actually end up horrifically. What causes a dog to “just snap” and attack a child, and is there anything we can do to prevent this? SEVENTY-SEVEN PERCENT of dog bites are from a family dog or a friend’s dog, and children are the most at risk. These incidences can be prevented, however. The first step is to become very well versed in canine body language. Dogs are CONSTANTLY communicating with each other and with humans by using body language cues and signals. These signals are often overlooked due to lack of understanding, and anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is when humans apply human-type behaviors, emotions, and actions to non-human beings or objects. We are constantly anthropomorphizing our animals. For example, I hear people say, “My dog just thinks he’s a human…that’s why he does (fill in the blank).” THIS is what puts us, and our children in dangerous situations. Dogs are NOT humans. This does not mean that spoiling them 10 March 10, 2016
and loving them as our babies is wrong (my dogs would sleep in the bed with me if my bed were large enough). However, as responsible dog owners, we must first start educating ourselves on what our dogs are REALLY trying to tell us. Dogs are not innately violent/aggressive creatures that constantly struggle to dominate or be “the alpha.” Therefore, dogs will give nonviolent/aggressive warning signs before growling, snarling, biting, etc. These signs include, but are not limited to the following: lip-licking, tongue-flicking, yawning, turning away/averting eye contact, grooming/scratching, sniffing the floor, whale eye (when the whites of the dogs eyes are visible). Without a thorough understanding on canine body language, all of the aforementioned behaviors can easily be misconstrued. If we see a
dog yawning, we usually think the dog is tired because that is what we humans do when we are lacking oxygen and/or we’re tired. However, in certain contexts, yawning means that the dog needs space, and/ or is confused/stressed. If we see a dog sniffing the ground we would usually think he’s distracted by or picking up a scent. However, in certain contexts sniffing is a dog’s way of telling us that he is uncomfortable. Also, a wagging tail does NOT always indicate a happy dog. I will provide links at the end of this column for you to view many videos on body language to help you understand what your dog(s) and other dogs
are actually saying. Next, we need to teach our children and other children about dog body language, and what is and what is not appropriate with interacting and handling dogs. Management is KEY! Children should not be allowed to interact with dogs without supervision unless they have demonstrated competent force-free handling skills, are of an appropriate age (10 or older), have shown competent understanding of dog body language, and what is and is not appropriate. So, what is appropriate, and what’s not? The following list describes what is and is not acceptable when children interact with dogs: • ALWAYS ASK to pet a dog! Teach children to ask parents first, and then the owner of the dog. • NO HUGGING! Believe it or not dogs do NOT like to be hugged! They may tolerate it, but they innately do not like it because it makes them feel trapped and vulnerable. Do not allow your children to hug ANY dog. Instead of hugging, teach them to pet dogs from collar to tail using one hand. • NO KISSING! Just like hugging, kissing dogs can make them feel trapped, and they do not enjoy having a human face (or any animal’s face) forced to be close to theirs. Vol. 7 • No. 22
Instead of kissing a dog, teach children to kiss the palm of their hands and pet dogs from collar to tail. • NO PRETENDING THE DOG IS A HORSE! This is not only uncomfortable for the dog, but it can lead to serious health issues, including nerve damage. • WALK AWAY when the dog is eating, or sleeping. No one wants to be bothered while eating or sleeping—those are two of my favorite things to do in life. I would be angry, too, if someone interrupted my meal, or sleep. Children should be taught to respect dogs while eating or sleeping. • DON’T DISCIPLINE! Disciplining a dog is a parent’s job. Young children are very impulsive. If Fido grabs little Sally’s favorite toy, then Sally may try to retrieve her toy from Fido. This can make Fido very upset and cause Sally to be injured. Teach children to tell a parent or adult supervisor if a dog has demonstrated undesired behaviors. NEVER allow a child to attempt to grab something from a dog’s mouth. • BECOME A TREE when a dog jumps! Dogs jump for attention. Some children love attention, and some can get easily overwhelmed by a dog jumping on them. Most children’s reactions to being jumped on by a dog are to scream, run, push, kick, etc. These behaviors inadvertently reinforce the jumping behavior of the dog, for the dog is receiving loads of attention. So, teach children to look up at the sky or ceiling, fold their arms, be silent, and be as boring as possible. Fido will soon find that jumping is rather boring, and he receives nothing out of it. Dogs do what works for them—they’re not here to please us—so, they soon learn that jumping is not working out for them. However, if they receive lots of attention when sitting or Vol. 7 • No. 22
lying down, then those behaviors start appearing more than jumping. • DO NOT PUNISH GROWLS OR ANY OTHER WARNINGS! “Punishing a dog for growling is like removing the batteries from a smoke alarm.” –Nando Brown. Your dog is attempting to warn you if it is growling. If you punish the growl, eventually there will be no warning. Also, if your dog is to the point of growing, he has already attempted to show you that he is scared, uncomfortable, needs space, etc., --but those warnings went unseen. No matter how tolerant your dog is, it only takes ONE time for him to “snap.” We must all respect our dogs, for they are living, breathing, thinking, and emotional beings. We are not here to dominate them just as they are not attempting to dominate us. Please take the time to view the following links: For children: https://www. youtube.com/user/thefamilydogtv. For dog parents/guardians/owners: https://www. youtube.com/playlist?list=P LBpJ7Wb2iFkkcBI4s4GQyT A5ZQgjZjAZX&app=desktop (YouTube playlist) Be sure to check out the digital version of this article to easily redirect to the link. If you have any questions, comments, and/or concerns about your dogs’ behavior or body language, please let me know! DO NOT WAIT! It is always best to be proactive and act soon, than be reactive and wait until it’s too late. Until next time, Happy Training! Britney Blanchette Pitre, CPDT-KA BONS CHIENS Dog Training, LLC. 337.422.4703 Facebook.com/BonsChiensDogTraining March 10, 2016 11
No Place Like Home No matter where I’ve lived at various times in my life, sometimes thousands of miles away from Lake Charles, my heart was always right here in Southwest Louisiana, the place where I grew up. Or, you could say that everything that embodied Southwest Louisiana always came with me. My Southern manners, my accent, my love of humidity, my appreciation of Cajun food - none of it went away during the times that my precious Southwest Louisiana and I had to be far apart. And I always visited often because I couldn’t go long without my fix of all things Southern and that included my family, friends, favorite haunts, the cuisine, etc. Practically every time I left Louisiana and returned, my mom would always send a little care package with me that usually included some of her delicious homemade biscuits. Having those for breakfast over the next few days always made me feel like a part of
Louisiana, and my mom, had come home with me. When I lived in California for about six years, it seemed like every time I turned around I would hear, “Where are you from?” And I would proudly say, “Lake Charles! It’s in Southwest Louisiana!” Oftentimes, they hadn’t heard of our city but there were those who had and they usually had nothing but nice things to say about it. Except for a couple of guy friends who teased that Louisiana was really a foreign country. And, of course, everyone seemed to think I had an accent. Imagine that. While living away from Lake Charles for a number of years, I really missed Southern mannerisms, hearing the word “y’all” on a daily basis, the landscape of Southwest Louisiana, my hometown church, sweet tea, our lakefront, the weather (well, except for when I lived in California because that weather was perfection nearly every day), Casa Manana, the fact that everywhere
you go in Lake Charles you run into someone who knows you or your “Mama and them,” hearing phrases like “Well, bless your heart,” Ryan Street, small-town life, Sam Houston Jones State Park, porches, friendly people, high school football games, barbecues and crawfish/shrimp boils, the lower cost of living in Louisiana, seafood, festivals, life with less traffic than big cities, a sense of community, the close proximity to New Orleans in one direction and Houston in the other, Steamboat Bill’s, fresh air, a slower pace of life, the Creole Nature Trail, Prien Lake Park, and so much more! But if you were fortunate enough to grow up in the South, to have everything Southern practically embedded in you, I learned that those things will always be in you and will be a part of you forever – no matter where you reside. Sometimes, we have to leave everything we know to fully appreciate it. I did, and I do.
And although I don’t regret the years I lived away from Lake Charles, I sure am extremely grateful that about 13 years ago I made the right decision for me and found my way back here. It brought me back to my family, many of my friends, and it brought me straight to my children. If I hadn’t moved back to Lake Charles, I never would have adopted my two kids, the two missing pieces of my heart. I can’t imagine that I never would have known them and that someone else would have had the gift of being their mother. Yes, I found my way back to Southwest Louisiana and everything that is important to my soul. I’m home. 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.
Meet Murrey, a precious 5-month-old sweetheart! This friendly little girl is a star “purr-er.” While recovering from an eye injury, she became best friends with a Yorkie-boy, so would enjoy having a small dog companion in her new home. Murrey is spayed, fully vetted, FIV and FeLk negative and is ready to light up your life. If you would care to meet Murrey, call or email: (337) 4787294; lapaw@bellsouth.net. Please note: Murrey is an “inside only” girl. 12 March 10, 2016
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Parmesan Catfish! Hello, everybody! We’re well into Lent season and that means lots of seafood. Lucky for us we live in the Great State of Louisiana where good local fresh seafood is everywhere you look. I got a “mess” of catfish the other day and thought I would fry them up with a little twist. Some say there is an unwritten rule that fish and cheese don’t mix, but I feel otherwise. That’s why we’re going to fry up a mess of Parmesan Catfish today--in the oven!
