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Vol. 7 • No. 8
August 6, 2015 • Volume 7 • Issue 8
On cover: Sasol
715 Kirby St. Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262
COVER STORY 24 Sasol: We’re Building...
www.thejambalayanews.com
REGULARS 6 We Are SWLA!
Publisher/Executive Editor Lauren Abate de Albuquerque
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The Dang Yankee
8
Adoption Corner
9
Tips From Tip
lauren@thejambalayanews.com
Contributors Lisa Addison George Cline Dan Ellender Julie Ann Fay Braylin Jenkins Mike McHugh Roger Miller Justin Morris Brian Pitre Terri Schlichenmeyer Jody Taylor David Yantis
10 Fishin’ Tales 12
This Functional Family
13 Stir Dat Pot 14 Funbolaya FEATURES 5 Saving Greyhound Lives 15 Erica Nelson: Artist Immerses Herself In Local Culture 16 St. Margaret Catholic School
Sales sales@thejambalayanews.com Graphics Art/Production Director Burn Rourk Business Office Manager Jeanie Rourk
5 10 12 15
THE SPICE OF SWLA 22 Arts & Crabs Fest 24 Event Guide 27 Acting Up! 28 Family Fun Night at the Movies 29 Bookworm Sez… 30 Nightlife Guide 32 Lake City Beat!
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34 Justin Morris’s Lake Charles 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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36 Bartender Spotlight 38 Society Spice
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A Note From Lauren The Evil Gatekeeper We’ve had a lot of amazing, funny, unique cats. One of the biggest characters was an elderly gentleman who went by various names. He came to us as “Blackie” or “Mr. Black.” But I called him the “Evil Gatekeeper,” or “Evil” for short. You will soon see why. Evil came to us courtesy of Kayla Rigney and her family. He had belonged to Kayla’s grandmother, who doted on him. She pureed all of his food (people food, of course) because she was convinced that he didn’t have many teeth. He slept in her bed and ruled the roost. He lived a life of luxury with Grandma. But when she went into assisted living, Evil was left behind. The family paid neighbors to come in and care for him, but it soon turned out they weren’t doing a very good job. Kayla tried to bring him home, but he proceeded to beat up all the dogs. Evil is not easy to live with. Lake Charles, we have a problem. Evil’s plight came to our attention, and before long, we brought the crabby old man home. We knew no one else would ever take him.
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We started off by segregating him in his own room. He seemed to have forgotten how to use a litter box, so that didn’t last very long. He needed to be indoor/ outdoor, like all the rest. Except we knew he would hate “all the rest.” But we had no choice. So Evil goes outside, and proceeds to mess with everyone. Everyone. No exceptions. You crossed his path, you got your butt kicked. And he looked for trouble. Which is where the “Gatekeeper” part of his name came in. He would settle himself on the back stairs of the house, day in and day out. This means that every cat who wanted to enter or leave had to go by Evil. Hence “Gatekeeper.” Everyone paid a price. As far as not having any teeth, add that to the list of the World’s Biggest Lies. He would chomp a pizza crust like nobody’s business. And one day he chomped into my ankle when I jumped between him and Huck Finn. NO ONE messes with my Huck Finn. I think I still have the scars. But he did love us. He was very affectionate and would coo like a little bird whenever he was
petted. He adored cheese and would purr delightedly as he ate his cheddar. And he got himself a girlfriend, pretty little Jolie, who followed him everywhere. Then one day, Evil went two doors down and moved in with our neighbors Charles and Doris, taking Jolie with him. Just like that. That’s when the real spoiling began. Breakfast in bed, cheese 24/7, whatever he wanted. Doris let him use the tub in a spare bathroom for his “litter box” and cleaned it every day. When she mentioned his name (always Mr. Black, never Evil), her face would soften and she would smile. Charles would laugh and tell me that Doris didn’t even eat cheese, and now it was the first thing on her shopping list. He was with them at least two years, but once in a great while, we’d find him at the bottom of the stairs, just stopping by to say hello and to let the others know he was still around. And to get a piece of cheese. Stray dogs turned out to be the end of him. Early one morning a few weeks ago, our neighbors were awakened by the
sound of barking dogs. They discovered Evil badly wounded, and called us. We rushed him to emergency, and eventually had to make that choice that is so hard for all of us pet owners. The Evil Gatekeeper was at least 20 years old, and went down like the warrior he was in life. I can imagine him now at the entrance to the Rainbow Bridge, giving newcomers a hard time as they pass through the gates. Rest in peace, my boy. You earned it.
Lauren Abate de Albuquerque
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Everything Grey Greyhound Haven By Lauren de Albuquerque The life of a racing greyhound is not a good one. Raised to make money for their owners, a greyhound’s career will end between the ages of four and six after the dog can no longer race. In our country, prior to the formation of adoption groups, over 20,000 retired greyhounds a year were killed; recent estimates still number in the thousands. But thankfully, there are greyhound rescue groups all over our nation, and there’s a new one right here in the Lake Area. Everything Grey Greyhound Haven was founded by Jessica Rawlinson and Wendi Richard of Nederland, TX and Ashleigh Menard of Vinton. I spoke with Menard recently. JAM: How did the group get started? AM: We started EGGH because we all wanted to educate the public about this breed and find homes for these awesome dogs. Our love for the breed is what started us on this adventure! We all met because of the dogs and instant friendships were formed. JAM: Tell me about your group. AM: Everything Grey is a 501c3 adoption organization that helps retired racing greyhounds find loving, forever homes. We are foster-based, meaning all of the dogs live in homes with volunteer families. This helps us evaluate them and their personalities and see how they do around small kids, small dogs and
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Saving Greyhound Lives cats. All are important in order to place them in the perfect home. Our adoption events are held between Lake Charles and Beaumont, TX. JAM: How long have you been in operation? AM: We’ve been in operation a little over a year, but have been involved with the breed for over six years combined. On August 18, 2014, we picked up our first retired racer, “Gable Lone Wattie.” JAM: How do you get your dogs? AM: Once it’s decided a hound will retire, the trainer calls us and we arrange a day to pick up. They are immediately placed in a foster home where they stay until adopted. Within days, they are vetted (spay/ neuter, vaccinated, heartworm tested, and any other medical needs addressed). We can have up to 10
hounds in our program waiting on homes at one time. JAM: What happens in foster care? AM: The foster parents have a huge responsibility, as they must teach these guys how to be a pet. Racing greyhounds are working dogs and therefore, living in a home and sharing their space is a completely new concept. They have to be taught house manners, how to share their space with people and animals, and other house rules they never had to follow in the racing kennels. All hounds are not available for adoption until a two-week evaluation period is complete. We currently have eight foster homes and they have all been with us from the beginning. We are all like family and all share the same passion for this breed. JAM: Do greyhounds make good pets?
AM: Greyhounds make great pets! Their easygoing, docile demeanor makes them appealing. They are low-maintenance dogs with very few health problems. Since we started EGGH, we have placed 28 hounds with forever families. We keep in contact with every one of them and often do play dates at the park. JAM: Is there anything else our readers should know? AM: Thanks to adoption groups all over the world, over 90 percent of retired racing greyhounds are either adopted upon retirement or returned to the owner for breeding. I can only speak for the trainers that we work with, but they love these dogs as much as we do and they check up on them regularly. I also want people to know that these dogs aren’t what they would expect. They aren’t high-energy dogs that require a lot of exercise, but they do love to run for a few minutes a day. Since they are no longer “working,” they will need a little mental stimulation to help in the transition to retired life. As with any breed, leaning basic obedience can help tremendously so they don’t become bored or destructive. Most greyhounds can live with small dogs and cats. They are true companion dogs! If you would like to meet them, please visit www.everythinggrey.org to find our events calendar and available dogs. August 6, 2015 5
will go to Local Community Organization volunteer John Lamar from Calcasieu Parish. The award honors Lamar’s outstanding work in Region 3.
L to R: Police Juror Kevin Guidry, Mayor of Lake Charles Randy Roach, Toys for Tots National Regional Coordinator of the Year John Lamar, Police Juror Tony Guillory
Jared Morton Joins City Savings Bank WCCH Hospital Foundation Receives Grant Cameron LNG recently awarded the Foundation of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital with a $6,500 grant for the provision of numerous health programs and services for the residents of northern Cameron Parish and west Calcasieu Parish. The grant will be used for community health programs, such as free flu shot clinics at the Hackberry Rural Health Clinic for Cameron parish residents, the Genesis Therapeutic Riding Center’s Camp Smiling F.A.C.E.S. and vision therapy program, a community health fair, and WCCH’s Pink Crusade Breast Cancer Support Group.
City Savings Bank recently announced that Jared Morton has joined its team as assistant branch manager for City Savings Bank’s Countryside Branch, located at 2197 Hwy. 171 in DeRidder. A native of DeRidder, Morton previously worked at the Beauregard Parish Sheriff Department where he served the community for the past Jared Morton ten years. In 2012, he graduated from McNeese State University in Lake Charles with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. For more information on City Savings Bank visit www. citysavingsbank.com.
TEAM Turner Donates to Care Help of Sulphur TEAM Turner with Turner Industries donated 256 white binders and a monetary donation to Care Help of Sulphur’s Back to School Program for Sulphur and Carlyss school children. This generous donation will help students start off the new school year prepared with the necessary required binders.
Stevie Trahan, Cameron LNG, Debby Nabours, WCCH Foundation executive director, Janie Fruge’, WCCH CEO, and Rickey Watson, WCCH Foundation president.
Brady Earns Securities License Cathy Brady, a Modern Woodmen of America representative, has become a Registered Representative with MWA Financial Services Inc. Brady is now licensed to sell investment products, available through MWA Financial Services Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Modern Woodmen of America. Founded in 1883, Modern Woodmen of America touches lives and secures futures.
L to R: Mary Ellen Montgomery, Turner Industries executive assistant; Greg Dorman, Turner Industries project controls; Jody Farnum, Care Help of Sulphur executive director and Vanessa Stewart, Turner Industries safety administrative assistant.
Family & Youth’s Child Advocacy Director Wins Award Local Toys for Tots Program Wins National Recognition Each year, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Human Services Department partners with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Locally, for the last 10 years the program has helped distribute donated toys to families in need across Calcasieu Parish. This year’s National Regional Coordinator of the Year award 6 August 6, 2015
Erika Simon, director of Child Advocacy and Diplomat Child Forensic Interviewer of Family & Youth Counseling Agency received an award for “Outstanding Service by a Staff Member” for 2014, given by Geaux Blue for Kids. The award is given to individuals who made extraordinary efforts serving Louisiana’s abused and neglected children in the previous year. Simon has been a part Vol. 7 • No. 8
of Family & Youth since 2006, where she has worked in both the Children’s Advocacy Center and Court Appointed Special Advocates. She was certified L to R: Julio Galan, President & CEO of FYCA; Erika Simon, Director as a forensic interview- of Child Advocacy of FYCA; and David Duplechian, Vice President of Advocacy of FYCA er in 2011.
