On Cover: The Chennault International Airshow September 26, 2013 • Volume 1 • Issue 8 COVER STORY 12 The Chennault International Airshow
715 Kirby St. Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262
www.louisianajam.com PUBLISHER Phil de Albuquerque phil@louisianajam.com
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lauren de Albuquerque lauren@louisianajam.com
CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Addison George Cline Julie Fay Jordan Gribble Nishae Guice Mary Louise Ruehr Mike Louviere Mike McHugh Roger Miller Jody Taylor Karla Tullos
ADVERTISING TRAFFIC MANAGER Senaida Ortiz SALES Michele Clack sales@louisianajam.com
GRAPHICS ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Burn Rourk
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REGULARS 6 The Dang Yankee 7 Tips from Tip 7 Adoption Corner 9 Huntin’ Tales 8 This Functional Family 10 The Impressive Entertainer THE SPICE OF SWLA 4 Gerstner Field 14 The LC Symphony Opens New Season 16 Restaurant Guide 18 Events Guide 19 Family Fun Night at the Movies 20 Nightlife Guide 22 Paul Gonsoulin 24 Arts & Culture Guide 24 Red Hot Books 26 The Art of John Martel 28 The LC Film Festival 29 Funbolaya 30 Society Spice
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ART ASSISTANT Sarah Bercier CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Danley Romero BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER Jeanie Taggart Legal Disclaimer The views expressed by Louisiana Jamcolumnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Louisiana Jam, its editors or staff. Louisiana Jam 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. Louisiana Jam 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 2013 Louisiana Jam all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited. PAGE 2
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26 Hey JAM fans! The Louisiana Jam has gone back to our usual biweekly format. Our next issue comes out on October 10, with all of the columns and articles that you enjoy. Thanks for your support!
Volume 1 • Issue 8
A Note From Lauren
SWLA Fall So, autumn is “officially” here. I’ll admit it’s a little bit cooler. But the a/c is still running night and day, and the flip-flops are still on. Even all that rain we had last week did not dampen the summer spirit. It still lives on, in spite of all the brave red and orange wreaths hanging in doorways, the pumpkin spice air fresheners and lattes being forced upon us, the rows and rows of trick-or-treat candy and Halloween decorations that I believe were dragged out right after the Fourth of July. The grass is still thick, my elephant ears are eight feet tall, the bougainvillea bushes are out of control, the orange hibiscus blossoms are the size of small saucers. You can dream about wool sweaters and hot chocolate all you want, but you have to face the fact that this is Southwest Louisiana, there’s a palm tree right outside your door, and the
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heat is going to be with us a while longer. And when it finally gets cooler—well, there’s still no comparison to the fall season up north. By now, the leaves are starting to turn where I come from. They ultimately reach their peak over Columbus Day weekend, which is barely acknowledged Down Here, but is a big thing Up There. People come from all over the world to congest the highways and byways of New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine so they can gasp at the colors. “Mother Nature’s last blaze of glory,” my mother used to say on our many foliage trips. Phil and I got engaged in New Hampshire on Columbus Day weekend. A perfect backdrop for one of the most romantic events of our lives. A New England autumn is spectacular, especially up in the mountains. The air is crisp with the scent of burning leaves and chimney smoke and fresh apples and damp earth. The sky seems more blue next
to those flaming leaves. And it’s all the more poignant because we know what’s right around the corner: Months of snow and ice and early nightfall. Here, it very gradually gets cooler, and suddenly it’s Halloween (I know because the calendar says so) and then there’s that dreaded Daylight Savings Time, which brings down the darkness by 5 p.m. The flowers are withering, the vegetation is thinning out, it may be raining and it sure is damp. There’s nothing remotely attractive about any of this. We just slowly fade into the winter months with more of the same weather without much fanfare. As I recall, the leaves on the
Engagement weekend 1999
trees (at least downtown) change color around Christmas. This squelches that whole holiday vibe if you’re singing carols under one of them. Not that I would—but you know what I mean. Of course, it’s even more humorous to spend the holiday season in Phoenix, where they twist Christmas lights around the cacti. No, when you’re born and raised in four real seasons, what passes for fall
and winter here pales in comparison. But, I am very happy with a pale winter, since winter and I are not friends. In the meantime, I’m wearing white and eating Popsicles until the first deep freeze. Don’t try and stop me.