What You’ll Need 4 large catfish filets 2 eggs ½ cup of milk 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons minced garlic ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper nonstick cooking spray
What You’ll Do
Rinse the catfish and pat dry. Beat the eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well and evenly. Place the filets in the egg and milk mixture, shake off and coat evenly with the bread crumb and cheese mixture. Spray well with the nonstick spray and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees, uncovered, for about 15 minutes Serve this up with a garlic tartar sauce and your choice of sides--maybe a nice rice pilaf and some green beans. Enjoy with a cold beverage, friends and family. Enjoy! And don’t forget to--Stir Dat Pot! Vol. 7 • No. 22
March 10, 2016 13
By Lauren Abate Are you new to the area? Or just looking for some new friends and fun things to do? Then the Newcomers Club might be just the ticket. Established in 1964, this non-profit social organization welcomes newcomers to the Lake Charles area by providing activities of interest to the members, fostering new friendships, and encouraging commu-
14 March 10, 2016
nity involvement. Its purpose is to help newcomers become established in the community and to share with them a bright future in the Lake Area. Its mission has always remained the same -- to foster new friendships— thus, its motto is “Fun and Friendship.” But membership isn’t restricted to new arrivals. According to the website, “We welcome all new
residents of Lake Charles and surrounding areas and anyone who supports our mission of welcoming newcomers to our area. So whether you are new, recently returning, or a longtime resident wishing to welcome others, this club may be a perfect fit for you.” People stay on after they are no longer considered
“newcomers.” “Newcomers is pleased that our membership includes a mix of established residents and those brand new to the region or life situations,” said Newcomers president Janey Pate. “This mix enables established residents to smooth the path for those brand new, to make the transition more enjoyable.” Pate indicated that the club currently has 24 paid memberships. “Our year is from September to May. The new year starts over each year in September. Membership fees are $25 per year and include all activities, interest groups, and a membership directory. You will also receive a Perks Program Membership with the Chamber of SWLA, which provides special discounts at participating merchants.” For more info on this program, visit www.allianceswla. org. Members enjoy a Monthly Luncheon from September to May, held on the second Monday of each month at the Pioneer Club in downtown Lake Charles. The cost is $17 and there is Vol. 7 • No. 22
always a guest speaker. (No luncheons in June, July and August.) The next lunch is happening on March 14, and the speaker is former State Senator Willie Mount, who will talk about her career in politics and why it’s important to be politically active. Pate says that the luncheons are the most popular and wellattended of all the many activities that are offered. Dinner Out is another fun event. This month, it will be held the following evening (March 15) at Loggerheads. Members can bring their significant other or any friends and enjoy good food and libations while mixing and mingling. There are also day trips, movie nights, a book club, Bunko groups, a coffee club, a game night and so much more. You can go online and subscribe to a monthly newsletter filled with all kinds of events, volunteer opportunities, classes, lectures, etc. plus links to various websites of
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interest—everything that will keep you in the know about Lake Area happenings. Visit www.newcomersla.
org/and Facebook pages at Newcomers Club of the Lake Area to stay updated on area activities and events.
March 10, 2016 15
Q U A L I T Y O F L I F E TA S K F O R C E Working to Make SWLA a Friendly Place for Newcomers The landscape in Southwest Louisiana is changing rapidly. Our population is on the rise, and construction is at an all-time high. As the region ushers in a new era of economic development, area leaders are rolling up their sleeves to ensure that regional newcomers are welcomed with open arms. The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance said that is one reason why they chose to create the Quality of Life Task Force in 2014. “This area will welcome up to 10,000 new workers to the region in 2016 and many more than that in the two years that follow,” said George Swift, President and CEO of the Alliance. “Incorporating new residents to neighborhoods, new students to schools, and new parishioners to churches is going to require a calculated, community effort.” When companies hire new workers, they put them through orientation, but when people move to our area, many times they have to figure things out on their own. That’s why the Quality of Life Task Force has hosted two newcomer orientations
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in the past six months. The first event was held at Central Library, and the second occurred in February at Central School Arts & Humanities Center. The idea of a regular orientation for newcomers was first suggested by Rebecca Ryan, a Next Generation consultant, hired by the Alliance in 2013. Ryan’s focus was on making the area more attrac-
tive to millennials, who were known for choosing an ideal city to live in before searching for a job in that city. She recommended an orientation that provided an overview of the people and places that make Southwest Louisiana famous, access to “behind the scenes” information that singles, parents, empty nesters and transplants will find interesting about the com-
munity, as well as ways to get engaged in community life as volunteers, elected officials and board members. “These events offer new residents a chance to speak with locals one-on-one and ask them any questions they might have about the area. Booths that spotlight our culture, food, parks, schools, housing and entertainment are setup to help guide con-
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versation and spark connections,” said Patricia Prudhomme, Quality of Life Task Force Chairperson. “Looking ahead, we plan to have a presence at established events like the City of Lake Charles’ Downtown at Sundown, so that newcomers can experience our culture at the same time as learning about it.” According to Swift, the Task Force is working on several initiatives that will make Lake Charles and the surrounding areas more newcomer-friendly. Working with the City of Lake Charles and downtown merchants, last year the group drafted a policy for street musicians in the downtown and lakefront districts. The Downtown Development Authority and Arts Council are helping promote the trend. The group believes that by encouraging walkability downtown, the region can become more fit and healthy, and also make it a “cool place” for young people and young families to thrive. Other taskforce action items include connecting the region’s hike and bike trails, growing support for farmers markets and building an association for farmers markets to share best practices, as well as constructing an offleash dog park in downtown Lake Charles. In partnership with the Community Foundation, the group has raised nearly $25,000 to purchase Vol. 7 • No. 22
benches, water fountains, and waste receptacles for a dog park to be located at the intersection of Pine and Ann Streets that will be owned and maintained by the City of Lake Charles. Roughly $5,000 is still needed. Those who would like to give to the dog park can donate online at www.foundationswla.org/toa-charitable-fund, or contact the Community Foundation by calling 491-6688. Recently, the Convention and Visitors Bureau launched three new smartphone apps that have proven to be helpful with area newcomers. Their events app is a one-stop shop for the area’s numerous arts and cultural events in Calcasieu Parish. The app combines event information from restaurants, nightclubs, casinos, theaters, ballets, live music venues, and other sources. The bureau’s historic district app and Creole Nature Trail app guides users on an information-rich tours of the area’s most unique tourist hotspots. With a little hard work and some long-range planning in mind, Southwest Louisiana will continue to have a special small-town appeal for newcomers while also affording global opportunities to its residents—both new and old. Our newcomers should be celebrated because they bring renewed excitement, outside eyes and new problem-solving approaches to our area. March 10, 2016 17
On November 11, 1933, 11 young visionaries gathered at the first meeting the then-called Junior Welfare League. Eighty-plus years later, the legacy of leadership and passion for filling specific needs in the community continues with a membership of nearly 600 female volunteers in the Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. (JLLC). The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The JLLC has a legacy of serving, strengthening and sustaining the community through their funding and volunteer services. During the last five years alone, these women have performed over 120,000 hours of community service and have funded over $600,000 in community programs and volunteer training. The Junior League is donating time, volunteer support and funding to implement The Leader in Me program at Maplewood Elementary. They also partner with Oak Park and Dolby Elementary as volunteers and provide parent trainings and fitness/health programs at these schools to further strengthen families in this community. They collaborate with other organizations, such as Family & Youth, for deeper impact. The League envisions a more healthy, confident and educated community and is focusing their efforts and funding in the next few years on healthy families, literacy and workforce/leadership development. Additionally, the JLLC provides grants to local educators and scholarships for volunteer-minded females. The funds raised through donations and events (such as the Leaguers & Links Golf Tournament and Mistletoe & Moss) are used for these types of community programming, grants and scholarships. 14th Annual Leaguers & Links Golf Tournament Friday, April 8, 2016
COMMUNITY FOCUS AREAS The three community focus areas are: • Literacy • Healthy Families • Leadership Development 18 March 10, 2016
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LITERACY Read for the Record Jumpstart’s Read for the Record celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2015. On October 22, over 2.2 million children and adults around the world heard Not Norman: A Goldfish Story read aloud. JLLC volunteers reached a wider audience than ever with this year’s campaign which brought the book to almost 2,000 students in Lake Charles, Moss Bluff, Westlake, Sulphur, DeQuincy, and Deridder. Thank you to all of our Provisionals, Actives, and Sustainers who took time to be a volunteer reader for the day. It was a huge success! JLLC Book Club A mobile library of classroom copies is available to teachers, thanks to this year’s book club project, which kicked off the year with an exceptional opportunity to Skype with holocaust survivor Eva Kor. Eva Kor is spreading a powerful message of forgiveness with her book, Surviving the Angel of Death. Literacy Committee member Stacey Simien is currently teaching the book to her students at Barbe High School, and these books will be available next week to other teachers. Eva Kor will be visiting Lake Charles and speaking at the Yom HaShoah commemoration on April 28, 2016. The following spring book club meetings have been scheduled and are open to the public: March 24, noon & 6 p.m.: Celebrate Women’s History Month with McNeese State University Professor Janet Allured! Her book, Louisiana Women: Their Lives and Times includes 17 biographical essays which introduce readers to courageous, dedicated, and inventive women who have been an essential part of Louisiana’s history. April 21, noon & 6 p.m.: Wonder by Raquel J. Palacio is a children’s book, accessible to ages 8 and up. It has been called a “meditation on kindness.” Alternating perspectives show a community’s struggle with acceptance of a boy with facial differences in a world where bullying is an epidemic. We recommend diving into this easyto-read book with your own child(ren) and attending the evening book club together. Because refreshments are provided at book club meetings, please RSVP to literacy.jllc@gmail.com Hungry Caterpillar Project Committee members will host events to benefit our local Head Start programs. On April 5, we are partnering with Brenda H. Hunter Head Start on a literacy event centered on the beloved tale, The Hungry Caterpillar. We will assist with a variety of fun reading comprehension activities. We will also be facilitating a Family Reading Night at Grand Lake Head Start on March 15 from 6-7 p.m. Hands-On History with American Girl Doll
Almost a year ago, the JLLC purchased 20 American Girl dolls and accompanying stories from the historical series. We have partnered with the Calcasieu Parish Public Library Central Branch, where children may check them out and write in a journal to docuVol. 7 • No. 22
ment their adventures with the dolls. The JLLC hosted the American Girl Doll Kick-Off Tea Party in March of last year, and the children had a blast! This program has been an overwhelming success for the Calcasieu Parish Public Libraries where the dolls have been in constant rotation, with a waitlist to check them out. To make sure they are worth the wait once checked out, we are bringing them in for spring cleaning. You are welcome to join the Literacy Committee to “Read to your Doll” at branch libraries and a special focus will be placed on the historical significance of the dolls as we celebrate Women’s History in March! Reader Feeder The Literacy Committee has contacted the Calcasieu Parish school system about sponsoring a “Reader Feeder.” Reader Feeders are wooden cabinets with doors that will act as a home for books that area children can pick up, read, return, or even keep. This Calcasieu Parish School Board program was made possible through a Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy grant, and it relies on sponsors like us to expand and thrive. You can see an example at CC’s Coffee House on Ryan Street. We will sponsor the Feeder’s construction from the Literacy budget, and then our committee will have an ongoing responsibility to stock the Reader Feeder with ageappropriate books. We will begin making a call for book donations soon, so please set aside any books your children may have outgrown for this excellent cause!