Arts & Crabs Fest Named Top 20 Event The Southeast Tourism Society recently honored the Arts & Crabs Fest as a Top 20 Event for the third quarter of 2015. The event will take place Aug. 15 from 5-8 p.m., at the Burton Coliseum, celebrating the arts and culture of the region as well as the culinary arts found in Southwest Louisiana. This year’s Arts & Crabs Fest will have live music from Sinners as well as Thomas & Theresa. The first 300 will be sold online at $25, and the remaining tickets will be $35 each. Tickets are available at artsandcrabsfest2015.eventbrite.com.
through her family, church, and the Sarah Quinn Jones School of Ballet where she has studied ballet for eleven years. She will be attending McNeese State University for business and marketing starting this fall. For more information about Family & Youth, visit www.fyca.org.
Merrill Lynch Donates to McNeese The Merrill Lynch Invitational Golf Tournament, co-sponsored with the McNeese State University Alumni Association, recently donated $75,000 through the McNeese Foundation for endowed scholarships for student-athletes whose major is in the College of Business and $5,317.23 for the Cowboy football program for a total of $80,317.23.
Dr. Daryl Burckel, McNeese professor of accounting; Barbara Bailey, alumni association president; McNeese Athletics Director Bruce Hemphill and Mike Eason, resident director of Merrill Lynch LC.
LC Softball Competes for Championship Ashli Waldrep, executive director for the Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA receives the STS award from Annette Richey, vice chairman of the board of directors of the Lake Charles/ Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau.
CITGO Donates to Junior Achievement
Missy Amidon, CITGO Public Affairs coordinator and Meg Lovejoy, JA of SWLA district director
Lake Charles was the host site for the Little League Softball Majors State tournament that started July 10. When the dust settled, Lake Charles won the Little League Louisiana State Title 17-15. The Team will represent the State of Louisiana in the Little League Southwestern Regionals in Waco Texas. July 30-Aug. 5.
CITGO Petroleum Corporation donated over $9,500 in cash and gift in-kind donations to Junior Achievement of Southwest Louisiana for JA’s 2014-2015 K-12 financial literacy initiative. Through the generous donations, over 1,600 local students received financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship programs.
Hannah Pettefer Named Youth of the Year Family & Youth hosted the Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation on June 29 at L’Auberge Casino Resort where Hannah Pettefer was honored with the 2014 Youth of the Year award. Hannah has been a part of The Leadership Center since her freshmen year of high school. When she is not devoting her time to the Center and the Youth Advisory Council, she also participates in other service projects Vol. 7 • No. 8
Hannah Pettefer
Team members: Morgan Plumb #0, Ry’n Guillory #2, Madison Guillory #4, Olivia Matt #7, Ayanna Malvo #10, Tori Nunez #11, Madison Plumb #15, Kaelyn Johnson #17, Morgan Schoenrock #18, Hannah Breaux #20, Jasmine Goodly #21, Skylar Alexander #99. August 6, 2015 7
Squeezing the Air Out Over the years, a lot of things have gone by the wayside that I was happy to say “good riddance” to. Eighttrack tapes, late video return fees, and the Macarena are just a few examples. Then recently, I was distressed to read a story on Marketwatch.com about how one such item, the pay toilet, may be staged to make a comeback. It should come as no surprise that its return, like a bad dime, is courtesy of (you guessed it) the airline industry. It’s just the continuation of a trend that’s been going on for years now with air travel, starting with the fees for checked baggage. Now some airlines have begun charging for carry-ons as well, making it so that the only way you’d escape extra charges would be if you were travelling to a nudist camp. It’s apparent that they’re
not stopping at baggage. The pay toilet idea, which reportedly was floated by discounter Ryanair, is just one of many things that the airlines are thinking about charging extra for. The outright leader in this á la carte air travel model has got to be Spirit Airlines. Spirit hooks travelers with ticket prices comparable to those for a carnival ride, but once you check in for your flight, you quickly discover that it’ll cost you dearly if you desire any amenities at all, such as breathing air, while on the plane. Extra charges are just one thing that the airlines are doing to make travelers seriously consider an oxcart as an alternative for their next crosscountry venture. They’ve also made the seats narrower and have cut legroom to where passengers have to smear their bodies with petroleum jelly
(available from the airline at extra charge) in order to squirm into them. What’s more, some seats don’t even recline any longer. That may be out of necessity, however, as the seats are now so crammed together that if you could recline, you’d likely give the passenger behind you a concussion. And they’re not stopping there. According to the aforementioned story, one aircraft maker actually submitted a patent for putting bicycle seats on a plane. I wouldn’t be surprised if this move is just a precursor to making passengers pedal unless they pay an extra fee for jet fuel. It turns out, however, that the seat situation may not be of any consequence, because you’re not likely to be sitting in yours much during the flight. Rather, unless you have a bladder the size of a hot air bal-
loon, you’ll be spending most of your flight waiting in line to use the bathroom. Although they’ve yet to install coin slots on the doors, the airlines are reducing the number of facilities and shrinking them down to less than their old school locker size. Before you know it, riding in an airplane will be about as comfortable as sleeping on a bed of nails. That may be okay if you’re one of the Addams Family, but for those of us who relate more to the “Modern Family” clan, we could be in for some rough sailing. All we can hope is that maybe Uber will step in and start hiring eagles to carry us wherever we want to go. Mike McHugh’s column has appeared in The Jambalaya News since 2009. You can read more from the Dang Yankee on his website, thedangyankee.com.
Beau, a beautifully marked cur, is a sweet and loving boy looking for his forever family. He is between 1 and 2 years old and is a goodsized fellow. He is warm and friendly and would love to have a yard to run in. He is up-to-date on all shots, neutered, and heartworm negative. If you would like more information, call or email: (337) 4787294; lapaw@bellsouth.net. Home visit and vet check required prior to all adoptions. Hurry, Beau is waiting! 8 August 6, 2015
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Cleaning Tip I mentioned in a previous column that we recently moved. We needed to get the old house ready to see and decided to have it professionally cleaned and freshened for new occupants. I have no qualms about giving a heartfelt shout-out out to RC Cleaning Services. Their slogan is “We clean like Momma cleans.” I told Randy Mingo (the R of RC) “Your Momma taught you right.” I could not have been more satisfied with the way they took care of business. They were prompt, efficient, and polite. Their crew was professional, hardworking and left our old home sparkling in a way that it hadn’t been since the day we moved in 21 years ago. They certainly earned every dime they charged. They have been in business for 20 years, a fact that speaks volumes. Should you need their service, tell them “Tip sent you.” That’s my cleaning tip for today. Vol. 7 • No. 8
Follow the Money Make sure you check your credit card statements frequently. Recently, a server enhanced the gratuity amount I had given by almost double. Had I not saved my copy of the receipt and went online to review my transaction, this fraudulent action could have easily slipped past my scrutiny. You can imagine how a waitperson can acquire a nicely padded sum by routinely adding several dollars to each charge. Many people don’t hold on to their receipts and don’t check their accounts; if so, they would not be aware if a charge was changed. I am not going to reveal the restaurant where this occurred, as they promptly reimbursed my account for the overcharge caused by what deservedly must be their former employee (an employer cannot afford to keep a known thief in the house, after all, what else has she stolen and from whom?).
They were gracious and accommodating; this was in no way a reflection on the restaurant. Greedy employees will take advantage of any opportunity anytime and anywhere. This is why I continuously remind my readers to monitor your accounts religiously. Nipping it early in the bud can save you both time and money. A reader recently told me that he mailed out a check that never made it to the intended recipient. Instead, it had been intercepted by someone who ordered checks printed using the bank routing and account numbers on the original check. A few of these newly made checks were written and the account had to be closed. Fortunately, he did not lose any money. Had he not pursued this situation as
soon as he did, there could have been more unpleasant consequences. The evildoers spend all their time trying to get into your money; do what you can to keep it as safe and secure as possible.
Back to School This issue comes out just one week before the start of the school year. Please be mindful of the little ones. Heck, we even have to worry about the college students going back to McNeese; they don’t seem to be alert enough, so the speed limit had to be reduced to school-zone levels on Common Street to protect them. Be careful out there! As we are out of town, a shopping survey will not be part of this issue’s column. We shall resume with gusto next time.
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Karaoke Fishing “Lo, the day dawns,” said in a Richard Burton-esque deep bass voice, proclaimed my day. Fishing that is, just across the Calcasieu/Cameron line near Grand Lake. Actually, it started with homemade buttermilk biscuits that were still so hot from the oven they melted the real butter and meshed with the fresh fig preserves. They were served by (cliché truly fits here), the “Hostess with the Mostess” Jeannette Nelson Stephens. Jeannette is a former LaGrange Senior High School student of mine and recent McNeese graduate who, along with her husband William “Shane”
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Stephens, extended kindness after kindness to two old geezers all morning long. After devouring the biscuits, we headed for the stocked pond that was to play host to us. Not only is it lovingly landscaped, it had to be completely re-stocked after the utter devastation Hurricane Rita wrought in 2005. I started with a top water Baby Repala bait to tease the early morning bass. My podna Glenn Bordelon, with Shane’s assistance, geared up for brim. I cast about the entire acre pond to no avail. What kind of pond is this that I, master fisherman that I am, cannot lure at least
a small bass to my expertly worked bait? The heat must have jinxed me. That’s it. That’s the ticket. Then it started, Glenn‘s way-too-large-for-brim cork disappeared. He set the hook and it was on. Glenn landed a yellow breasted brim a good deal larger than my hand. Since I had two rods and reels, I quickly geared up one while Glenn landed another brim. At least this fish wasn’t a keeper. How it pulled under that jumbo cork, I’ll never know, but it did.
Hook, line, sinker and baited up, I cast to the side of the pond just beyond the cattails. The cork had barely settled in before it bounced twice and then disappeared. With my usual deft touch, I set the hook. My light tackle made it look like I was fighting a tarpon rather than a large hand-sized red-breasted brim. Made it fun, though. After landing it, I pulled the hook out and admired its size and colors. Damn that was fun! I was ready for another, so I re-wormed. Glenn was using bread pieces as bait in case a catfish might jerk his oversized cork under. My next toss to my sweet spot yielded yet another keeper brim. By this time, my girlfriend and photographer Rue had appeared and taken her place with Jeannette in the shade of a tree behind me. Alas, with her arrival I have to be honest--I suck at fishing. I’ve told Rue that several times but she had to witness it herself. I have the response time of a corpse. I have never had the touch. If the fish has the consideration to hook itself, I can reel him in. I know what to use, where to place the bait and how to work it, it’s just that fourth element--the hooking--that always eludes me. After watching me miss fish after fish, a bemused Rue referred to my technique as “feeding the fish.” That’s close, but often enough Vol. 7 • No. 8
they will hook themselves. Glenn has a prosthesis and two bad shoulders. Undeterred and with Shane’s kind attention, Glenn caught half the fish we landed. The catfish, running from six to nine pounds, were mostly hauled in by Shane. Glenn was comfortably seated in a chair that was set back from the pond, under an umbrella that Shane hauled out for him. I referred to it as his landing chair, especially after he landed a sixpound catfish. It was just a treat to watch host and guest in Shane, Roger, tandem pulling in fish afJeanette & Glenn ter fish. I kept up my end of the deal but couldn’t have to tell you that we threw help but be enthralled by them. the brim back and just kept the I’ve had literally hundreds of larger catfish. Yeah, I know I’m fishing trips but this was only not real bright but I’m a ConGlenn’s third trip and boy did servationist Gourmet Gourhe luck out. At this point, I mand at heart.