Lauren de Albuquerque
SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
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When it was evident that America was going to war in 1917, there was fierce competition to create training fields for the Armed Forces. A Lake Charles delegation approached the officials in charge of awarding contracts. After a cursory inspection, it was decided that the land around Lake Charles was too flat and would not be challenging enough for the troops training for combat in Europe. Undaunted, the Lake Charles delegation decided to try for one of the training bases that would be built for the Army Air Service. The flat terrain would be ideal for training pilots for combat flying, and the weather in Southwest Louisiana was moderate enough year round for good flying. Their persistence paid off. In August 1917, a contract was awarded to build an air base for the primary training of Army pilots. The site selected encom-
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passed several thousand acres near Holmwood, about 15 miles south of Lake Charles. A rail spur was laid and construction began immediately. There were 4,000 men on the payroll and the cost to build the base exceeded $2 million.
THE BASE
The base was named Gerstner Field, after Lt. Frederick Gerstner, who had been killed when his plane crashed in 1914 in one of the early flight trials of the new Air Service. It was a large base containing 24 hangars, 12 barracks for enlisted men, 12 buildings to house officers, 12 mess halls, four large warehouses, and numerous shops and offices. There would be a total of 90 buildings on the base. Built with the intention of being staffed by 2,000 men, eventually 3,000 were stationed there. The excess 1,000 men had to be housed in tents. The first troops arrived
in November 1917 while the base was still under construction. Some were sent from Chandler Field in Essington, Pennsylvania, which had been one of the original three training bases and had been used to train National Guard aviators. The base was closed and all men and equipment transferred to Gerstner Field. Pilot training was held in two stages. The first was ground school, usually held at a university. This consisted of the basics of flight, aircraft maintenance and operation, meteorology, astronomy, discipline and officer behavior. Primary flight training consisted of basic flying instruction and qualified the cadet pilot to become a Reserve Military Aviator. Advanced flight training was usually done in Europe due to the shortage of suitable planes in the United States. Gerstner Field was different in that it offered advanced training for pursuit pilots, instructors, and aerial gunnery.
Gersner Field, then and now
The level of instruction was very good, but the airplanes of the Curtiss JN series (called “Jennys”) that were available for pursuit training were inadequate. However, the instructor
training school worked impressively well. Despite some bureaucracy problems, the base was well managed and morale was high among the flight cadets.
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92 years later: Dismantled in 1921, this is all that remains of Gerstner Field today.
the lights made a stronger pattern.
TRAGEDY
Not so for enlisted men. Sanitary conditions were not very good, since the sewer system was inadequate and drainage was poor. Those men housed in tents had to contend with hordes of mosquitoes and the constantly blowing sand. At times, living conditions were nearly unbearable. The source of the blowing sand was never fully discovered. It hampered flying conditions and caused major damage to airplane engines. Often, as many as two-thirds of the planes would be out of service and in need of repairs. The field was lumpy and good landing spots were hard to find. Heavy rains coupled with the poor drainage often made flights impossible due to the muddy fields.
FIRSTS
For all the faults at Gerstner Field, a number of major accomplishments were achieved there. Col.