HEALTHY FAMILIES Light It Up Blue for Autism Awareness The Healthy Families Committee (HFC) is excited for their upcoming event highlighting Autism Awareness. The vision of the HFC is to bring to light and to celebrate the special needs children, their families and all of the incredible local organizations providing services to these individuals. According to Autism Speaks: • Autism is a developmental disorder that impacts a person’s ability to communicate and socialize. Individuals with autism often have repetitive behaviors and debilitating medical issues. • Autism now affects one in 68 children and one in 42 boys and the figures are steadily growing. • Autism is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. • Autism can cost a family $60,000/year. • Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to get autism. • Currently, there is no medical detection or cure for autism. Our community has several service organizations that provide direct or indirect care to children and adults with autism. These organizations include the St. Nicholas Center for Children (which was founded by a Junior League member), McNeese Autism Program, Milestones, The Missing Piece, Hope Therapy, Beyond Words, West Cal-Cam Therapeutic Riding Center, Behavior Intervention Resources, Sprouts, Autism Services SWLA, and Autism Society SWLA. April 2 is World Autism Day. People all over the world “Light It Up Blue” to show their support for the millions of individuals and families around the world affected by autism. April 2015 was our first year to bring Light It Up Blue to the Lake Charles community, and we are excited to be planning the event again this year. Blue strings of light will be displayed on the palm trees in the downtown area, and we are pursuing several local businesses for their participation. The Junior League of Lake Charles will be providing yard March 10, 2016 19
signs and window posters for any home or business that would like to participate. Call Junior League Headquarters at (337) 436-4025 if you are interested in getting a yard sign or for more information on this event. Loving Our Community: Joy Drive 2015
The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. organizes a Joy Drive every year during the holiday season. This year, the League’s Joy Drive benefitted three organizations – ETC Harbour House (HH), Transitional Living Program (TLP) and the Louisiana Foster & Adoptive Parent Association. ETC Harbour House (a former League program) is a 16-bed licensed residential facility for children ages 13-17. The program serves runaway and homeless youth, abused and neglected children, foster youth, status offenders and youth in need of a safe place. Harbour House also provides brief respite for children of families in crisis to ensure safety and reduce stress. They provide group and individual counseling, and is an official home bound school that also offers credit recovery, educational and recreational activities, aftercare, and linkage to resources. TLP is scattered site with supervised apartment housing for youth ages 16-21 who are homeless/aging out of foster care or the State Juvenile Justice System. Items collected and provided to HH were fleece blankets, personal hygiene items, sheet sets, gloves, hats, ear buds, board games, coloring books, journals, cans of soda and snack food for movie nights, and recreational items. TLP was provided with necessary items for their apartments such as bath mats, shower curtains, silverware, Tupperware, glasses, and bath towels. Gift cards collected were donated to the Louisiana Foster and Adoptive Parent Association (LFAPA) for the children of this organization to receive as a Christmas gift. FIT KIDS
portunities to our members. Before school started, they sponsored a Leader in Me teacher training at J.D. Clifton Elementary and staffed a face painting booth at the Foreman-Reynaud Community Center Back to School event. In the fall, they sponsored two Leader in Me parent trainings to reinforce the character- building, goal-setting strategies the children are learning at school. In November, they “synergized” with the rest of the League to host our fundraiser, Mistletoe & Moss. The money raised enables the JLLC to provide meaningful programming, such as the Leader in Me, to our community. In December, several committee members participated in Junior Achievement’s JA in a Day program at A.A. Nelson Elementary teaching five Junior Achievement lessons to students. Members had to prepare ahead of time with the provided materials to teach the programs focusing on life lessons such as how communities work together and financial literacy. Leadership Development has also been busy volunteering at Dolby Elementary during their quarterly positive behavior rewards store and as science fair and student of the year judges. Young Entrepreneur Event— December 10, 2015 The JLLC sponsored the Young Entrepreneur Event with Dolby’s SPARK (gifted and talented) students at the Civic Center. This innovative event was the culmination of weeks of hard work for these kids. They “began with the end in mind” to develop their own products and a business plan. After signing “Loan Agreements” for funding from their parents, the students sold the products to the general public and gave a percentage of their profits to charities. We look forward to continuing relationships with J.D. Clifton Elementary, Dolby Elementary, Maplewood Elementary, and Oak Park Elementary in the future. The JLLC Headquarters is located at 1019 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles, LA 70601. To become a volunteer member, learn more about the year-round community impact, or to support our programs through donations and sponsorships, please visit www.jllc. net or call (337) 436-4025.
Many people are unaware that the Junior League was a catalyst for the creation of many well-known programs, agencies and fundraisers, including the following: Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA
Leaguers & Links Golf Tournament
Arts Fest
Lego Motion (Autism Awareness)
Calcasieu Community Clinic The Children’s Museum Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
League members facilitated another successful FIT KIDS program at Oak Park Elementary. The fifth grade class learned healthy eating habits, how to read food labels, fitness techniques and about “sharpening their saws” to be the best they can be. Healthy habits make healthy minds. We are proud of our most recent FIT KIDS graduates!
Branch Out & Grow – The Leader in Me Program Improving the Community One Leader at a Time The Leadership Development Committee has been helping cultivate leaders at our local schools and providing valuable training op20 March 10, 2016
Literacy Council of SWLA
Done in a Day (now Impact Support)
Marshes to Mansions Cookbook
Family & Youth Counseling Agency
*Mistletoe and Moss Holiday Market
First Steps
Nearly New Shop
Harbour House
Pet Therapy
Healthy Choices (FIT KIDS)
Pirate’s Pantry Cookbook
HELPing Hands at Moss Regional Heritage Awareness/ Heritage Hike Heritage Gallery
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Liberty Belles Life Lessons 101 (now Leadership Development)
Imperial Calcasieu Museum Junior Leagues’ Kids in the Kitchen
Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana (PCAL) Rebuilding Together (formerly Christmas in April) Speech & Hearing Center Substance Abuse Resource Center Teen Leadership Council (TLC)
Kids’ Choice Puppets
That’s My Bag (now Fostering Families)
Lake Charles Symphony
Volunteer Center of SWLA Vol. 7 • No. 22
Easter Bunny Photos Through March 6 The Bunny Photo Experience runs through Sat., March 26 in Sears Court at the Prien Lake Mall. Kids will have the chance to visit with the Bunny and take home a treasured snapshot of the fun occasion. He’ll be available from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Photo set prices vary.
LABT Spring Gala Showcase March 11 Tickets are now available for the Lake Area Ballet Theatre’s annual Spring Gala ballet showcase, which will celebrate the talents of over 100 local dancers and two guest artists. The performance will be held on Fri., March 11 at 7 p.m. at the Rosa Hart Theatre in Lake Charles. The LABT will present an exciting and colorful repertoire of vignette ballet performances from popular productions, including Les Sylphides, Pachelbel’s Canon in D, Grand Pas de Deux of Confection, Fiddle Tunes, Grand Tarantelle and Hypnagogia. Shea Johnson and Michele Gifford will perform as guest artists during the Spring Gala. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at www.lakeareaballettheatre.com.