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Then the music and singing started. Seems Jeannette and Shane enjoy karaoke, as does Rue. Jeannette and Rue can warble with the best of them and Shane does a mean George Strait. He’s country and she’s rock ‘n roll. I’ve been “Mucho Hombre” sail fishing, a “Roach’s Rocks” fisherman and a “Phipps Pond” fisher but I have never before been serenaded afield. They had a complete computerized karaoke set up. I would have sung along but the only thing worse than my hooking inability is my horrid off-key voice. The girls and Shane entertained Glenn and I out of the heat inside Shane’s huge open man cave storage building.
Their Elvis medley of “Love Me Tender,” “Burning Love” and “Suspicious Minds” was especially enthralling. By now, the 105-degree heat was not only oppressive but set a new record for that day. The jumbo fan felt marvelous despite that. Sufficiently entertained, we headed to the house and the a/c for lunch. Our meal was a fresh garden salad, homemade French bread, and shrimp and grits. That’s right, shrimp and grits, and the shrimp were fresh, never-been-frozen shrimp from the Gulf. Dessert was from scratch cheesecake with fresh strawberries. Then, alas and alack, it was time for hugs and goodbyes accompanied by a bag of bass filets from Shane. Rue, Glenn and I had had a fantastic farm pond fishing trip, enjoyed some marvelous karaoke singing and dined like royalty. With visits like the one to Stephen’s Pond, I don‘t have to hook anything. Just enjoy.
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First Hunt It was back in March when I got a message from our friend Ron Turner asking if I thought my son might want to go on a hunting trip with Whitetails Unlimited. When I asked my 10-year-old, he gave me a huge grin and said, “Please hurry up and tell Mr. Ron that I want to go because I don’t want to miss it! I have to get some hunting boots. Are we leaving soon?” We have known Ron for years through our involvement with South Lake Charles Little League. He’s
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a parent, a Marine, an avid hunter, active in the community, and involved in Whitetails Unlimited. In other words, I knew that my son would not only be safe but that he would have the time of his life on this oneday hunting trip in search of his first deer or ram. As we pulled up to meet Ron around 5:30 a.m., my little hunter practically jumped out of the car. The two of them were headed to meet up with other members of Whitetails Unlimited
as well as a few other kids, and the group would spend the day hunting at a private ranch near Singer. I gave my kiddo a big hug, told him to be careful and have fun, and they were off. An hour or so later I saw a Facebook post by Ron and he sounded just as excited as my boy was. The post included a pic of the two of them with the caption: “I can’t wait to get this kid out there on his first hunt!” If you grew up in Southwest Louisiana--Sportsman’s Paradise--like I did, then you probably enjoy taking advantage of spending a great deal of time outdoors, on the water, fishing, boating, hunting, enjoying the beauty of our parks and surroundings. I grew up going camping and fishing with my family. My kids are true outdoors kids, too and have done some of those things, as well. But my son had never been hunting until now and I was thrilled that he was getting this opportunity. Whitetails Unlimited is a nonprofit organization that strives to introduce wounded war heroes and youth to hunting and fishing while at the same time educating the public on the importance of keeping those traditions alive. Gun safety and learning where, how, and why people hunt is also something that is taught before the kids go on youth hunts. I knew mine was ready for his experience after the group met a few weeks before the hunt and he got a bullseye on his second shot
while target practicing. The youth hunts are especially appealing for kids that don’t have a father or someone else in their lives to introduce them to hunting. I asked Ron why he leads some of these hunts and spends so much of his free time with kids, whether it’s through baseball or hunting or some other endeavor. His response? “As adults, we’ve had our chances in life; it’s time for the youth of the world to have their moments to shine.” Ron texted me a few photos during the day including a perfect picture of my son after he had gotten his first ram. As I told Ron later that day, my boy grew up a little more in just those few short hours. When my 10-year-old returned to me that evening, he was beaming, tired, muddy, and happy. “Mom, I got a ram! I was nervous and a little scared but I was excited too. It was amazing and so fun. Can I go again tomorrow? And can I wear my hunting boots to bed tonight?” It’s been four months since my son went on that hunting trip and he’s still talking about it. The entire experience is one he will never forget. Thanks to Whitetails Unlimited and people like Ron who make sure kids get to have these kinds of experiences, dreams really can come true. Lisa Addison wrote her first short story when she was 7 years old and hasn’t stopped writing since. She has two young children, enjoys trying new recipes, and loves going on adventures with her kids. She blogs at: http://swlamama.wordpress.com. Vol. 7 • No. 8
Just Yummy Hello, everybody! How are you? It gets a little hot down here in the summer. But I have a cure for the common “hotness.” This dessert has many variations and names, such as Chocolate Yummy and Better than Sex Cake and so on. This has always confused me because, let’s face it, there isn’t anything better than sex, unless you’re doing it wrong--but I digress. This dessert, which we will refer to as “Just Yummy,” is a favorite among my friends and family and is easy to make. Plus, you don’t need to turn on the oven and heat up the kitchen. Just Yummy is done in three layers. Today, I am doing a banana middle and a chocolate top layer.
The Crust What You’ll Need One package of Oreo cookies ½ cup melted butter (unsalted)
What You’ll Do In a food processer, crush the cookies. Pour into an x10 or 9x11 pan. I like to use a disposable pan so I can send the leftovers home with someone. Add the butter and mix well, then pat it out evenly to form a crust. Place in the fridge while you do the next step.
The Middle Layer You can do step two without the bananas, or add whatever you like. Have fun with it.
What You’ll Need 1 cup powdered sugar 8 oz. soft cream cheese 1 large vanilla pudding mix 2 cups of cool whip 2-3 ripe bananas Vol. 7 • No. 8
What You’ll Do In a large bowl, mix at medium speed until well blended. Then pour into the pan with the crust spread evenly. Return to the fridge while you prepare the next layer.
The Top Layer What You’ll Need 2 small packages of chocolate pudding mix 2 cups milk 2 cups Cool Whip
What You’ll Do In a medium bowl, mix at medium speed until well blended. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Cover and return to the fridge until ready to serve. You can drizzle a little chocolate syrup or top with whipped cream and some sliced bananas--your call. Makes 12 nice-sized servings. ENJOY. And don’t forget to--Stir Dat Pot! August 6, 2015 13
14 August 6, 2015
Vol. 7 • No. 8
By Jody Taylor
Artist
n o s l e N Erica
Herself t Immerses ulture n la p s n ra T s in Local C Lake Charle
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Artist Erica Nelson moved to Lake Charles from Los Angeles in February of 2014, two days after marrying. She soon began the process of re-establishing a foundation here, continuing her life’s work by founding Nelson Art Studio locally and blending some Louisiana flavor into her vivid style of painting. Originally from Connecticut, Nelson had very little knowledge of Cajun culture, but has since immersed herself in it, bringing to life SWLA imagery on canvas while growing to love her new home, its way of life, and most of all, its people. Last summer, Nelson and her husband saw what Southern hospitality was all about when their house flooded and a neighbor let them stay at his place. “We have never experienced that level of generosity and kindness,” she said. On Saturday, August 15, Nelson unveils a new series of works at the Burton Coliseum for Arts & Crabs Fest, a perfect opportunity to connect with this Louisiana lifestyle. “The wildlife is such a big part of people’s lives here,” she said. “I can see their faces light up when talking about family hunting trips, or the way that a redfish will bring good friends together. With this series, I’m exploring those connections and celebrating them in my style. I want to give back through all the imagery that makes this place so special.” Her colorful style derives from an enthusiastic personality and a lifetime of study all the way back to her childhood, when she would roll up huge snowballs and sculpt them into animal heads or imaginative creatures. Her family moved around a lot, and “art class was the only place I felt at home,” Nelson said. She continued her arts training at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, then moved to Boston Architectural College, before ending up in graphic design at Butte College in Durham, California. Nelson soaked up skills every step of the way. “I crafted my own education,” she said. “I chose what I wanted to learn.” Erica believes that fine art schools prepare students for making art and teaching it, but there is a disconnect in the instruction of business, essential knowledge for an independent artist. Through Nelson Art Studio, she’s working to remedy that problem for creative kids locally, to be a mentor instead of a teacher. Having studied under some amazing professors, Erica gained insight on various methodologies. Best practices for one child may not reach another, so she works hard to connect with every-
one. “It’s the ones you wouldn’t expect that come out with the most incredible growth and progress,” she said. Nelson encourages her students to follow their interests and inclinations, but also to explore new challenges. “When you try different things, they often inform what you’re very good at,” she said. Courage is essential for artists, so she also urges her students, who come here from all over the South, to see value in the journey, in the process. “Give yourself a chance,” she said. “Nothing is perfect from the beginning.” Erica also loves painting live at concerts and other events. She recently painted onstage with bands for Live @ the Lakefront and for charities such as the American Heart Association and the Dragon Boat Races, creating beautiful works in front of thousands who see art unfold as it’s created, instead of just a picture hanging on the wall. Nelson recently contributed to the “Tree of Life” mural downtown at Alexander Art Studio, joining the legions of creative folks who helped the image come alive. Being relatively new to the Lake Area, she has a fresh, outsider’s perspective. “We all have our roles to play as one body of artists,” she said. “Each part is important and necessary. I’d like to see a greater sense of unity and discussion about where it’s going. It’s a natural evolution and this mural is a cool way to get that conversation started. As it unfolds, if we keep our hearts and minds open, just like this tree is taking root and growing, we as an artistic community will do the same if we choose to.” The importance of an artistic community united was proven to her while showing with Gallery 113 in Santa Barbara, California, a very down-toearth, respectful scene. “Everyone understood that each person needed to do their job for everything to run cohesively,” she said. “Whether you were taking out the trash or head of the corporation…if we all work together and rise with the tide, that’s when we start to do great things as a unit.” Nelson is available for mural work and live art at events, while lessons at Nelson Art Studio are open to both children and adults, with classes scheduled in the fall. Connect at www. nelsonartstudio.com. Jody Taylor is the Project Coordinator for the Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA. Contact him at jodyt@artscouncilswla.org. August 6, 2015 15
Are you looking for a place to educate your child that is more than you expected? Have you ever considered Catholic School? Let’s talk about a little school embedded in a part of Lake Charles that has its own unique look and character. St. Margaret Catholic School is a pre-K thru 8 school located on Enterprise Boulevard on the same block as the church. The school can be found in a well-established area of central Lake Charles on a street lined with huge oak trees that draw you in with their beauty. When you arrive at the school and church, you feel a sense of peace and security. That tells you the Lord is present. “Nurturing all children and achieving academic success in the Spirit of Christ” is its mission. It is the goal of the faculty, staff, and administration to educate children to their fullest potential, keeping Christ at the center. “We grow young people spiritually, academically, and communally,” says principal Wendy Wicke. “We produce graduates that are leaders in their church and society.” For 65 years, St. Margaret has been educating leaders in our community. “We are very proud to continue to develop young leaders who are cognizant of their roles as stewards of their environment, community, and church,” Wicke adds. The teachers and staff are dedicated to educating the students that enter the doors of this fine establishment. “All teachers, staff, and administration love St. Margaret’s and would work nowhere else,” Wicke says. “This is evident in the time, talent and treasure they provide every day for the betterment of their charges.” Wicke says that Christian formation and values are vitally important in the develop-
ment of a child, and the entire St. Margaret community is cognizant of the part they play in that development. With religion as part of the curriculum, Mass is attended weekly and Holy Days of Obligation are honored. “Many of the families are generational and believe St. Margaret’s to be a part of their life. The families are very devoted and loyal to the school and the church community.” The school offers core subjects such as math, reading, English, science and social studies with enrichment classes in physical education, computer literacy, art, foreign language and library. Elementary teachers are trained in the Spalding Program that is systematic in the teaching of phonics and spelling. It also offers the ACT Aspire College and Career Readiness System to assess students’ knowledge and skills. The Junior High Science program is in a class all its own, and has won several honors on both a state and a national level. Students participate in many competitions throughout the year, honoring St. Margaret’s as science/social studies fair district winners and state finalists. In addition, St. Margaret’s recycles paper, aluminum, cardboard, metal and technology equipment and is proud to have been named Louisiana Green School of the Year 2013 – 2014. It has also been the Louisiana NEED School of the Year for the past 15 years and was a National finalist for the past 2 years. So, what sets St. Margaret Catholic School apart from the rest? The school offers the “3 R’s” and enrichments. It provides a rigorous curriculum that challenges students to be their best. But most important, it offers a spiritual and moral education that develops lifelong practitioners of their faith and leaders in church and society.