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CC Culver perfected a wireless radio that made communication available between the airplane and the ground and also from plane to plane in the air. The wireless radio was considered a revolutionary accomplishment for aerial combat. The airplane ambulance was born when a flyer crashed into the marsh and the area was inaccessible by the regular ambulance. A plane was rigged with equipment to allow the injured pilot to be flown out of the crash site and back to the base. The Department of War recognized the base as the originator of the idea and ordered the establishment of air ambulances at all air bases. The first aerial gunnery school in the United States opened at Big Lake, where floating targets were developed for the pilots to learn and practice strafing techniques. In addition, the Air Service at Gerstner Field did the very first successful night takeoff and landing. Cars and trucks were lined up on a flat stretch of land and their lights turned on facing away from the plane. The takeoff was smoother than the landing. Pilots had a problem judging the distance to the ground on landing, but it was finally resolved by placing the vehicles closer together so that
Sad news was received at the base when it was learned that on February 5, 1918, a German submarine sank the British troop transport, Tuscania. One hundred and sixty-six American service men were killed, including 27 members of the 158th Aero Squadron who had trained at Gerstner Field and only left the base four weeks earlier. On August 6, 1918, a strong hurricane hit Southwest Louisiana. The storm caused over $1 million worth of damage to the base. Three men were killed and eight injured. Eighteen of the 24 hangars were damaged, including seven totally destroyed, along with 96 airplanes. The only building spared at the Big Lake gunnery school was the mess hall, which was pressed into service as a hospital. Seventy-five soldiers from the field were sent to Lake Charles to help with relief work. A pilot from the base flew into Lake Charles with the first word of conditions at Cameron Parish after the hurricane. Gerstner Field was closed in 1919 and was never used again as either a military or civilian airfield. It was dismantled in 1921 and today, only the concrete foundations of the buildings remain, mostly visible only from the air. The land is privately owned and overgrown with brush and trees, with cattle pastured on some of the acreage. There is a state historical marker at the intersection of Old Camp Road and Highway 27. SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
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The Adult Pacifier
I’d been a smoker most of my life. Quit several times by various methods—cold turkey, nicotine gum, Chantix, you name it. Once I even tried hypnosis. It worked, but I also came out of it with a strange desire to urinate on fire hydrants. A real wise guy, that hypnotist. My problem was that I’d always backslide. I’d be smoke-free for months, sometimes more than a year, and then I’d be back onto the cigarettes. Then, I discovered the electronic cigarette, or as my wife calls it, the “adult pacifier.” In case you’re not familiar, the e-cig is a smokeless device that produces water vapor instead of tobacco smoke. The juice that’s used to make the vapor also contains nicotine and flavoring, as well as a thickener—typically propylene glycol. “You’re smoking antifreeze?” my wife asked when I told her what was in it. “Why don’t you just stick your head under the car hood?” “No, you’re thinking of ethylene glycol,” I told her. “It’s all food-grade stuff in these things.” “So, then, it doesn’t have all of those Carthaginians like regular cigarettes.” “Uhhh…right,” I answered. PAGE 6
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E-cigs come in all shapes and sizes. Some are made to look like actual, or what we enthusiasts like to call “analog” cigarettes. Me, I don’t want my device to look anything like a real cigarette. Mine are more cigar-sized, but sleek, in jet-black or stainless steel. I carry it on a lanyard around my neck. It’s a nice convenience, one that’s not an option for traditional smokers unless they happen to be wearing bunker gear. When I’m carrying my e-cig, most people don’t recognize the device for what it is. Someone once said it looked like a flute. Another asked me why I had a tire gauge strung around my neck. I just told him that sometimes, in parking lots, I get this urge to check the air pressure on random cars, probably as another side effect of my hypnosis. I’ve found that e-cigs are in many ways different than their analog counterparts. For one thing, there’s all of the associated paraphernalia. You’ve got batteries, chargers for the batteries, atomizing coils, wicks, juice, and tanks to hold the juice. There’s even things they’ve had to invent new words for, like “clearomizer.” It sounds like something that Captain Kirk would carry around with him while