The Diary of Anne Frank March 11-13, 18-20 ACTS Theatre is proud to present The Diary of Anne Frank March 11-12, 18-19 at 7:30 p.m. and March 13 and 20 at 3 p.m. at the One Reid Street Theatre in the Nellie Lutcher Cultural District. An impassioned drama about the lives of eight Jews hiding from the Nazis for two years in a concealed storage attic, The Diary of Anne Frank captures the realities of their daily existence—their fears, their hopes, their laughter, their grief. Directed by Joy Pace. 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 and Moss Bluff Flower and Gifts, and at the box office on the day of show.
Arbor Day Celebration March 12 The City of Lake Charles and Friends of Tuten Park are sponsoring an Arbor Day celebration on Sat., March 12 from 9 a.m. to noon, at Tuten Park, 3801 Nelson Rd. Over a dozen organizations will be present, offering demonstrations, activities and information to the public related to Arbor Day and the environment. Arbor Day was founded to celebrate planting trees and the ecosystem services that trees provide to communities. For more information, call (337) 491-9199.
Food for Fines March 13-24 The Calcasieu Parish Public Library is partnering with the Faith and Friends Food Pantry to gather much-needed items in exchange for removing library fines. Patrons can bring in any non-perishable food item to their nearest library branch starting Sun., March 13 through Thurs. March 24 to receive a coupon that is good for $5 off of any library fine. The coupon is not valid for copies or prints and cannot be used for lost items. There is no cash value to the coupon and no remaining balance on the coupon will be accepted. It is only good for a one-time use. One voucher per account will be handed out and a maximum of one voucher will be given regardless of size of donation. The coupon will expire at the end of the year. Visit www.calcasieulibrary.org or contact your local library.
Good Shepherd Book Sale March 18-20 The Church of the Good Shepherd will hold its annual book sale March 18 (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.), March 19 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) and March 20 (noon-3 p.m.) in the EDS gym, 715 Kirkman Street, Lake Charles. Over 20,000 books, new and used, as well as audio books, CDs, and DVDs will be for 22 March 10, 2016
sale. Most books sell for 50 cents - $3.00. Books signed by authors, first editions, coffee table books, and out-of-print books are specially priced. Don’t forget the $5 bag sale on Sunday! www.facebook.com/goodshepherdusedbooksale.
Anti-Bullying Fun Run & Walk March 19 Lost Hollows presents the Anti-Bullying Fun Run & Walk at the Lake Charles Civic Center Amphitheatre March 19 at 11 a.m. featuring monster trucks, monster face painting, games and prizes for kids plus Monster March T-shirts. The first 100 registrants also get a “Don’t Be A Monster” wristband and free 8-inch Gatti’s pizzas. www.thelosthollows.com.
Glad Tidings Church Easter Egg Hunt March 19 Free admission! Bring your own basket to Glad Tidings Church 3400 Texas St., Lake Charles on March 19 from 10 a.m.-noon for the annual Easter Egg Hunt! (337) 477-7774.
LC Civic Ballet’s Assemblé 2016 March 19-20 The Lake Charles Civic Ballet’s Assemblé 2016 will wow audiences with collaborative performances all in one show. Lake Charles author Eloise Huber’s book, The Goose with the Golden Legs is brought to life on stage; performing artist Tony James shares his talents in “Amen,” an original work incorporating ballet and tap dance with classic hymns and there’s a performance of the one-act comical ballet Gaité Parsienne. William G. Rose with PASTICHE quartet presents a live accompaniment of “The Season,” and there will be contemporary pieces staged by Golden Wright. Performances will be held at the Rosa Hart Theatre, 900 Lakeshore Drive. (337) 491-1432 or www.ticketmaster.com.
Palm Sunday Tour of Homes March 20 Eight neighborhood gems will be on tour at the 41st annual Palm Sunday Tour of Homes March 20 from 1-5 p.m. Residences include the Davis House at 902 Kirby St, the Lancaster House at 903 Kirby, the Bill Terry/ Reid Tyler House at 917 Kirby, the Lacy House at 1010 Reid, the Durio House at 832 Iris, and the Mulvey House (QuinnOaks) at 736 Pujo Street. In addition, the Walker Bonsai Garden at 716 Kirby and the Christian Science Reading Rooms at 701 Kirby will open their doors. The tour is walkable with all properties within one block of Central School, which will serve as tour headquarters and site of the “Mardi Gras Tearoom.” The Tearoom will operate during Tour hours and offer refreshments and an opportunity to view the Mardi Gras Museum. Proceeds from the Tearoom will benefit the Museum. Tickets are $10 and will be available at Gordon’s Drugs Lake Charles, at the Arts and Humanities Council Office at Central School and at the Brimstone Museum in Sulphur. calcasieupreservation.org.
Legacy Fighting Championships March 25 The Legacy series of MMA/Kickboxing events returns to Golden Nugget Lake Charles with Legacy 52 on Fri., March 25 in the Grand Event Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. The main event features flyweight champion Damacia Page (19-10) versus Matt Schnell (8-2). Others on the fight card include Jose Ceja vs. Irwin Rivera, Sean Soriano vs. Thomas Webb, Trent Meaux vs. Cody Williams, David Bosnick vs. Gage Duhon, Aaron Davis vs. Ryan Spann and Brendan Allen vs. Trevin Giles. The event will also be broadcast on AXS-TV. Tickets are available online at www.cagetix.com.
Art & Architecture in Cinema: Leonardo Da Vinci March 31 Get a unique look into Leonardo Da Vinci’s life, and experience the Vol. 7 • No. 22
works and personality of one of the greatest artists who ever lived. Leonardo Da Vinci - The Ultimate Exhibition will be screened on Thursday, March 31 at 7 p.m. at Cinemark Lake Charles. Don’t miss your chance to explore the dramatic story of the Master of the Renaissance in cinemas nation-wide. Buy tickets at www.cinemark.com.
‘Beats & Eats Soiree’ April 2 On Sat., April 2 from 6-10 p.m., Volunteers of America will hold ‘Beats & Eats Soiree 2016’ at L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles. The event will have a masquerade theme to “unmask homelessness in Southwest Louisiana.” This fundraiser supports the life-changing pro-
grams of Volunteers of America. The event will feature a plated dinner and dancing to music by The Tugboats. Products and services donated by area businesses will be auctioned. Tickets are only $50 per person or $400 for a reserved table of 8 before March 11. Tickets are $60 per person after March 11 upon availability. Order event tickets on-line at http://lcsoiree2016.eventbrite.com or call (337) 497-0034.
Railroad Days Festival April 7-9 Louisiana Railroad Days Festival is an alcohol-free, family friendly, three-day event. There is no admission fee or parking fee (there is a fee for carnival rides). The Louisiana Railroad Days Pageant will be
Julian Q The Library Dude Opens for March 18 Concert By Jody Taylor “Live at the Lakefront 2016” continues on March 18 with McDonald’s of SWLA Family Night. This FREE concert at the Civic Center’s outdoor amphitheatre will feature not only great Louisiana food, music, and art, but also fun family activities. Opening the big show is the Lake Area’s own Julian Q the Library Dude, in a special performance of fun, quirky children’s songs that the whole family will love, starting shortly before 6 p.m. Entertaining through sing-along originals, revamped classics, and an exciting story time, the Library Dude’s show will also feature unique performances from The International Dance Co. and banjo player Greg Stratton. The Library Dude’s real-life persona, Julian Quebedeaux, started his music career right after high school, working at Calcasieu Parish Libraries during the Summer Reading Program on break from college classes. After graduating from the University of New Orleans with a bachelor’s in film, Quebedeaux signed on full-time with the library, selecting books and coordinating and hosting story time. One of his favorite stories to read for the kids is I’m a Shark by Bob Shea, with a fresh, colorful style and memorable, fun characters that are a blast to act out. Early on, Quebedeaux noticed a strong connection between learning and music. “Story time was my inspiration for learning how to play guitar,” he said. While researching old tunes, he realized that most classic children’s songs are based on dark material that didn’t relate much with modern kids. “That’s my mission with The Library Dude, bringing children’s songs into 2016, making them fun,” he said. “It’s all about connecting with the kids.” Quebedeaux left the library last Vol. 7 • No. 22
year, taking on the role of media director for Christian World, where he indulges his love for film directing, editing, and videography. He also loves the format of short films and music videos, with past credits that include projects with The Ukulady’s Man and rapper/gospel singer Nick Moss. Though Quebedeaux left the library, he couldn’t leave The Library Dude. In October, Julian Q returned for ArtsFest 2015 as a host and entertainer, performing alongside the Lake Area Ballet Theatre, Ally-Gator BookBites, and The Children’s Theatre Co. during the popular and longrunning hands-on craft festival for area kids. Besides his gig as the Library Dude and various projects in film, Quebedeaux also serves
on the Board of Directors for the Arts Council of SWLA and the Lake Charles Little Theatre, and appeared in several theatre productions around our area. Quebedeaux has big dreams for The Library Dude. “The goal is a TV show,” he said. “That would be amazing, and viable in Lake Charles! But underneath all that, I just love to be a part of the learning process for anyone. I want to continue to educate and inspire.”