St. Margaret Catholic School 2510 Enterprise Blvd. • Lake Charles, LA 70601 (337) 436-7959 • www.stmcs.com 16 August 6, 2015
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SOWELA Partners with Northwestern State University Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Chancellor of SOWELA Technical Community College, and Dr. James Henderson, President of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., have announced a joint partnership to provide higher education and professional development opportunities to SOWELA’s full time faculty and staff. Employees of SOWELA may now enroll in undergraduate or graduate coursework at Northwestern State University at a reduced tuition rate. SOWELA’s faculty and staff meeting admission requirements of Northwestern State University may register to enroll in up to six credit hours per term in undergraduate courses or up to six credit hours per term in graduate courses with certain tuition waiver benefits. With Northwestern State University’s vast online offerings, this partnership provides SOWELA’s employees with both affordable and accessible higher education opportunities.
“This reduced tuition agreement gives our faculty and staff another avenue when pursing higher education training. Northwestern State University provides many degree program options on-campus and on-line which when coupled with the reduced tuition cost will provide the SOWELA faculty and staff greater opportunities to complete their higher education goals. These types of agreements help faculty and staff improve their skills which in turn helps build stronger institutions,” stated Aspinwall. Advanced education promotes lifelong learning and assists the College in with meeting the credentialing standards set by programmatic, regional, and national accreditation agencies. Both schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; SOWELA as a Level I institution qualified to award associate degrees and Northwestern as a Level V school qualified to award
bachelors, masters, and up to three doctoral degrees. “This agreement provides a cost-effective way for SOWELA employees to take advantage of Northwestern State’s traditional and online classes and is aligned with our commitment to supporting workforce development in Louisiana,” Henderson said. “Community and technical colleges are a vital part of our efforts to develop talent for Louisiana employers. We at NSU are committed to providing world
class professional development to the entire LCTCS team.” SOWELA is one of 13 schools within the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Northwestern State University is one of nine institutions of the University of Louisiana System. For information, contact Marianne White, SOWELA’s Executive Director of Institutional Advancement, Alumni Affairs, and Community Engagement, at marianne.white@ sowela.edu or (337) 421-6903.
Mancuso’s Contract Extended to Serve Two Local Charter School Boards The Boards of Trustees of Lake Charles Charter Academy Foundation and the Southwest Louisiana Charter Academy Foundation have extended the contract of Rev. Henry Mancuso, a retired Catholic priest, for the position of executive secretary. In this role, he will assist the board president in a variety of administrative duties surrounding correspondence and board meetings. He will also initiate grant requests and assist board members and school administration in preparing grant materials. He will serve as a representative of the board at events as needed and will maintain positive relationships with local media outlets. “Fr. Mancuso is a great friend and tremendous asset to our boards as well as the schools we govern,” said Gene Thibodeaux, president of both boards. “He has already been instrumental in raising more than a million dollars for the schools and has provided unfailing support to the administrators, educators and students at our schools. We are so pleased to have him accept the position of executive secretary.” Mancuso, who was a pastor for 23 years, served 34 years as an educator in the Catholic school system as both a classroom teacher and an administrator. He has extensive experience working with school boards, pastoral councils and finance councils. He also served for six years as the chairperson of the City of Lake Charles Commission for Community and Race Relations. He is currently serving as president of the board for “Project Build A Future” and representative for the City of Lake Charles on the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s Committee for Human Services. As part of his role, he will serve as the board representative to Lake Charles College Prep in developing Rachel’s Challenge program, which provides a comprehensive program to combat bullying and encourage a safe and secure learning environment. LCCAF governs the Lake Charles Charter Academy and the SWLAF governs Southwest Louisiana Charter Academy and The PREP. The board members include Ulysses Gene Thibodeaux, president, Charles Honore, vice president, Clyde Mitchell, secretary, and trustees Aneeta Afzal, M.D., Patricia Kelty, Andrew Ranier, J.D., and Mark Boniol. Vol. 7 • No. 8
August 6, 2015 17
One completed construction dock. One point seven million cubic yards of existing soil removed. One point two million cubic yards of fill material placed. Fifty-three thousand piles installed. Ten thousand, two hundred yards of concrete poured… Sasol says, “We’re Building.” In late 2014, Sasol announced its final investment decision for its ethane cracker and derivatives project and shortly thereafter, site prepara-
tion activities commenced. The construction dock that will receive heavy equipment is complete, many of the equipment storage areas are built out and the heavy haul route strengthening work has commenced with the first piece of major heavy equipment to arrive later this year. At the heart of the Sasol project is an ethane cracker that will produce 1.5 million tons of ethylene annually. The complex also includes six down-
stream chemical manufacturing plants where approximately 90 percent of the cracker’s ethylene output will be converted into a diverse slate of commodity and high margin specialty chemicals. But as expressed in a recently launched local advertising campaign, the company is building more than a world-scale chemical complex. Sasol is building careers, local small business and community along the way.
By the numbers • More than 500 full-time positions • More than 5,000 construction jobs • More than $1.7 billion in contracts to Louisiana companies • Total investment of $8.9 billion dollars
Careers More than 500 full-time positions and 5,000 construction jobs slated
Samantha Carlile Sasol
18 August 6, 2015
More than 440 employees currently work at Sasol’s existing operations near Westlake. With more than 500 new full-time employees to be hired in connection with the ethane cracker and derivatives project, Sasol is building careers and in the process helping to build a better Southwest Louisiana. “I started my internship at Sasol while I was enrolled at
SOWELA. I loved being able to apply my classroom training to a real-world environment,” Samantha Carlile, Sasol utility processor said. “After getting my degree, I applied at Sasol and was thrilled when they offered me a full-time position. I enjoy coming to work every day for a company in my hometown that truly values its employees and the community.”
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Local Small Business More than $1.7 billion in contracts committed to Louisiana companies Earlier this year, Sasol announced the appointment of several major Louisiana contractors to support construction of its ethane cracker and derivatives project, reflecting a commitment of more than $1.7 billion in contracts. As a result, numerous hiring, subcontract and procurement opportunities are available directly with these contractors, including Cajun Constructors, James Industrial Constructors, Turner Industries, ISC Constructors, MMR Constructors, Performance Contractors, Excel USA and Civil Construction Co. & Environmental Services of Westlake. Sasol hosted a business opportunity forum in February at
McDonald Carheel Carheel Consulting
the Lake Charles Civic Center for the Southwest Louisiana business community to meet with the company’s appointed contractors and learn about available opportunities. More than 800 people attended the forum. “We believe in Southwest Louisiana and are committed to hiring local and Louisiana-based businesses to support our existing operations and our ethane cracker and derivatives project,” Paul Hippman, vice president of US Chemical Operations said. “As Sasol continues to grow here, so too will our commitment to our community, our home. I look forward to seeing our relationships grow and flourish.”
Community More than $3 million invested in local community programs Sasol recognizes its operations will be successful only if the communities in which they operate share in that success over the long term. The company’s Southwest Louisiana outreach efforts focus on three key areas of need expressed by the community—education and workforce development, economic development and environment. By collaborating with the community to identify and address key issues, Sasol identified a handful of signature projects, including the Workforce Resource Guide and Scholarship Program. Last fall, Sasol announced the development of a pilot community scholarship fund that provides financial support to cover tuition, training costs, support services and human resources technical support for individuals participating in the Southwest Louisiana Workforce Resource Guide program. The Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana Vol. 7 • No. 8
recently hosted a kickoff celebration for the 50 scholarship recipients and their mentors. All scholarship recipients are currently enrolled in either ABC school or SOWELA Technical Community College for their desired career tracks. Twenty-nine of the 50 scholarship recipients are from Westlake or Mossville. “At the Community Foundation, our goal is to connect people who care with causes that matter. Community development through crafts and skills training is an important cause in our region. We value Sasol’s initial donation to create a fund that will make a positive, lasting impact on local residents and ultimately our whole community,” foundation president and CEO Sara Judson said. To learn more about Sasol’s campaign, available career and contracting opportunities as well as information about the company’s community initiatives, visit SasolNorthAmerica.com.
Sara Judson Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana August 6, 2015 19
Regional business owners are invited to participate in a series of peer-to-peer round tables aimed at assisting entrepreneurs who are certified through the Small & Emerging Business Development (SEBD) program. If you have not received certification, SEED Center Incubator staff can quickly help you through the process. CEO/owners will meet ten times a year to participate in learning, brainstorming, and problem solving sessions. There, they can safely explore business issues in a confidential and trusting environment with
other CEOs and business owners. The topics of each session will be determined by the group through a pre-diagnostic tool which will be distributed prior to the first round table to identify the pressing impediments to growth. This is not a class, group coaching or a networking group. The peer-to-peer round table will act as each other’s personal board of environmental advisers - providing each other with timely advice on real company obstacles such as finance, personnel, legal compliance,
development and marketing. Graduates of the peer-to-peer round table will have a $3,500 cap on LED share per individual project (an upgrade from the standard $2,500), and an annual $5,500 cap (up from $4,000). This group is limited to 20. No employees allowed. To apply, contact Adrian Wallace at awallace@allianceswla.org or (337) 433-0977. You will be interviewed either in person or over the phone. The first session will take place in September.
GO Group Public Meeting Scheduled for August 18
The Southwest Louisiana Task Force for Growth and Opportunity (GO Group) will hold its next public meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18, at the West-Cal Event Center at 401 Arena Road in Sulphur. The group will share with the community the progress of each of its four task forces – growth planning, education and workforce development, public service improvements, and special community-related initiatives. Highlights of the Southwest Louisiana Permanent Housing Study, which will outline the anticipated number of permanent dwellings needed in response to industrial growth and development, will be provided at this meeting. In addition, other issues such as school traffic stacking efforts, temporary worker villages, and a new guide to aid small business growth will be discussed. The GO Group, formed in early 2013, is focused on developing strategies to ensure the successful implementation of planned economic development projects for Southwest Louisiana. It was formed by local community leaders, stakeholders, and elected officials to identify the various socioeconomic issues involved with such projects. For more information on the GO Group, visit www.gogroupswla.com. 20 August 6, 2015
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Industry Workforce Projections Announced Lake Area Industry Alliance has released industrial workforce projections of positions in greatest demand within LAIA member companies as well as estimates of their future hires based on industrial expansions in Southwest Louisiana. The estimates were compiled based on announced expansions, as well as anticipated retirements throughout area industries. “We wanted to have concrete numbers of how many employees were actually hired and estimates of what each LAIA member company anticipates for the near future,” explained Larry DeRoussel, executive director
of LAIA. The projection highlights the three main categories of industrial jobs: maintenance, operations and professional, and their projected growth in the next three years. By 2018, new hires for maintenance are estimated at 245; operations, 995; and professional, 205. “This workforce projection was done for several reasons,” explained DeRoussel. “It helps training facilities prepare programs to meet the future workforce needs of area industry; it helps each industry see the larger picture of industry needs as a whole; and it gives the public a look at what fields will be hiring in
the near future.” “Training is required for all of these positions, whether it is learning a skill or earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree,” DeRoussel said. “Now is the time to get trained, as many skilled training programs last a year or two. In many jobs, experience is needed once the training is complete.” Only full-time positions of members within the LAIA were included in the workforce projection. There are 24 members of LAIA. The current total of full time employees in LAIA member companies is 6,400. A complete list of the membership can be
found on www.laia.com. LAIA is a non-profit association focused on informing the public about industrial activities in Southwest Louisiana.