exploring a new planet. With cigarettes, on the other hand, a pack of matches and you’re good to go. E-cigs do have their advantages, though. One is that you can use them anywhere. Well, almost anywhere. I once got hassled for using it at a rock concert, of all places. There I was, in the midst of a crowd that was burning up enough contraband to levitate the entire venue, and this security lady chooses me to pick on. What I should have told her is, “Don’t mess with me; I’ve got a clearomizer.” Cigarette smokers, on the other hand, are forced to trek to remote outposts in order to feed their habit. I remember years ago, before cigarette ads were banned from television, there was one jingle that went, “I’d walk a mile for a Camel.” That ad man had to be psychic. Anyhow, I think the ecig has finally done the ticket for me. It’s going on two years now. Oh, I still fire up the occasional analog from time to time. Usually, it’s because of some technical glitch with my device, but those occasions are rare. And hopefully it will remain that way, so long as Microsoft never decides to step in and monopolize the business. Volume 1 • Issue 8
KUDOS TO KROGER’S! The Kroger supermarket chain is making a big deal of their “New Low Price” promotion. My readers know that I am a frequent price checker at Kroger as well as other supermarkets. I cannot help but notice that Kroger’s has reduced many prices that had been less than competitive with other outlets. It is pleasant to see an effort of a large chain really trying to increase their profits on volume and not solely on margin. Although this issue’s shopping survey does not reflect very much in the way of that change, I
did observe a much higher degree of competitive pricing while I was there, particularly in the produce department. I am sure this program will be met with success and I hope that it will continue on permanently. They and their customers will benefit from this well-thoughtout effort. Kudos to Kroger’s for this one. CHANGE Change isn’t easy. We all hate it when we lose our comfort zone. We’re set in our ways, and it can become an unsettling experience when our world is altered beyond our control. The world itself is always in a state of flux, but it is difficult for us to accept the inevitable when we can’t perceive the benefits. There is nothing inherently evil in change, so we need to
accept that it will occur and that we should make the very best of it. A positive outlook can expedite the transition. SUPERMARKET ROUNDUP For our shopping comparison, we’re going to the cereal aisle. As requested by several readers, we went to a wider area to check on these prices. It is our pleasure to receive comments from our readers and we shall try to respond to their requests. The stores surveyed this time were Albertsons, Ryan Street; Kroger, McNeese Street; Market Basket, Hwy 378, Moss Bluff and Walmart, Hwy 171. These prices were observed on Wednesday, September 11 and reflect the posted price on the shelf.
2-ounce box: Albertsons, $4.99; Market Basket, $3.99; Kroger, $3.89; Walmart, $3.68. Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, 12-ounce box: Albertsons, $3.69; Market Basket, $4.25; Kroger
(did not carry the 12ounce size); Walmart, $2.50. Cheerios, 8.9-ounce box: Albertsons, $3.59; Market Basket, $2.98; Kroger, $3.13; Walmart, $2.50.
Quaker Old-Fashioned Oatmeal, 18ounce container: Albertsons, $2.99; Market Basket, $2.19; Kroger, $2.79; Walmart, $2.48. Fiber One Cereal, Original, 1-pound,
Featured by LaPAW Rescue
What a doll! This sweet girl was adopted three years ago, but was recently returned due to family issues. Can't imagine giving up such a gem! Millie is 3-4 years old and is clearly Volume 1 • Issue 8
part Corgi. She has a Corgi body but is much smaller and weighs about 13 pounds. She is housetrained and loves to go for rides! She has great house manners, but does not like being on a leash (we are working on that). With her size and good manners, she would be an excellent companion for an apartment dweller or senior citizen(s). She
has lots of love to give and is waiting patiently for her new person to find her. For more information, email lapaw@bellsouth.net, or call (337) 478-7294. Home visit and vet check required prior to all adoptions. Hurry, Millie is waiting! Love dogs and cats but can’t adopt? Consider fostering. There is no joy like saving a life and there are so many to be saved. Email us for more info! SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
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Make Time with Kids Real Quality Time Acknowledging right up front that none of us are perfect parents, here’s a gentle reminder for all parents: If you’re going to spend time with your children, then really spend time with them. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been at the park or some other place with my kids and I’ll see parents that spend the entire time on their cell phones or doing anything but interacting with their children. I have a simple solution so that I don’t text or talk on my phone when I’m having quality time with my kids: I don’t have my phone with me. If we go to the park, my phone stays in the car. If we’re at the pizza place, my phone is in my purse. The phone will still be there in an hour or two and you can catch up on messages then. But those moments with your children will never come again. I think of all the many mem-