See videos for songs like “Down By the Gulf ” and “Jump Up, Spin Around” at www.facebook.com/ thelibrarydude and don’t miss the free show on March 18 at the Civic Center’s outdoor amphitheatre! Also on Family Night, Painting With A Twist will host an interactive mural for kids (and parents!) to paint, and expect crafts, games, and surprise appearances from CyPhaCon/CyphaKids, The Lost Hollows Monster March dancers, Bark du Lac Dog Park, and more. The International Dance Co. will present their performing students along with the professional performing troupes of Na ‘Olelo ‘O Ka Pu’uwai, Ladies of the Lake, and The Fire Maidens, plus good time Louisiana heritage music from Chris Miller & Bayou Roots (Cajun) and the Dog Hill Stompers (Zydeco) to top it all off. A big thank you to McDonald’s of SWLA for their continued support of Lake Area culture and events like Live at the Lakefront. For a full list of supporters and more information on this free concert series, visit www.facebook. com/ArtsCouncilSWLA. Jody Taylor is the Project Coordinator for the Arts Council of SWLA and can be reached through email at jodyt@ artscouncilswla.org.
March 10, 2016 23
held on Thursday and a parade will be held on Friday to kick off the festival, followed by Gospel Night with gospel music for everyone to enjoy. Saturday highlights include a 5K run and live music. A variety of bands will be playing Saturday. Go to www.larailroaddaysfestival.com for a complete schedule of events.
Lian Quan Zhen Reception April 8
Downtown Crawfish Festival April 15-16 Celebrate at one of the spiciest events in Southwest Louisiana! With crawfish season in full swing, get hungry for over 10,000 pounds of hot, boiled crawfish at the Downtown Crawfish Festival April 15-16. Other events include live music, a queen’s pageant, parade, and the Mitchell Brother’s Carnival at one of the largest indoor and outdoor festivals held at the Lake Charles Civic Center, 900 Lakeshore Dr. For more event information, visit www.downtowncrawfest.com.
photo by Ollie Simon Alexander
View breathtaking original paintings by Lian Quan Zhen at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church on Hodges St. from 7-9 p.m. on April 8. Sales of the paintings will benefit the missions of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. Lian Quan Zhen was born in China and earned a degree from the University of California and a master’s degree in architecture
from MIT. He has authored ten books including a coffee table art book and has won many international awards. For more information on Lian Quan Zhen, visit www.lianspainting.com.
By Jody Taylor It’s a very exciting time for the indie dance pop band Royal Teeth. Soon after their “Live at the Lakefront” performance on March 11, the Louisiana-based band will release the first single from their major label debut on Elektra Records, due later this year. On the cusp of a future wide open and bright with potential, Royal Teeth (singer Gary Larsen, co-vocalist Nora Patterson, guitarist Thomas Onebane, and the double Josh rhythm section of drummer Hefner and bassist Wells) is ready to hit the road again, electrified in the momentum of a new album, performances on American Idol and Last Call with Carson Daly, and coast-to-coast festival appearances. “You get used to being ready for anything to change pretty quickly,” 24 March 10, 2016
Larsen said in a recent phone interview, referring to the band’s evolving schedule of new opportunities. The current plan is to tour from April through June, then return home to wrap up the new album, which aims to fully capture the fun, frenetic energy of Royal Teeth’s live concerts. “We try to enhance the connection from the stage to the audience,” Larsen said. “I want the people at the show to feel like they experienced something rather than just seeing it from a distance.” And though the band has global appeal, Larsen hears a subtle Louisiana influence in Royal Teeth’s pulse. “Rhythm is such a key part of the music, and we want to make you dance,” he explained. “That was a huge influence from growing up here, the natural energy of Louisiana’s music and culture.”
Royal Teeth’s joyful, exuberant pop anthems blend the sing-along bombast of arena acts like Coldplay with a blast of hope and possibility, while the dual male-female vocals of Patterson and Larsen harmoniously weave through big, hooky choruses and inspiring lyrics. There’s many ways to write a great pop tune but a song, like Sia’s “Chandelier,” really draws Larsen’s attention when it’s “effortlessly catchy with an emotional connection on some higher level.” His dream show, given no limitations, would see Royal Teeth on the same bill with U2, Michael Jackson, and David Bowie. For American Idol’s Top 10 results show, talent judge Harry Connick, Jr. personally picked Royal Teeth to perform as his Tastemaker choice. “They’re from
Louisiana. That’s the main reason I love them.” Connick said. “The second main reason I love them is that they’re hot.” Since forming in 2010, Royal Teeth has released their debut EP Act Naturally and the LP Glow, plus high profile performances at Bonnaroo, Jazz Fest, Voodoo, SXSW, and Festival International. Their song “Wild” was featured in multiple television spots, including the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S5, and on EA Sports’ FIFA13 game. But with a major label debut and supporting tour looming, the band’s journey is just beginning. Anything can happen, and Royal Teeth is enjoying the ride. “I’d like to take the band as far as it can go, and I don’t have a ceiling for what I want,” Larsen said. “If the opportunities are there, the songs, the audiences, that’s wonderful, but the most important thing is that we’re having fun, and the joy we’re showing on stage is honest.” Point your browser to RoyalTeethMusic.com or find ‘em on Facebook for updates on the band. Catch the show for yourself at the Lake Charles Civic Center’s Arcade Amphitheatre on Friday, March 11 during “Live the Lakefront 2016,” which also features Lake Area rock band Watchers and rockabilly outlaws The Von Dukes. Thank you to Fusion 5, the Lake Area’s premiere organization for young professionals, for their continued support of Lake Area culture and events like Live at the Lakefront. For a full list of supporters and more info on this free concert series, visit www. artscouncilswla.org. Jody Taylor is the Project Coordinator for the Arts Council of SWLA and can be reached through email at jodyt@artscouncilswla.org. Vol. 7 • No. 22
Vol. 7 • No. 22
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Daneisha Davis-Harger By Brian Pitre Since its introduction to the world in the early 1980s, graphic design has been a hyper-evolving study with an ever-growing fan base. However, as we descend deeper into the technological age, the study has transcended from solely being in the hands of skilled technicians and into the hands of anyone with an eye for art or entertainment, thus bringing life to the age-old argument of whether or not digital creations should or should not be listed within the ranks of other fine arts. Many argue that art is art, regardless of medium; to assume art can be defined goes against the very foundation of the art world. Others stand firm in the belief that anyone who can learn the program can create anything the program allows. One local artist has found her calling somewhere in the gray areas of that argument and has filled it with Pixels & Ink. Attending McNeese State University for a year and later graduating from SOWELA Technical Community College in 2012, Daneisha Davis-Harger entered the professional world with a wealth of artistic and technical knowledge under her belt. Making a living using this knowledge, unfortunately, is no easy task. Daniesha takes a break from the screen for a moment to tell us how she makes it look easy. JAM: You are quite involved in the local art scene, are you originally from the Lake Area? DDH: I am! I was born in Lake Charles, grew up in Moss Bluff. JAM: When did you first find an interest in art? 26 March 10, 2016
DDH: The earliest I can remember is third grade. I remember drawing a T-Rex and thinking, “This is really good.” After that, I drew Looney Tunes constantly! I guess back then I thought animation and Illustration were the same thing, so when I started drawing, I quickly switched to animation.
because it’s so versatile; my interests are ever evolving, but my medium is flexible. There really isn’t much you can’t do if you just take the time to figure it out.
JAM: Did you ever expect to turn that into a career? DDH: Actually, no. I had always said I wanted to have a career in some kind of science (archaeology, marine biology, geology, or astronomy). I had stopped drawing for several years, and didn’t revisit art until I started focusing on photography while at McNeese. I didn’t start drawing again until around 2011 and it was lousy.
JAM: You clearly have found a style within your medium that boldly presents itself as your artwork. What inspired you to create the style, and do you have a name for it? DDH: You know, I’m actually not sure that I have a style! It’s one of those things I tend to struggle with. I feel I should have a style to be recognizable, but I just don’t see it when I look at my work. I really like vibrant colors and vintage/retro things, even when I was younger, so it would make sense that those things would influence my work now. I guess you can call it a style, but no, I don’t have a name for it. I’ll have to think about that one!
JAM: What led you into the field of graphic arts? DDH: Well I took some time off in 2004; I knew I wanted to go back to school, but I didn’t know what for, exactly. The only thing I knew for sure is that I didn’t feel like I had the time to go back to McNeese. When I found out that all of my credits would transfer, I decided to go to SOWELA. I honestly cannot remember why I chose graphic arts, but I’m glad I did. JAM: It seem as though you have found your home in graphic arts. Do you feel like it was an easy medium to transition into, or were there many obstacles? DDH: Well, I love technology and gadgets, so I think it was super-easy since it already sparked my interest. It works for me
Seeking the Sage Vol. 7 • No. 22
JAM: How did you come up with the name of your business and how did you get started? DDH: I came up with the name Pixel & Ink about two years ago. I had taken a short break from digital work and did a few mixed media pieces with watercolor and pen. I just liked the sound of it. I’m pretty sure my first design client was my Mom! I started doing work for her while I was still in school. Since then I’ve done work for Banners at McNeese, and a few community organizations. Truthfully, most of my design work these days comes from friends I met online in a nail polish group a few years ago! JAM: What do you feel has set you apart from other graphic artists? In other words, what have others told you that they enjoy most about your work? DDH: I hear the words “fun” and “cute’” a lot and that’s totally fine with me! I think I’m pretty fun, however, because of my introverted personality, most people don’t know that. I’m glad my work can sort of portray that. JAM: What keeps your drive alive? What makes you want to get up and art each day? DDH: Any other time, I would say just knowing that I have to make things. This is my identity. I was an artist before I was anything else. So if I’m not making things, who am I? I feel like if I don’t do it, I’m losing a part of myself. I just don’t want to fail. I keep going; I try to get better at it every day. I feel like I have to validate myself, to prove that being an artist is a legit job and career choice. Frankly, I think it’s one of the best things about me.