Open Call for SWLA Veterans Photos Are you proud of a family member or friend who served in the Armed Forces? Now is your opportunity to honor your veteran in an upcoming tribute exhibit as part of the Arts Council of SWLA’s annual Gallery Promenade scheduled for Friday, September 25th, 2015, from 5- 9 p.m. The Arts Council is currently welcoming photo submissions of Southwest Louisiana veterans for this special exhibit that will be held aboard
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the USS ORLECK Naval Museum at 604 N. Enterprise. Submit your photo in three simple ways: post at www.facebook. com/swlaveteranstribute, email jodyt@artscouncilswla. org, or stop by the Arts Council office in Central School at 809 Kirby Street, Suite 202, and we’ll scan it for you! With your submission, please include the veteran’s name, branch of service, and
any key information that will help our volunteers build the exhibit. Also, please include contact information of the individual making the submission. Medium to hi-res images preferred. Gallery Promenade is an annual event that celebrates the art spaces, galleries, cultural districts, and museums of the Lake Area that work year-round to provide cultural resources, exhibits, and opportunities for both artists and residents. For one evening, participating art spaces will open their doors to the public and showcase their exhibits. For more details, call the Arts Council office at (337) 439-2787. August 6, 2015 21
Arts & Crabs Fest Announces Chef Lineup The Arts Council and the Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau will present the annual Arts & Crabs Fest on Saturday August 15, from 5-8 p.m. at the Burton Coliseum. This is the festival’s 6th year as a multi-sensory experience of Southwest Louisiana cuisine, music, and art with a tasting of local crab dishes and Louisiana craft brews at its center. Named a Top 20 Event three years in a row by the Southeast Tourism Society, Arts & Crabs Fest is a dynamic celebration of everything local. The Arts Council of SWLA is proud to announce the lineup of local culinary
22 August 6, 2015
talents scheduled for Arts & Crabs Fest 2015. Participating chefs will include but are not limited to:
• 1910 – Louisiana Crab Cakes with a Jalapeno Remoulade • Coyote Blues – Corn, Crab, and Poblano Soup • Luna Bar & Grill – Galactic Crab Dip • The Sloppy Taco – Mango Crab Nachos • Southern Style Catering – Seafood Cornbread • Spiceman’s Kitchen Table – Crab Watermelon-Rind Etouffee
Each chef prepares a unique crab dish representative of their cuisine’s styles, and a diverse selection of Louisiana craft brews from Bayou Teche, Tin Roof, and Covington Brew House, among others, will act as complementary offerings to all dishes. A culinary battle will take place with the public voting for their favorite chef through cash tips, and the top chef will win a New Orleans weekend getaway donated by Acadiana Profile magazine and The New Orleans Hotel Collection. Arts & Crabs Fest also showcases live regional roots music by Sinners and Thomas & Theresa, as well as an interactive art market featuring the creative talents of many Lake Area artisans. For details, visit www.artscouncilswla.org or call (337) 439-2787.
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Midnight Fantasies Classic Auto Show August 7-8 Midnight Fantasies Antique Classic Auto Show is revving up for its 24th event, which will be held Fri.-Sat., Aug. 7-8, at the Burton Coliseum, 7001 Gulf Highway. There will also be food, vendors, music, a swap meet and more. Show hours are 5–10 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m.–8 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is $10 each day, and kids 10 and under get in free. (337) 263-0655.
Saturday, August 1: CyPhaKids “Blast Off with Guardians” and CyPhaKids at 11:30 a.m.! Children will learn about music while discussing Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. They will create Baby Groots and Marshmallow Shooters. Monday, August 3 Join us for the showing of Tangled at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 4 Paint a piggy bank to bring home and hold your savings. Classes begin at 11 a.m. and noon. and are limited to 20 children, ages 4 and up. Thursday, August 6: Paper Weaving with Emma Hughes Emma Hughes will host a paper weaving class for students 6-9 years of age from 11 a.m.-noon. Class is limited to 10 children because of the detail involved. Please get here early to sign up. Thursday, August 6: Writing Journals Make a small writing journal to use this school year from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, August 8: Sasol’s Second Saturday Science Show Sasol continues its 5S Project with “Food Chemistry” at 11:30 a.m. Presenter Rebekah Cole will perform experiments designed to show the chemistry involved in foods we eat every day. They will also demonstrate how iron is extracted from breakfast cereal using a magnet and learn what makes popcorn pop. Monday, August 10 Join us for the showing of Sleeping Beauty at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 11: Wooden Wind Chimes Make a wind chime in the ArtSpace from 11 a.m.-noon Saturday, August 15: Kids Choice This is a workshop to use extra projects that were leftovers from previous workshops and weekly projects. Projects will be on a first come first serve and will be available from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Limit one project per child. The Children’s Museum is located at 327 Broad Street downtown Lake Charles. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is $7.50 for children and adults.
Call 337-433-9420 or visit www.swlakids.org 24 August 6, 2015
Shoots for a Cure Photography Exhibit August 7-September 17 The Black Heritage Gallery presents the “SWLA Sickle Cell Anemia – Shoots for a Cure” photography exhibition, curated by Stella Miller. An opening reception will be held on Aug. 7, from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Gallery at 809 Kirby St., Lake Charles. The exhibit supports affected individuals and their families and is a diverse gathering of 13 photographers and 23 clients with Sickle Cell Disease. There will also be a book signing by local author Lela Tizano. Clients participating in Shoots for a Cure will have their photos on exhibit through Sept. 17. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served at the reception. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment. (337) 433-2602
KZWA Back 2 School Blast August 7-10 KZWA is hosting their 16th Annual “Back 2 School Blast” on the grounds of KZWA 104.9 and the Lake Charles Civic Center beginning Fri., Aug. 7, with a Radio-A-Thon and concluding Mon., Aug. 10 with the supply distribution along with haircuts and styles. Tony Royster will be sitting atop an Army National Guard hummer in the high hopes of filling it to the brim with every supply needed for students to start the year. There will be a radio-a-thon starting at 6 a.m. on Friday and a Grown Folk Party that night. On Saturday, barbeque and music will keep Tony company while he waits for the hummer to be filled. The Blast will conclude on Aug. 10 at the Lake Charles Civic Center’s Exhibition Hall, where 104 boys and girls will receive hairstyles and all the school supplies collected will be distributed to the students. www.kzwafm.com
‘Jamaica Me Crazy’ August 14 Get tropical for a good cause! Head to the Isle of Capri on Fri., Aug. 14 for “Jamaica Me Crazy,” the American Cancer Society’s premier fundraiser! Enjoy delicious Caribbean-style food and desserts, live and silent auction ,photo booth fun and music by SWLA’s top dance band, the Flamethrowers! Come in your resort-wear attire and get ready to party! Tickets are $75 per person, $125 per couple or $800 for a reserved table of 8. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Attendees must be 21 years of age to enter. (337) 433-5817
Jurassic Quest August 14-16 Jurassic Quest is the LARGEST, most realistic dinosaur event on the continent and it’s coming to the Lake Charles Civic Center! This exhibit walks you through the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods and includes fossil digs, dinosaur rides, dinosaur cinema, science station, dinosaur bounce houses, and much more! These are huge, life-size, animatronic dinosaurs and they are coming August 14-16 (Fri.-Sun.)! Don’t miss out on all of the dinosaur fun! For ticket information, go to www. jurassicquest.com/lake-charles-la. Vol. 7 • No. 8
Back to School Bash August 15 The Foreman Reynaud Community Center is hosting a Back to School Bash with Walgreens! The event will be held on Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the community center. At the event, the first 500 kids will get free school supplies and backpacks. Vendors are welcome! For more information, call (337) 436-2500 or email schretien@suddenlinkemail.com.
Sunrise Rotary Fundraiser August 15 The Sulphur Sunrise Rotary Club is holding their annual Fundraiser Dance at the West Cal Events Center on Sat., Aug. 15, at 8 p.m. Louisiana Express will be this year’s entertainment and there will be a silent auction. They are looking for sponsors and silent auction items. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Care Help of Sulphur and Disaster Aid USA. Sponsorships levels are $500 and $250. For sponsorships or tickets call (337) 855-7866.
live entertainment, light refreshments, arts and crafts demonstrations, pony rides and displays. (337) 721-7101.
McNeese Band Fundraiser August 21 McNeese State University will host a Cowboy Kickoff Dinner and Showcase fundraiser for the McNeese Band travel fund Friday, Aug. 21, in Burton Coliseum. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with a dinner that includes barbecue pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, chips, brownies and beverages. The showcase begins at 7 p.m. with presentations including McNeese head football coach Matt Viator, the football team captains and McNeese President Philip Williams. Performances by the Pride of McNeese Marching Band, Cowgirl Kickers and cheerleaders will follow. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under and are available for purchase Aug. 3-17. For ticket information, call the athletics ticket office at 562-4MSU or the band hall at 475-5004.
Arts & Crabs Fest August 15 Arts & Crabs Fest brings regional cuisine, culture, and art to the forefront. Festival-goers take part in an extensive crab and beer tasting which features area chefs and restaurants each offering a crab dish representative of their cuisine’s styles and personalities. Dishes are then paired with Louisiana craft brews. Enjoy local art displays, interactive cultural activities and live music. Serving for the general public is from 5-7 p.m. at Burton Coliseum. Ticketholders must be 21 years of age or older. (337) 439-2787.
Iowa Arts and Crafts Festival August 22 The seventh annual Iowa Arts and Crafts Festival will be held on Sat., Aug. 22 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Iowa Community Center located at 207 U.S. 90 W in Iowa. This event is free and open to the public. Enjoy
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Full Throttle Wrestling Fundraiser August 22 Full Throttle Wrestling will sponsor a wrestling fundraiser to benefit Colors for a Cause, an organization that does great work raising funds for and awareness of childhood cancer. The event will be held at the LC Civic Center on Aug. 22. Doors open at 6 p.m., activities begin at 7. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 for children ages 6-12 years old, and kids 5 and under get in free. (337) 491-1256.
Children’s Museum Imagination Celebration August 29 The Children’s Museum presents the 13th annual Imagination Celebration! This evening is just for the grown ups and will be “the cat’s meow!” Celebrate the rip-roaring 1920s with the Celebrity Karaoke Contest and sample fabulous food from 20+ area restaurants! Come dressed in your 1920s attire! Here’s hoping the bids for the unique, must-have items in the live and silent auctions will bring in a lot of “clams.” Dancing will follow and you might take home a fabulous prize as winner’s names will be drawn throughout the night! Reserve your table today. www.swlakids.org.
BooZoo’s Labor Day Festival September 7 A day of great food and Zydeco, the family is invited to come out and celebrate the festival’s 31st year in grand style. Fill up on crawfish etouf-
26 August 6, 2015
fee, red beans and rice with sausage and BBQ sandwiches and enjoy the sounds of local Zydeco favorites. Doors open at 10 a.m., with the bands beginning at 11 a.m. Admission: $15 at the door, 12 and under $2. Lake Charles Civic Center, Buccaneer Room.
Little Theatre Presents Nunsense Amen! September 4-20 (Weekends) Nunsense Amen is basically the original Nunsense with all of the characters portrayed by male musical comedy performers. Think of it as Mrs. Doubtfire enters the convent. Members of the cast include: Randy Partin as Sister Mary Regina, Kevin Driscol as Sister Mary Hubert, Robert Grider as Sister Robert Anne, Daniel Sadler as Sister Mary Amnesia, and Damien Thibodeaux as Sister Mary Leo. Greg Stratton is the director. The show opens Friday Sept. 4, and runs three weekends closing on Sept/ 20. Ticket info: thelclt.com or (337) 433-7988.
Boudin Wars September 12 Boudin Wars will be held on Sept. 12 at the Henning Cultural Center in Sulphur from 11 a.m.- 1 pm. Local restaurants and chefs will compete for the title of “Best Boudin in SWLA!” Visitors can sample their boudin recipes and will get to choose the area’s best boudin! Tickets are $10 each and are VERY limited, and must be purchased in advance at the Henning Cultural Center in Sulphur or online at www.brimstonemuseum.org.
Vol. 7 • No. 8
Lights, Camera, Chocolate! It’s been a great summer for local movie-going. And no, I’m not talking about the oh so wonderfully multilayered film Inside Out by Pixar. Or about Marvel’s summer superhero movie Ant Man. I’m talking about an ever-growing tribe of film lovers across the lake area who discuss films. I’m talking about McNeese’s summer Leisure Learning course featuring movie couples of yesteryear who were famous both on and off screen. I’m talking about the Imperial Calcasieu Museum’s summer movie lectures featuring a wide variety of thought- provoking films that covered everything from The Blind Side to Boogie Nights. I’m talking about the Second Annual Serial Fest featuring nothing but the short movies that used to play every week in cinema houses as far back as the ‘20s. These serials inspired features like Star Vol. 7 • No. 8
Wars and Indiana Jones. What goes on at these local events? They trade trivia about the lives of the actors off screen, tales behind the scenes on set, emotional camera angles, music, acting and just about anything else you can think of. Best of all, they take place right here in Southwest Louisiana. By the time this article goes to print you should still be able to catch the discussion on Seven Days in May screening Thursday, August 13 at 6 p.m. The discussion will be hosted by Charles St. Dizier at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum. While August marks a short lull in these local discussions, it got me to thinking
about what kind of film discussion I might lead. What movie gem might have been overlooked by my friends in the summer frenzy of blockbusters, the most popular national releases on Red Box or the currently streamed on Netflix? The light bulb hit me. I’d pick a film that’s neither brand-new nor a classic. One I like to watch whenever a drama is too heavy but a comedy is too silly. One that’s the movie equivalent of a comfort food. I’d pick Chocolat. And I wouldn’t just screen the film. I’d bring big bags of chocolate chips and a double boiler to melt them into submission. Trust me, if you didn’t crave chocolate before this film, you’ll be craving it afterwards. Sure, we’d discuss Johnny Depp’s understated character that only exists as Juliette Binoche’s romantic foil. But then, we’d discuss how to make “chocolate butter” us-
ing only three ingredients. (1/2 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup melted semisweet chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder with a pinch of salt to taste. Beat in an electric mixer and spread on toast! Voila! Breakfast!) We’d discuss how odd it was to add chili pepper powder in hot cocoa. In the movie, they claim it will boost your energy. Of course, when we got to that part. we’d immediately stop the film to pour cups of our own and test the theory. (Hint: this is sometimes called “Aztec hot chocolate” and they usually add in a little cinnamon, too.) We’d discuss what led up to the great disaster in the film. (You didn’t think I’d give away plot spoilers did you?) And to keep with the hot and spicy theme of the party, we’d melt some chips into our favorite taco sauce and get to crunching on our own mole sauce. Okay, that might be over simplifying it a wee bit, but I’m not a chef. I just don’t own that many spices in my cabinet! After in-depth discussions about why the main character is the only one who wears shades of red and pink, why the young girl has an invisible kangaroo, whether or not chocolate has medicinal properties or is closer to a recreational drug, I’d end the night with some pre-made goody bags. Inside would be the prize du jour, chocolate-dipped bacon! Sigh, that would be a heavenly discussion of an Oscar-nominated film, one that came and went without much fanfare. But I’d bet it’d be a night to remember. If not by our intellectual edification, we’d remember it by our waistlines. Until next time, I’m gonna try some chocolate-covered popcorn! August 6, 2015 27
Ant-Man (Marvel, 2015) This is probably the geeki- complicated.) Because est of Marvel movies to date. Hank has an adult daughIt’s also one of the best, certer, Hope, who is working tainly the best this year. for his protégé, Darren Scott Lang is an ex-con, Cross. And also bejailed for doing a Robin cause Hank uses Hood burglary on a big big words, like corporation through its protégé. computer system. Now he’s However, out and trying to get visita- once things tion rights for his too-cute start movdaughter. But he needs a ing, Antjob, and that’s not going so Man is an well. extremely Enter Hank Pym enter(Michael Douglas), the taining original Ant-Man (yes, I film. First know, who knew?) who is of all, now too old to keep his Paul Rudd scientific discoveries about as Scott is shrinking molecules from likeable and evil people. Years ago, Dr. funny, sort of Pym discovered how to an American shrink even humans, and Hugh Grant. He later hid the technology has a lot of learning from defense contractors to be able to shrink like Tony Stark (Iron Man, and unshrink, which The Avengers.) But Hank’s happens fast. The protégé, Darren Cross, has first time he tries almost re-created his disit, Scott basically covery, so Hank plans to falls to floor steal it back. from a height So who does he hire, but of six feet, as ex-con excellent burglar, he suddenly Scott Lang? is the size Now, admittedly, setting of an ant. all of this up made the beOh, and ginning of the movie a little there are slow. But it’s complicated. ants, too. (Marvel plots are always The kind 28 August 6, 2015
that crawl around and bite. Dr. Pym has learned how to communicate and control them with an earpiece. In what is the most dweebish and educational superhero movie I’ve ever seen, Hank introduces Scott to Fire Ants, Crazy Ants, Bullet Ants, and Carpenter Ants, all with their amazing abilities. In a way, ants are like dinosaurs. Kids are fascinated by them. When you add to this a guy who can shrink down and run with them through tunnels, fly on their backs in the air, and train them how to in-
filtrate buildings, what’s not to like? Meanwhile, Hank’s daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) is at odds with her father and has misgivings about working for Darren at Cross Industries. The real beauty of this saga is the way it ties the plot together without getting too serious. If you’re like me, watching a couple of actors in suits fighting gets old really quickly. But in Ant-Man (which is after all a superhero movie) every battle has a twist, such as Scott, miniaturized as AntMan, battling a villain on a Thomas the Train set. Adding further to the humor are Luis, Dave and Kurt, Scott’s buddies from his crime days, who get worked into the story by helping him steal back the Ant-Man technology. These good-natured thieves and their bumbling hijinks are just fun to watch. ( Luis: “I get to be a security guard?” Man: “I’m gonna whistle!” Scott: “No whistling. You’re not going on the Andy Griffith Show!”) Will Scott ever get to see his daughter again? Will Darren Cross sell the AntMan secret to the highest evil bidder and quit being a protégé? Will Hope ever come back home to her father? Ant-Man is rated PG13 for a few foul words and the destruction of a Thomas the Train set. Small kids don’t need to see this movie, but kids 10 and up should enjoy it. Even big kids, like me. Use discretion. And enjoy! Vol. 7 • No. 8
Born to Be Wild
You’ll never be accused of missing adventure because you’re too tired. Two, in fact, is just the right amount of tires; because the weather is perfect and it’s summertime, you can’t imagine riding on more. But how did a simple modification on a bicycle become something that’s represented danger to many people? Read the new book Born to Be Wild: The Rise of the American Motorcyclist by Randy D. McBee, and you’ll find out. In the early years of the last century, when “gypsy tours” were organized for the benefit of motorcycle enthusiasts who wanted a scenic ride to a place where they could compete, riding was a fun pastime. That changed in 1947 in Hollister, California, when roughly 4,000 motorcyclists rallied, fought, disobeyed traffic laws, and got drunk and disorderly. Quickthinking police had the situation under control in no time, but the die was cast: motorcycling became near synonymous with debauchery. At that time, there were over 200,000 motorcycles registered for use on highways in the Vol. 7 • No. 8
U.S.; by 1950, the number had more than doubled. In many American minds then, leather jackets, rolled-up jeans, white T-shirt, and a slouch (a’ la Marlin Brando and James Dean) personified hoodlumism, even though both the uniform and the bikes themselves had been part of “working-class communities for decades.” Still, anyone sporting that look aboard a motorcycle was considered to be a “bum.” By the early 1960s, motorcycles were more diverse, as were their riders. Japanese bikes were common; women, African Americans, and Hispanics took up riding; and it wasn’t uncommon to see suited businessmen aboard their bikes. Clubs sprung up in suburbs and cities, but although those riders were noted, they were not feared – not, at least, as much as the newly named “bikers” for whom violence and crime were often attributed. Indeed, says McBee, some clubs became gangs that reportedly committed “’unimaginable’” violence and terroristic crime. By the ‘80s, being a biker was more mainstream and,
while gangs enjoyed notoriety, bikers learned to use their clout to help form laws and offer support. Women took up bikes in higher numbers, as did Black and Hispanic riders who, says McBee, now may be poised to change the future of motorcycling yet again. Though I liked it, and though I learned quite a bit, I doubt that anyone would consider Born to Be Wild as light reading. No, there’s a lot packed into these pages: author McBee offers readers a serious, detailed history of the culture of “biker,” starting almost in the middle of the history of the motorcycle. That’s a nice approach: bookshelves are full of the history of the machine but not much on
bikers, other than of the outlaw sort. McBee encompasses many aspects of The Life, including politically charged issues that might have surprised our forebears, and how riding has become acceptable once again. Bikers, obviously, will rumble for this book, but they’re not its only audience. Historians and pop-culture fans could also find Born to Be Wild is the best thing off two tires. “Born to Be Wild” by Randy D. McBee ©2015, The University of North Carolina Press $35 / Higher in Canada 359 pages August 6, 2015 29
Thursday, August 6 Happy Hour 4 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Bernie Alan 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Jessie Taylor 7 p.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill 719 Ryan St. LC
Blues Traveler & Winner of Battle of the Bands @Party by the Pool
Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Street Side Jazz Band 7 p.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill 719 Ryan St. LC Killawatts 8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Gordie Brown 8:30 p.m. @ The Event Center
Limited Engagement from Vegas!