Rodent Optimism
Unbreakable
SWLArt Group is a collaboration of a variety of local groups & artists, to support the development and improvement of their quality of life & business as well as strengthen the over cultural growth of the community. For more information about SWLArt Group, artists, or events visit their official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/swlart. Also be sure to follow them on Instagram and Twitter @swlart.
JAM: If you could offer an aspiring artist any bit of advice what would it be? DDH: Don’t quit. I would be so much further along than I am if I would have not quit. I completely understand that life sometimes gets in the way, but if you can help it, just don’t quit. Also, don’t let anyone else have too much influence over what you decide to do. Putting too much stock in other people’s opinions will ruin you.
Welcome to Florida Vol. 7 • No. 22
March 10, 2016 27
Eddie the Eagle (20th Century Fox, 2016) Michael “Eddie” Edwards is five or six years old. He’s going to the Olympics. No, really, he’s got his clothes on, his duffel bag packed, and he’s headed for the stairs. Mum stops him and says, “Eddie, where are you going?” “To the Olympics.” “Well, you’d better take this box to put your medals in.” She hands Eddie a cigar box and he’s out front door. He walks down to the bus station at the end of the street. It’s pitch black outside. This unlikely true tale gets more unlikely as it goes on. In another of our series of “Based On A True Story”
28 March 10, 2016
movies, the hero of Eddie the Eagle is not typical, and he’s not an animated cartoon. But Eddie Edwards is the most determined and stubborn person you’ve ever seen. What is interesting is the way the British Olympic Council works to keep him out of the Olympics. He doesn’t come from the right school. He doesn’t have class and charm. Basically the kid doesn’t have a chance. But Eddie doesn’t care, because this is his dream. And dreamers find a way. If one sport doesn’t work, he finds another one that does. Eddie the Eagle is meant to
be a crowd pleaser and perhaps goes a little far down the alley of the predictable. His mum approves of his dream but dad doesn’t. And when Eddie finds a mentor, you can see it sort of as a Rocky tale flipped on its head. However, Eddie himself is anything but predictable, and he’s the whole story, right? So there you go. Eventually, he settles for being a ski jumper, those guys who fly through the air and if they’re lucky, land without breaking any bones. Eddie goes to Germany to train, and the scenes of snowcovered mountains are beautiful. And those mountains are very high. You start wondering if the Eagle is going to break his neck trying to learn his sport. Not many people of Eddie’s questionable ability would be brave enough even to start a dangerous career in competitive ski jumping, much less persevere. But we become convinced that Eddie is very different from most people, and yet very much human rather than superhuman. If he’s no X-Man, his coach, Wolverine, er, Bronson Perry (Hugh Jackman) arguably is more than human, though he’s former Olympian turned snowplow driver. As the reluctant teacher won over
by the hardheaded kid, Jackman adds some stardom to the cast, along with cameos by Christopher Walken and Jim Broadbent. Along the way, Eddie ends up teaching them a few things about sincerity and sportsmanship. I really enjoyed the movie, mainly because it wasn’t about curling. Seriously, and with apologies to all you curling fans out there, I learned a lot about ski jumping--like they don’t use ski poles for balance or anything. And those slopes are really, really high, with the 90 meters (about 100 yards) being the pinnacle for the sport. OK, so I didn’t learn that much, except I think I’m now afraid of heights. I still liked the movie. Thankfully there aren’t any teary-eyed moments in Eddie the Eagle, just some laughs and a lot of heart from what became Britain’s first ski hero since, well, forever. Eddie the Eagle is rated PG-13 for a bunch of hairy naked skiers in a Swedish spa and a training session where Hugh Jackman compares ski jumping to an imaginary sex scene with Bo Derek. Bo Derek might want to sue, but I don’t think anyone else will be offended. Enjoy!
Vol. 7 • No. 22
Be Frank With Me You can’t help whom you fall in love with. Your heart doesn’t see skin color, hair color, body weight or bust size. It doesn’t detect wallet contents or car type. You fall in love with someone because…. well, just because. And in the new book Be Frank with Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson, that someone might be a little boy in spats. In a long line of bosses, Isaac Vargas was the one Alice Whitley liked best: he was genuinely nice and he had faith in her. So when he asked Alice to go to California and work as a temporary assistant to famed but reclusive author M.M. “Mimi” Banning, she accepted the assignment, even though she really didn’t want it. When Alice’s mother was a teenager, she read Banning’s book, The Pitcher. Everybody did; it was a bestseller-cum-high-schoolrequirement. But Banning hadn’t written a word since and Vargas, as her editor, was eager for a second novel. Alice ’s help would make Vol. 7 • No. 22
Banning’s life – and her work – as easy as possible. But it wasn’t going to be easy for Alice . Her first moments at the Banning estate set the tone: M.M. Banning was a blunt woman, not at all prone to social niceties. She called Alice homely, then tasked her with fixing things, meals, and caring for Frank. At nine years old, Frank Banning liked sophisticated pretend games and blackand-white movies. He wore old-fashioned clothes (the kind Alice would expect a grandfather to own), and hats to match – sometimes with gloves or a pince-nez. Frank didn’t understand jokes. He had no friends, and the household ran by two rules: nobody touched Frank, and nobody touched Frank’s things. It took awhile to embrace those rules, and Frank was certainly a challenge, but as Alice settled into her job, she had to admit that life was interesting with him around. It was an adventure, in fact, made better by the pres-
ence of Banning’s handsome friend-turned-handyman, Xander, who certainly liked Alice very much. Frank seemed to like Alice , too, (though he sometimes said he didn’t). Now, if only Alice ’s new boss did… Imagine what happens if you’ve got a handful of BBs, and you throw them into the air. That’s kind of what it’s like to read Be Frank with Me – and that’s okay. Mostly. To be sure, the book scatters: author Julia Claiborne Johnson’s main character, the boy to whom the title refers and who drives this book, caroms from subject to subject like an out-of-control pinball machine. Johnson stops short of giving him a
label of any sort but Frank is the epitome of eccentric, which wouldn’t be nearly as endearing without the character, Alice , who takes the edge out of this story. Her acceptance of his peccadilloes – and her patience – ultimately made me happy. Though I thought this book ended too abruptly, I don’t think that’s a dealbreaking flaw. The charm of it overcomes that aspect enough that I can recommend this novel; in fact, Be Frank with Me is a book I think you just might love. “Be Frank with Me” By Julia Claiborne Johnson ©2016, Wm. Morrow $25.99 / $31.99 Canada 291 pages March 10, 2016 29
Thursday, March 10 Amanda Walker 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC David Joel 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Big Daddy 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 Karaoke Night Karoake starts @ 11 p.m. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Dirt Road 8 p.m. @ Cowboys $1.50 beer and bar ‘til 10 p.m. 5329 Common St. LC
Night Ranger 8:30 p.m. in the Grand Event Center Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Tickets on sale now @ Ticketmaster.com
Royal Teeth 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC DJ CaGe 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Saturday, March 12
Joe Purvis & Talon 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC
Amanda Walker 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
City Heat 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
LA Bayou Band 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
Little River Band 8 p.m. in the Grand Event Center Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Tickets on sale now @ Ticketmaster.com Special Event Night 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Joe Purvis & Talon 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC City Heat 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge
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
Friday, March 11 Amanda Walker 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Royal Teeth, Watchers and Von Dukes
Live @ the Lakefront 6-10 p.m. @ Lakefront Promenade’s Arcade Amphitheatre Reed Planchard 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC 30 March 10, 2016
Flamethrowers 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Troy Laz Band 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Dance Night Drink specials starting @midnight 9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC LA Yard Dogs 9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC Vol. 7 • No. 22
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 Flamethrowers 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Troy Laz Band 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Vol. 7 • No. 22
DJ CaGe 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Jazz Night with Mickey Smith 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
Trivial Tuesdays-
Live Team Trivia
Sunday, March 13
7:30 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St.
Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC
Monday, March 14 Bryan Trahan
Chester & Jarius Daigle
5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
The Strangers 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Open Mic Night 9-midnight @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC
SIN Night Two for Tuesday on shots and beer 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Tuesday, March 15
Wednesday, March 16
Kevin Lambert 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Chester Daigle 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
JD’s Whiskey Brunch @ 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Rod Richard 3:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC Server Industry Night Sunday Funday Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. LC
March 10, 2016 31
Chris Miller & Bayou Roots 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC Streetside Jazz 8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC Perkins Road 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Superstar Wednesdays Drag Show starts at 11:30 p.m. 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Thursday, March 17 Kay Miller & Aaron Horne 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar
L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Perkins Road 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Encore 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 Bernie Alan 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
experience overall is so special. Just as a bartender may never be able to recreate that perfect drink you had at that one place when you were at some bar you forgot the name of, it would be very difficult to By Braylin Jenkins re-establish that feeling from that exact moment. This June, Southwest Louiwill experience someDeep South Music siana thing that has so much meanFestival in June ing and purpose that it may We all love music. It can be the very thing that will evoke blissful feelings and set help reignite the spark that so off all the right endorphins. many have been holding out Remember that time you were for. If I told you I’m refersomewhere and you felt some- ring to a music festival takthing you’d never felt before? ing place this coming June to Maybe it occurred at a concert reignite the spark, would that or on a night when you were pop the bubble of expectation not doing anything of imporor significance? tance, yet looking back, it had There is a group of people such a profound impact on striving to do something that you. Sadly, that feeling may at the very least will bring you never come again. That moback to that special moment in ment, those memories, the
Bring it Home
32 March 10, 2016
Friday, March 18 Kay Miller & Aaron Horne 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Chris Miller & Bayou Roots, The Dog Hill Stompers
Live @ the Lakefront 6-10 p.m. @ Lakefront Promenade’s Arcade Amphitheatre
John Guidroz 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
time that you wish you could experience again. Danita Noland, Cedric Ferrell and I began meeting in September of 2015. Each of us play a role in the music scene of Lake Charles/SWLA and have daily interaction with venue owners, elected officials, businessmen and women, residents, and most important, music artists and musicians. From an economic standpoint, entertainment is a major business. Other than for pure enjoyment, entertainment can be very profitable when done well. Conduct a search online and you will see for yourself how many festivals there are in Louisiana, particularly SWLA. Depending on the strategy and planning behind anything involving entertainment, the potential success that can go beyond the stars is always an option. On March 3, our trio announced that we are holding a music festival in June that will take place over the course of three weeks. With a com-
LA Express 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Perkins Road 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Encore 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
petition for local/regional music artists, an educational workshop for those competing along with students in the Dr. Francis G. Bulber Youth Orchestra (our partnering nonprofit organization), a VIP/ ticketholder festival party and an all-day music event, those three weeks are needed. It may seem ambitious to take all this on for a first-year festival however, we are striving to go beyond what has been and are looking to go even further. The music competition portion of the festival will take place June 2-16 at five local venues including My Place American Pub, 171 Junction Roadhouse, OB’s Bar & Grill, On the Rocks and The Center Stage. The competing music artists will enter one of four music categories: Solo Performers, Roots, Rhythm and World, or Rock. Those who are accepted into the competition will be scheduled to perform during the two-week time frame. Vol. 7 • No. 22
Velcro Pygmies 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
LA Express 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Dance Night Drink specials starting @midnight 9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Saturday, March 19
Encore 9 p.m.– 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Renn Loren 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC Killawatts 9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Dead Man Circus 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC
The winner of each category will receive a cash prize, access to the private educational workshops and festival preparty on June 17, as well as performing at the all-day music event scheduled for June 18, along with the headlining music artists. Four headliners are booked for the first year of what we have named “Bring It Home: A Deep South Music Festival” and each of them have ties to SWLA. We were very strategic in whom we booked--their genre, energy and passion for what they do. Tank and the Bangas out of New Orleans include a mixture of spoken word, zingy theatrics and soul-rousing music. Gill Landry, a Lake Charles native and former member of the band Old Crow Medicine Show is a singer-songwriter and multiinstrumentalist who puts a true emphasis on the festival’s meaning as he returns home to Southwest Louisiana. The third headliner is Marc Vol. 7 • No. 22
Kay Miller & Aaron Horne 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Frayed Soul 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC Honey Jar 8:30 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
Broussard of the Lafayette area who has a unique gift of channeling the spirits of classic R&B, rock and soul into contemporary terms. Rounding out the list, there will be a special reunion performance of Ashes of Babylon, a unique roots-reggae group who originally hailed from Lake Charles and moved on to Austin to spread their talent with the world. Ashes of Babylon brings an original style of music with a blend of jazz, R&B, Hip-Hop and funk all the while keeping a solid roots-reggae core. The selected headliners love what they do and understand the benefit of community and music education. With that said, the educational workshops mentioned earlier will be held on Friday, June 17 inside the Central School Arts & Humanities Building, which will be offered to those in the competition as well as to students enrolled in the Dr. Francis G. Bulber Youth Orchestra, the
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 Velcro Pygmies 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort
festival’s’ non-profit partner. Along with workshops, there will be a panel discussion, all conducted by the headlining music artists and other special guests. The headliners were asked to arrive a day early, and all of them expressed how much they are looking forward to working one-on-one with those in attendance. Later that evening on the 17th, there will be a festival party held for VIP and general admission ticket holders that will take place at Rikenjaks Brewing Company. It will feature exclusive VIP access from 7-9 p.m. and the headliners have been encouraged to attend. From 9 p.m. until midnight, all ticket holders will be invited to join the party and enjoy live music by Choctaw Wildfire of Austin. The all-day music event will take place the next day on June 18 inside the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum. Doors will open at 11 a.m. with music beginning
777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Sunday, March 20 Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC
Chester & Jarius Daigle
JD’s Whiskey Brunch @ 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Ganey Arsement 4 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
at 1 p.m. and the final band concluding at 11:30 p.m. There will be one stage for the four headliners and another for the four music competition winners. There will be food vendors, non-profit organizations, merchandise booths and other fun surprises for festival goers. Tickets may be purchased at a special early bird price until April 18 at www.bringithomefest.com. As a trio who collectively see a much-needed change in the current state of how our music scene operates, we believe this is the perfect time to introduce something bold, fresh and new. We would like to give a special thank you to Ben Von Duke for creating beautiful sketches and illustrations for the festival as well as KillerDye.com and James Welch for their continued support and contributions. For more details on sponsorship, becoming a vendor, entering the competition, purchasing tickets and more, visit www. bringithomefest.com. March 10, 2016 33
Server Industry Night Sunday Funday Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. LC
DJ Jose Mata
Monday, March 21
DJ Jose Mata
9 p.m.- 2a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Kevin Lambert 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
8 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
That Her Face At First Just Ghostly, Turned a Whiter Shade of Pale... You know, the word “Art” is a pretty broad and complicated thing. There are countless mediums and interpretations for the things that various people call “Art” and often, people may disagree with what should or should not be deemed as such. Some things are a bit more universal, such as paintings or music, for example, but even those things can get a bit “questionable” to many in the realms of what constitutes true art. For example, many criticize the works of painter Robert Ryman who has fashioned himself in the art world as the “guy who paints white on a white canvas.” Now, the idea of looking at a white canvas and calling it “art” may leave some people a bit perplexed. The concept was even panned in the West End / Broadway Tony Award winner Art, where three close friends fall out over one’s purchase of an entirely white painting for a considerable amount of money. While many see the concept as absurd, it certainly hasn’t hampered Ryman’s success, having sold his works in the millions including the 1980 work Bridge that sold at Christie’s last May for a staggering $20.6 million dollars. Not to mention the Museum of Modern Art has chosen 28 pieces of his work to be added to their prestigious collection. Music isn’t any stranger to such scru34 March 10, 2016
tiny, either. The late composer John Cage is largely known for “4’33” which is, quite literally, 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence. A song without words, notes or instrumentation would be hard-pressed to constitute music to a great many people; however, Cage remains an incredibly important and influential composer and musician. Phillip Glass’s work “ASLAP” (As Slow As Possible) was composed with no other direction save the tempo being “as slow as possible”. In 2001, a cathedral in Germany began a performance of that piece that STILL has not finished. The automated organ is playing it so slowly that the last note change happened in October of 2013 and the next one will not happen until September 2020 with completion of the work not expected until sometime in 2640, so any listener of that performance will only, at most, hear one droning note change to another one. That’s hardly music, right? Well, it is. Just as “4’33” is a piece of music, actually. Many accomplished musicians and teachers that I have encountered over the years have often echoed the same sentiment: Rules exist for a reason. You must first thoroughly understand not only the rules, but also why they exist in the first place. Then, and only then, are you allowed to break them. If you or I threw a bunch of white paint on a canvas and expected to fetch millions on it, they’d probably haul us away to the loony bin. The idea of minimalism is a bit deceptive in that it’s not about the lack of thought or effort but the intense amount of both and finding that the appropriate
way to convey that is through a stripped down and bare bones concept. John Cage didn’t decide to pull one over on anybody by saying “Here’s my new work” and delivering only silence. That would be like me submitting a blank sheet of paper to my editor and saying “Here is this issue’s column.” Cage has a very specific set of instructions for that piece that involves the full preparation of performance, just as if you were performing Bach or Beethoven, and he has a specific auditory goal in mind: It’s the sounds you hear in the silence. It could be someone coughing, or squeaky theater seats or any other ambient noise that happens to be in that particular place and time, but that is what he wanted you, the listener, to hear. Glass wasn’t writing a song that takes over 600 years to perform because he wanted people to listen one note droning on ad infinitum. He was making a statement about what constitutes art and music: it doesn’t have to be an exclusively “listener driven” experience to still be an inspired and meaningful piece of reputable artistic creation.