7 p.m., L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Rockbox 8 p.m. – midnight @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Luke Cooper 9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC
Brandon Green 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush 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
30 August 6, 2015
Friday, August 7
Rockbox 9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Allison Collins 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
LA Express 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton Mr. DJ 9 p.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC Dance Night 9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
David Locklear 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Saturday, August 8 Nathan Horton 6-9 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St. LC JC Melancon 7 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy, 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC Katie Whitney & Chip Radford 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Gordie Brown 8:30 p.m. @ The Event Center
Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
At Fault 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Limited Engagement from Vegas! Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Special Event Night 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC Vol. 7 • No. 8
Reece Sullivan 9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC LA Express 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Allison Collins 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Rockbox 9 p.m.– 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Vol. 7 • No. 8
At Fault 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Scarab
(Journey Tribute Band) 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St. LC DJ CaGe 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Sunday, August 9 Chester & Jarius Daigle 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
@Jack Daniels’ Whiskey Brunch L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Jazz Workshop 1 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St. LC
Ellis Vanicor & The Lacassine Playboys 3-7 p.m. @ Wayne & Layne’s Deli 3906 Hwy 27 S, Sulphur Glen the Band of One 4 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy, 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC Kris Harper 5-9 p.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Monday, August 10 Open Mic Night 9-midnight @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC
Tuesday, August 11 Guys Night @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC Jazz Night with Mickey Smith 6:30 @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC Two for Tuesday on Everything! 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
August 6, 2015 31
Wednesday, August 12 Ganey Arsement 7 p.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill 719 Ryan St. LC Mike & Amber 7:30 – 11:30 p.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC AM Push 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort
2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Chris Miller & Bayou Roots 6:30 @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.), LC
Jim Pharis 9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC Talent Night 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Thursday, August 13 Happy Hour 4 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert 6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Music, Music and More Music! By Braylin Jenkins
Explore, Support and Discover As the summer break comes to an end, our vacations and staycations, the time spent with loved ones and the summer heat will be added to our ever-growing list of memories. For Southwest Louisiana, the fall means countless gatherings, lots of cheering and even more excitement displayed via social media and (more important) in person. If you typically stay home during the fall, I encourage you to break the routine and plug into our awesome community. Support our local sports teams, educational institutions, music venues, restaurants and leisure-focused locations. Being in media, I try my best to attend a lot of events and find that I have trouble keeping up, which is a great thing. There is always something for everyone, because Southwest Louisiana is a socializing paradise. Try to 32 August 6, 2015
Music is a way of life here. No matter what type of genre you prefer, I hope you take the time to check out our local and regional music artists. I do not consider myself to be a radio DJ, but rather, a radio presenter. I believe a true radio DJ possesses particular skills and talents that many of us do not have. Musical knowledge is intimate and includes many details, which makes the music world what it is. As a radio presenter on 88.3 KBYS/ kbys.fm and a community advocate, I appreciate music, but cannot fully understand the complexities that an avid music lover or musician understands. With that being said, I do understand the coming together of a band--their story, struggles, commitment, drive and passion--all of which make entertainers who they are. That’s my part in the music world: helping to introduce the music artists/bands to you and sharing their story, sound and heart, all the while tracking their progress. Our music scene has had its ups and downs, but right now, we get to witness something incredible happening. This community could not be on a better path toward fulfilling what it was
AM Push 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC The New Waves 9 p.m. – midnight @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
David Locklear 7 p.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill 719 Ryan St. LC
attend some events that you normally wouldn’t; you may be surprised to see many people you know. You may also discover something new that you never thought you’d enjoy.
Gregg Martinez & The Delta Kings 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
destined to become. All of the media outlets, supporters and visionaries along with those who will witness it all come together are a part of something special and if you do not believe me, just you wait and see. Aep is a band currently based out of Lake Charles and they are making waves. This band is made up of some of the most humble, well-trained musicians I have ever come across, something I believe is rarely found these days. They will release their first fulllength CD “Costume Shop Sessions” August 14 at Luna Live. Team Theory and Rhode will kick it the night while Aep will top it off with a stellar performance. This will be a huge night for Rhode, as it will mark the release of their self-titled EP. All three bands are an excellent representation of what is happening in Southwest Louisiana. Whether or not they become your favorites, know that this is another way our area gets recognized for creativity and talent. Visit their Facebook pages and check them out.
MÁS With a new season comes a new MÁS presented by www.HeyBrayJ.com. MÁS is my play on words, standing for Music Artist Showcase, but also doubling as the word “more.” (I am aware of how incorrect this is grammatically). Our mantra is “Because You Deserve More,” which is what we strive to Vol. 7 • No. 8
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC DJ San-D 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
do--we want to bring more music, performances, networking opportunities and social events to the area. Hey Bray J’s MÁS Summer Series Presented recently wrapped and was held at Tipitina’s Music Office Co-Op Lake Charles. We featured a mix of music artists including Ian Fredericks, Lesley LeShea, Alana Newman and Danley Charles Romero with a special guest performance by Jeremiah Szymanski. We also had various guests representing local non-profits and businesses who add to the area. Special thanks to Studio 57 – Specialty Airbrushing, Lake City Entertainment, Ebony’s Graphix and Cedric Ferrell of Tipitina’s for making the Summer Series possible, along with a special thank you to Street Breads and Don’s All Cloth Carwash & Lube for providing giveaways. Stay tuned for what we have coming during the fall series by way of social media and www.heybrayj.com.
New Non-Profit We like to highlight nonprofits doing great things Vol. 7 • No. 8
Friday, August 14 John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Reed Planchard 7 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 3059 (Old Town Road) LC The New Waves 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
in Southwest Louisiana. Glean founder Noelle Mills recently made her debut on KBYS during our “Morning Wake Up.” Glean’s purpose from conception was to assist other non-profits and Mills and her support team decided that the best way to do this is to highlight one organization each month. For August, Glean selected the Sulphur Christian Community Coalition, formerly known as the Hope House. They are collecting new/gently-used baby clothes (up to size 2T), individually wrapped snack items and new toys. Visit Glean online at facebook. com/gleanlc and learn more about the Sulphur Christian Community Coalition at www.sulphurccc.org Let’s continue supporting the groups that go beyond what we’re able to do on our own so that they can have an impact on those in need. Thank you for continuing to explore, support and discover everything that makes this community what it is. There’s always something to do here. As always, make it a great one, Southwest Louisiana!
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Roulette Ramblers 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC BB & Company 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton No Idea 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Karaoke 9 p.m. @ Coolers 3622 1/2 Ryan St. LC Dance Night 9 p.m. – 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Brian Moore 9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC Larry Tillery & the Vagabond Dreamers 9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Aep Team Theory 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St. LC DJ San-D 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Saturday, August 15 Lady of the Lake River Cruise Music by Flashback 6 p.m. boarding @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC $75 per person includes dinner buffet, Must be 21 or older August 6, 2015 33
John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Clayton Rougeau & Wild West Band 7 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 3059 (Old Town Road) LC Creedence Clearwater Revisited 8:30 p.m. @ Golden Nugget Event Center 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Special Event Night 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Neal Smith 9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC BB & Company 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton The New Waves 9 p.m.– 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort
We just wanna take Louisiana music and country and Zydeco and swamp pop and rock and roll and soul and all that and just create our updated version of it. Specifically, we consider what we do to be swamp pop, even though it encompasses... “Country - Soul - Rock and Roll.” When you add country, soul and rock and roll together, like, that’s swamp pop to us. That’s what it all comes down to. Just this definitively Louisiana style of roots music that we’re trying to put our own stamp on. - Charles Lyons - sinners Let’s Just Get Drunk and Go Dancin’ Tonight... I’m pretty sure that Gram Parsons never figured that he’d have any kind of real influence on the music of South Louisiana. He had no way of knowing that a Sulphur boy by the name of Charles Lyons, not even born until over a decade after the Flying Burrito Brothers debut release, would not only hear that album but find something meaningful enough there to eventually lead 34 August 6, 2015
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 Roulette Ramblers 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
his own band of misguided troubadours and minstrels that, because of him, would bear the name “sinners.” I spoke with him recently: The band was originally called “The Palace Sinners” which was a reference to the “The Gilded Palace of Sin” record, but we kept getting other questions. Was it a reference to Bonnie Prince Billy, Will Oldham, who used to have a project with his brother where they would put out records like “Palace Songs,” “Palace Music,” “Palace Brothers.”--just “Palace,” you know? So we decided to shorten the name to just “sinners.” Not “The sinners”... just “sinners” because in the beginning, we would also play a lot of country/gospel music and there’s that juxtaposition of that with the wildness in the music and the fact that growing up in the Bible Belt, with my Catholic upbringing and other members of the band, we all have different backgrounds. Being down here, religion did play a part in it. Some of us are religious and others aren’t, but what we can all agree on, by definition, [is that] we are sinners. So, if nothing else, it was an honest assessment and I feel that it represents, in some ways, the spirit of the band. We like to play things tight and play
The 94’s 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St. LC DJ San-D 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Sunday, August 16 Chester & Jarius Daigle 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
@Jack Daniels’ Whiskey Brunch
things great but we also like to play it on the edge. Like where it’s just EVER so close. Where it’s either gonna be beautiful or it’s gonna become unhinged, like one of those things IS GOING to happen, and I feel that the name... it represents what we do well. Lyons (known informally as “Skeeter”) and his “sinners” have spanned a decade and a half at this point in some variation or another and have held the current lineup, relatively unchanged, for the last five of those years. Having cut his onstage teeth with local punk act “Pink Noise,” Lyons then created the “drunken choir of angels singing” mass sound that was the progressive /alt country amalgam know as “Cortez Del Mar.” It was during these days that “The Palace Sinners” first began with sounds that vary considerably from the band’s current sound. Lyons himself says that even the band’s first full length album, the 2014 release Dog Hill, feels a bit separated from the music they are making today. It’s really good and people should buy it, but it almost doesn’t sound like anything to where we’ve come as a band and so we will start recording soon for another couple of EPs. We should have two releases around the holidays or the first of the year, hopefully. We’re really excited about both of them and I still Vol. 7 • No. 8
L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Bar, 3748 Hwy 305, LC
Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC
Dead Or Alive 5-9 p.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Ellis Vanicor & The Lacassine Playboys
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
3-7 p.m. @ Wayne & Layne’s Deli 3906 Hwy 27 S, Sulphur
Monday, August 17
Mike Fulmer 4 p.m. @ Loggerheads Riverside
Open Mic Night 9-midnight @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC
love the record. There are some of those songs that we’ll be playing (in upcoming live shows) and they’re great. And I’m afraid that I am inclined to agree. The album (available at http://bandofsinners.bandcamp.com/) is a great example of the talent, taste and texture of the band. Songs like California arrive with a subtle, yet driving all-American intensity that opens up into a near recklessness, while other tracks like “Time to Leave” draw you into to the quiet intensity of “goodbye” and leave you a touch out of breath by the time it passes. However, it is probably the opening track “Let’s Just Get Drunk and Go Dancing” that probably, at least thematically, sums up what he says is the most important thing about the music they make and what they want to do with it. …to tell stories that people want to hear and speak to emotions that everybody feels and write songs that people can relate to and dance to and eat to and drink to and cry to and fight to... You know, I think I can speak for everybody when I say that we want to put our stamp on it. We just want to make what little mark we can make on the music that we love and contribute to the Great American and the Great Louisianan Songbooks as best we can. Vol. 7 • No. 8
I think the main thing (for the listener) is “dance.” Feel free to dance. With the covers and originals... just have a good time. And it’s safe to say that they make it easy. Their nouveau swamp pop sound takes its inspiration from the deepest roots of swamp pop, largely from the great founder of the genre Bobby Charles, who penned such songs as “See You Later Alligator” and the Fats Domino classic “Walkin’ To New Orleans” and the more country-inspired Balfa Brothers all the way to today’s sock stars of the genre “Little Band of Gold” that features Steve Riley, C.C. Adcock, Warren Storm, and many other insanely talented musicians. “You know, it’s a style of Louisiana music that took influences from more than just Cajun and Zydeco. It was these Cajun guys back then basically playing Cajun music with an R&B feel. They added that ‘50s R&B and doo wop and soul and rock and roll and threw that in with all the fiddles and Cajun
Tuesday, August 18
Wednesday, August 19
Guys Night @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Chris Miller & Bayou Roots 6:30 @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC
Jazz Night with Mickey Smith 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC Kris Harper 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Dancing 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC instruments and accordions and well... Swamp Pop.” Whereas Lyons is the principal songwriter and leader of the band, he’ll be the first to tell you that this is certainly no one-man show. Along with long-distance collaborator/ songwriter/ guitarist Scott Whiddon of Lexington, KY, Lyons says that all of the members bring something very special to the table that truly makes “sinners” what it is. There’s myself on guitar, songs and vocals, Mr. Kris Kershaw on harmonies and electric guitar, Alan Rasco on pedal steel guitar, Mr. Daniel Fontenot playin’ the drums and singin’ backups. Currently, we’ve got Marcus Sawyer playing with us on bass and coming up with killer backup vocals as well, and we usually have Adam Trouard playing keyboards. It’s new and it’s old, but it’s fundamentally Louisiana no matter how you slice it. The band of “sinners” as it were have no shame about their love for their home, the people here and the music that has come to
Karaoke with DJ Cornbread 7 p.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Mike & Amber 7:30 – 11:30 p.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd., LC define it and shape it over the years. Their unabashed fidelity to greater Acadian and Louisiana music is a fundamental part of their music and something these musicians strive to embody in both their lives and their music. “Yeah, man, just celebrate it. There’s no other place like this. I love it. We love it. No matter where you are, that’s where you are and I can’t imagine being anywhere else but here. When I play music, when I write music, I want it to celebrate the place I came from cause that’s what influenced it. I don’t wanna play it the exact same way that it’s always been played. I wanna play it our way. I think that’s what we all want.” Having been a fan of their music for some time, I can safely say that that is what I want, too. As long as these “sinners” keep doing what they’re doing, I’ll find myself proud to be counted among them and maybe...just maybe, you might find that little “sinner” in you as well. And that’s not a bad thing. At all.
Aug 15: Arts and Crabs Fest - Burton Coliseum This annual event brings regional cuisine, culture, and art to the forefront and once again has been named a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeast Tourism Society. Hosted by the Southwest Louisiana Arts and Humanities Council, it will take place from 5-8 p.m. on Aug. 15 at Burton Coliseum and will feature music from “sinners’” and Thomas and Theresa, vendors and every variation of crab that you can imagine. Early Bird Tickets are $25 and are available now at www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org/event/2015arts-crabs-festival/ August 6, 2015 35
Chinatown 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Ryan Bunch 8- 11 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC Karaoke with Avid Sounds 9 p.m. @ Coolers 3622 1/2 Ryan St. LC Talent Night 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Thursday, August 20 Happy Hour 4 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Rusty Yates 6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Joe Harmon & the Harmonics 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Encore 8 p.m. – midnight @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Chinatown 8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Friday, August 21
DJ Jose Mata 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC
Killawatts 8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
RKW Acoustic Show 9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC
Rusty Yates 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
has led to the creation of some incredible drinks, one of which has become Finding a clasthe signature cocktail for the bar. sic drink made with A variation on the Singapore Sling traditional techniques introduced in the early 1900s, the and fresh ingredients became more difficult “Santo Domingo Sling” is a secret recipe hand-crafted with a variety of after the 1920s. The liqueurs, all-natural bitters and alcodays of prohibition hols. Garnished with a luscious slice transformed a oncethriving nation of mixology masters of orange, this is your fruit punchlover’s heaven. and cocktail connoisseurs into conThough her signature is sweet, her traband slinging cutthroats serving skill at crafting classics such as the drunk hungry patrons seeking a fix. Old-Fashioned, the Mint Julep, and But here in SWLA, we pride ourthe Sazerac are well above par. Taking selves on tradition. Preserving and courses in pairing, as well as attendrestoring our culture and heritage is ing trade shows and seminars on new part of who we are and for one local and traditional products, Mageau has bartender, it is a way of life. Ashley Mageau, Head Bartender at dedicated herself to providing her customers the perfect selection for Cigar Club Lake Charles. has been any cigar. mixing things up for over seven “Working hand-in-hand with the years now. Starting as a customer cigar industry, I get to explore my and eventually working her way creativity,” she says. “ I wake up lovbehind the bar, Mageau has iming what I do, and I think of my cusmersed herself in the cocktail culture, studying histories, reci- tomers as family. I miss them when they’re gone and they challenge me to pes, and techniques that have be better.” been lost for decades. CombinIf you’re looking to gain a wealth ing her studies with her passion of knowledge on the who, what, when for the science of flavor-blending, and where about alcohol while enjoyshe has developed a style and character to her work that cannot be ing a premium crafted beverage, pull up a stool at Cigar Club Lake Charles found anywhere else in the city. and ask for Ashley. “The science is what I love--taking nothing and making something everyone can enjoy,” says Mageau. Born in Canada, raised in Texas, and now 1700 E Prien Lake Rd., LC rooted in Lake Charles, she has a 337.562.8889 uniquely diverse background that
Photo: Daniel Castro
By Brian Pitre
The Cigar Club
36 August 6, 2015
Vol. 7 • No. 8
Encore 9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue Martini Golden Nugget Casino Resort 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC Chinatown 9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ Rush 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 Troy Laz Band 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort
Regal Beagle 2200 Ryan St., LC 337.419.1898 Vol. 7 • No. 8
777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Saturday, August 22
Boomerang 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Rusty Yates 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Mr. DJ 9 p.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC Dance Night 9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
KC & the Sunshine Band 7 p.m. @Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Jessie Taylor 9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC Boomerang 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Ordering a drink is a simple task, but locating a true mixologist that can mix up any request, like a DJ playing the hits and classics, is a rare find. Since the late 1950s, bartenders and drink mixing has grown in popularity, creating a whole new world of drink combinations across the nation. Stumbling upon one who can muddle your thoughts and ideas into a chilled masterpiece is truly a find. Dan Clark at Regal Beagle Lake Charles is that bartender. Starting his mixing career in 2004, Dan has since attended a number of flair and serving courses, which has allowed him to compile an arsenal of bar knowledge. Priding himself on being “The Request Maker,” Clark says, “I love the limelight and I love making drinks. This is what I do.” Aside from turning out the classics with precision, Clark uses his range of creativity to blend a number of one-of-a- kind mixed drinks. For example, his Peach Long Island Ice Tea is a twist on the traditional Long Island. Layering clear alcohols with bright peach flavors combined with lemon/lime soda, this is an intoxicatingly refreshing concoction that pairs perfectly with a hot summer night. Though Clark says that for him, the job is not all about the drinks or the flair, he describes it as so much more than bartending. “Physician, psychiatrist, coach, teacher, legal advisor, handyman, and entertainer--a good bartender is every profession all poured into one well-mixed cocktail,” he says. The fast-paced, high-energy work environment is what Clark says he lives for. “I really like to make people happy. I’m in my zone when I’m surrounded by a packed bar of satisfied customers.” Born and raised in Lake Charles, he calls Regal Beagle his home away from home. “Here, I get to meet people from all walks of life.” The diverse crowd that Regal Beagle attracts brings with it a diverse amount of drink requests, which Clark says is a challenge that he welcomes with open shakers. He sees his commitment to providing excellent customer service as his overall key to success. “My goal is to never have someone leave my bar unhappy,” he says. Laughing away your blues while keeping your cup filled with smiles is exactly what you can expect when you visit Dan at the Regal Beagle. August 6, 2015 37
THE 26TH ANNUAL MARSHLAND FESTIVAL For over a quarter of a century, the good folks of Hackberry have thrown a fete that’s tough to beat. This year saw the 26th annual Marshland Festival take over the Civic Center featuring vendors, food and musical performances. Folks partied while raising money for youth programs in Hackberry. If that’s not “passing a good time,” I don’t know what is! Ai yeeee!
Amy and Chris Anderson
Cameron Fontenot, Brogan McNease and Gage Navarre
Kade Aucoin and Becca Dupont with Jenny and Heath Nunez
Ali, Riley and Kolby Gilbert
Helen Lewis, Dionne Austin, Miranda Hales, Sgt, Eric Willis, Chantis Williams, Jessica Powell, Brittany Robbins
LAKE AREA RUNNERS HUMP-DAY RUN The Lake Area Runners know a thing or two about putting some miles down in the Lake City. This group of running enthusiasts has become an active part of the downtown landscape promoting good heath and exercise at numerous local events. One is the Hump-Day Run every Wednesday evening starting at 6 p.m. in front of local hot dog haven Botsky’s. Keep it up, gang, and congrats to all the success stories on the team! Way to go!
Sabrina Dowies, Tivona Griffin, Kacie White
Jimmy Strout, Mary Benoit and Jonathan Landry 38 August 6, 2015
Kevin White and Mike Krajicek
Erica Gradney, Abby Wasserbauer and Paula Deleon
Lake Area Runners Vol. 7 • No. 8
H2O POOL SESSIONS WITH DJ JOSE MATA If it weren’t already the hottest new place in town, Golden Nugget has a weekend party that is the best way to cool off! The H2O Pool Sessions take place on Saturdays at the H2O Poolside lounge with DJ Jose Mata keeping the serious pool party going. Fear not if you missed it. It’ll be like that every Saturday from 1-7 p.m. as long as summer is still around. Go get your SPLASH on!
Kaya Singletary and Amy Cappadonna
Kenneth Kyle and Kailee Godeaux with Ehren and Kelsee Davis
Amber Savell, Kelly Wilfer, Codey Lemaire, Alicia Silver and Earline Stapleton
Ginger McMillian, Micah Cook and Heather Gray
DJ Jose Mata
MAD HOT BALLROOM GALA In its 6th annual edition, The Mad Hot Ballroom Gala and Fundraiser turned L’Auberge’s ballroom into just that with a night of dancing featuring local celebs paired with local dancing instructors in a fleet-footed competition to determine who would walk away this year’s winner. This annual event raises money for the Whistle Stop’s family programs, so whether they were cutting a rug or cutting a check, kudos to all who participated!
Juanita Juarez, Matt Young and Erica McCreedy
Eric Avery, Lacey Harrison, Tyson Green and Lauren Miller Vol. 7 • No. 8
Charmaine Trahan and Ashli Waldrep
April and Craig Morton
Joanna Frey, Penny McDonald and Natalie Medders August 6, 2015 39