Hey Good Lookin’. What Ya Got Cookin’... Which brings me to a very “artistic” evening that I passed just recently. I will preface this with the fact than I am neither a food critic nor restaurant reviewer. In fact, I originally had no intentions on writing about this, but something got in my head and I’ve decided to follow my intuition and just go with it. Restaurant Calla has been a hip new fixture in the Lake City for a good little bit now and their reputation only seems Vol. 7 • No. 22
Drink Specials
Tuesday, March 22
9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Kenneth Espree 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
to be growing. My first visit was for The Great Raft Brewing Beer Dinner that featured not only the work of Chef David Sorells, but also the assistance of guest Chef Jay Ducote, finalist on The Next Food Network Star. The event was a five-course meal all paired and made with various beer selections from the Shreveportbased brewery that turned a meal into an evening-long interactive experience that, frankly, changed the way I want to dine. My evening began with a brief conversation with Chef David where he made a comment that has really stuck with me since and, frankly, kept me from writing about anything else for this issue. He said something along the lines of “The food is one thing, but what I am here to do is to create a memory, an experience that people take with them once they leave.” I was admittedly intrigued when I hear the chef of one of the area’s most daring and adventurous restaurants lead with “The food is one thing…” It was almost dismissive, in fact, to the very thing that one would imagine would be a chef ’s top priority: making epic cuisine. But through that statement and throughout the subsequent evening, I think I really began to understand what he meant. It was not that the food was not important, it’s a restaurant for crying out loud. I think what he was conveying is that the food is but one element of the whole creation. It was more to emphasize those elements than it was down-playing the cuisine to allow the realization of the complete and true vision of what he, his staff and his restaurant are trying to do. It transcends what’s on the plate, just like Cage transcended Vol. 7 • No. 22
the idea of what music was. It could be and in many was more than just the notes on the page. It instead becomes something larger, more complex and more meaningful at the end of the day, even if it defies the conventional understanding of what that particular art may be. And while the food was a special level of decadence, to be sure, the true art of David Sorrells and what Calla is became evident to me that night. It transcended the idea of serving a fine meal. It made you look at the idea of dining as something that can be bigger and greater than either just fueling your body or even a memorable culinary experience. The entire evening, down to the conversations that went on amongst attendees between courses, became
Jazz Night with Clint Faulk 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC Trivial Tuesdays-Live Team Trivia 7:30 p.m. @ Luna Live a part of the artistry that Chef and crew were serving up that night. Just as Cage made the ambient sounds of a silent theater his music, Chef made those people and those conversations part of his art and left a memory and an impression that is not unlike seeing a great concert, film, play or musical. It was its own very special brand of performance art that is truly unlike anything I have experienced in this town and something that I greatly anticipate experiencing again. So whatever it is that you do, find vision and passion and try to make it bigger to the world than what it appears on the surface. Whatever your medium is, do it in a way that would make someone see the art and value of a white
710 Ryan St. DJ Jose Mata 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC painted canvas or a silent piece of music. Make it evocative and challenging and don’t be afraid to defy convention when the cause arises. You just might find your own art in the things you do day to day. Even if it’s putting some food on a plate, the right inspiration and creativity could very well help you to generate a masterpiece of your very own. I most certainly hope that each of you finds the art that is waiting for you, and I encourage you all to follow that vision as passionately as you can. You might not make 20 million dollars off of it, but the value that is there to both yourself and those who delight in the things you do is one you won’t want to trade for anything else in the world.
Something is Happening Here... And now, in a more familiar tone for the ol’ JMLC it’s time for… March 11, 18 and 25 : Live at the Lakefront, Lake Charles Civic Center It is that time of year again, and the good folk over at the Arts and Humanities Council are bringing you a Live at the Lakefront lineup to remember. The 2016 kickoff show will take place on Friday, March 11 and will feature Elektra recording artists Royal Teeth (as seen on American Idol and Last Call with Carson Daly) along with local up-and-coming rockers Watchers and rockabilly madmen The Von Dukes. The March 18th edition will feature CFMA favorites Chris Miller and Bayou Roots, the Boozoo Chavis family legacy band Dog Hill Stompers and SWLA Family Night feature opening artist Julian Q The Library Dude in a special performance just for the youngin’s. The season closer will take place on March 25th and will welcome local favorite The Flamethrowers, indie pop’ers Sweet Crude and the acoustic roots duo, Thomas and Theresa. Each offering of Live at the Lakefront will also feature tons of food and drink offerings and an extensive art market. If you’ve attended in the past, I don’t have to tell you, but for those who haven’t, GO SEE THESE SHOWS!
I Could Drink a Case of You... If you are a case of Great Raft At Arms Length India Pale Lager, that is... I would like to send a big thank you to the G.R.B. team, the Calla crew, Chef Jay Ducote and most importantly, Chef David Sorells for finding true art in what they do and being passionate about their art enough to share it with us all. Thank you for transcending taste and giving us something to truly remember. And, as always, should any of you have any questions, suggestions, feedback or what have you, please feel free to hit up at JMLC@justinmorrisentertainment.com. I always love to hear from you. Thanks for Jammin’ with us for another issue and we’ll see ya back here in just two short weeks. Until then... I’ll see you at the show! March 10, 2016 35
Angel Garcia 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Wednesday, March 23 Chester Daigle 5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Chris Miller & Bayou Roots 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
Swagger 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 Karoake starts @ 11 p.m. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Friday, March 25
Rapture 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Superstar Wednesdays Drag Show starts at 11:30 p.m. 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Sweet Crude, Flamethrowers
Josh Taylor 9:30 @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Thursday, March 24 Katie Whitney and Chip Radford 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Rapture 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC 36 March 10, 2016
Live @ the Lakefront 6-10 p.m. @ Lakefront Promenade’s Arcade Amphitheatre Dustin and Travis 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC Reed Planchard & Driving Dixie 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton Swagger 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 Rapture 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush
Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC No Idea 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Dance Night Drink specials starting @midnight 9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC Rusty Metoyer 9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Saturday, March 26 Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Kenny Spears 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC
Charley Pride
Signature 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse 2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC Reed Planchard & Driving Dixie 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton Swagger 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 Rapture 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC No Idea 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
7 p.m. @ Delta Event Center Delta Downs Racetrack Casino 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Limited seating! tickets on sale now
Sunday, March 27
8 p.m. in the Grand Event Center Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC
Tickets on sale now @ Ticketmaster.com
Chester & Jarius Daigle
Special Event Night 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
@ 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
JD’s Whiskey Brunch
Vol. 7 • No. 22
Vol. 7 • No. 22
March 10, 2016 37
Myla and Mark Riedl with Phillip DeVilbiss and Pam Fournerat Chef David Sorrells and Chef Jay Ducote
Tammy Palmer-Edwards, Kattie Chesson and Chelsea Brennan
GREAT RAFT BREWING DINNER AT CALLA It was a packed house at Calla as Chef David Sorrells welcomed Baton Rouge’s Chef Jay Ducote and the good folk from Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport to create a culinary experience that will be hard to forget. Bravo to Chef David, Chef Jay, the guys from GRB and the whole Calla crew! C’est magnifique!!!
Megan Blanchard and Melanie Jemison
Jon Gibbs and Matt Savoie
Jimbeaux, Kevin and Brian Guilbeaux
Jeff Manuel, Chelsea Rowe, Ann Lowe, Brooke Huey with Jade and Justin Cannon JEWEL AT GOLDEN NUGGET
Donna Carter amd Linda Dodson
Jessica Rivero and Mark Henry 38 March 10, 2016
Jeff Manuel and Chelsea Rowe
Addison Arrigoni and Brittney Wilkins
The silvery tongued songstress Jewel brought her “Picking Up the Pieces” North American tour to Golden Nugget and guests lined up to get a listen to all the hits and a few new songs that she delivered with no more than her voice and a terribly well-played guitar. A great show, to be sure!
Bryan and Kodie Manning, Trent Peschoff and Angie Manning Vol. 7 • No. 22
Zach Whitbeck, Bella Rose, Madison Hartley and Severina Estes Matt Lundymark, Jessica Wasiloski and Elizabeth Galan
Jon O’Connor, Stephanie Boyd, Dana Russell and Ashley Chafin
Christy “The Queen” King, Matt Sarradet and Jill Gayle
Rick Nyberg and Jay Ecker
LOUISIANA WINTER BEER FEST A bevy of beers, a plethora of pints or a symphony of suds; call it what you will, but the Louisiana Winter Beer Fest all but flooded Downtown Lake Charles as locals swarmed the Calcasieu Marine Bank Building as scores of breweries from near and far showed off their wares. A HUGE tip of the cap to Nick Villaume for making the fest well worthy of the sell-out crowd! Cheers!
Long Harrington, Peter Paul, B.J. Robison and Brent Paddie
JAZZ IN THE ARTS PRESENTS WILLIAM CHRISTIAN Local jazz lovers came out to the historic Central School for a Sunday afternoon of jazz featuring one of the area’s leading saxophone players. William Christian was accompanied by Chester Daigle, Jay Ecker, Jeff Simon and others for some great music! A big thanks to the musicians and supporters who made a great show happen. Bravo!
David and Melissa Billodeau
Patricia Clarke and Julian, Sydney and Jack Peshoff
Vol. 7 • No. 22
John and Donna Christian
Edward Chretian Jr. and Pat Daigle
Ben and Meissa Herrera
March 10, 2016 39