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ories I would have missed with my kids if I’d decided to text or talk on the phone instead of really being with them. For instance, we love to go to Sam Houston Jones State Park and other parks as well. When we go to Sam Houston, we hike, ride bikes, look for turtles, try to spot alligators, feed the deer. All of those things are a lot more rewarding than any phone time could ever be. I’ll never forget the look on my son’s face the first time he saw an alligator upclose at Sam Houston. And the time my daughter got chased by geese! The three of us were laughing so hard we almost fell on the ground. Or, the time that we hiked a trail and saw a huge turtle, deer, nutria, and lots of squirrels. As we emerged from the trail, my son was on one side of me, my daughter on the other, and we were all holding hands. I’d much rather hold
their hands in mine than a phone any day. Sweet little hands are warm; phones are cold. One of my sisters gave me a photo holder that’s shaped like a yardstick and has several clips on it to hold photos. It hangs on the wall of my dining room and the quote on it says, “They are only little for a season. Cherish.” It’s something that I remind myself of often: They are only little for a season. Several months ago, we attended a party at a local eatery that had a play area. There was an adorable toddler there with bouncy blonde curls, big blue eyes, and the sweetest smile. She kept trying to get her mother’s attention: “Mommy! Look, Mommy. I want you to watch me!” Her mom would say, “In a second. I’m busy.” She was texting on her phone. A few minutes later, the lit-
tle girl clapped her hands together a couple of times, squealed with delight, and said, “I’m going down the slide now! Mommy, look at me!” The mom said, “I will when I have time. I’m trying to talk to someone right now.” And she kept on texting. As the party wrapped up, the mom finally put her phone away. Too late! She missed valuable moments in her daughter’s life that will never come again. One Saturday, my kids and I grabbed a quick bite at a local fast food joint. At the next table, was a man with his two daughters who looked to be around 10 and 12 years old. The dad talked on his phone the en-
Don’t be “that guy”.
tire time while the girls ate in silence. I wondered what in the world could have been so important. The girls looked like they would have been great company. They were well-mannered, quiet, pretty girls. I bet they would have loved to have enjoyed some conversation with Dad while having lunch. Another missed family moment because of a phone. A phone! Here’s an experiment you can try: Just leave your phone in your purse, your pocket, your car, or at home the next time you go on an outing with your children. Whether it’s to the park, the library, a museum, out to eat, whatever it is, go ahead and ditch the phone. I bet you won’t miss it and you might even find you like being away from it for a little while. At best, you’ll have some memories to treasure with your children. At worst, you’ll have a phone call or two to return or some text messages to read. But trust me on this: Most of it can wait and none of it is more important than your children. Lisa Addison writes for local, regional and national publications. She has two school-aged children, never gets enough sleep, enjoys trying new recipes, is an avid reader, and loves going on adventures with her kids.
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By Roger Miller
South Dakota Cool After lunch on the opening day of the ’99 teal season, I was perusing Ducks Unlimited magazine and spotted an ad for a duck/goose/pheasant hunt in South Dakota. I had just come back from a sweltering Louisiana mosquito swat fest. Since I was hunting at Jimmy Bel’s Hackberry Hilton, the teal were swarming all over, but the bloodsucking insects came in clouds. My pipe smoke was the only thing that kept me from getting Louisiana State Bird hickeys. I already had all the sultry September summer and sweating through OFF! I could take. The ad in the magazine stated that the waterfowl/pheasant seasons opened the first weekend in October and to dress for the cold. That sold me. Luckily October 1 that year was a mere two weeks away. With visions of cold fronts dancing in my head, I called. “Hello, this is Steve,” some guy answered enthusiastically. “What’s the temperature up there?” I queried. “Uh, it’s uh, in the high forties,” he replied. He went on to explain that he was a farmer and this year was his first to open his place to hunters. He said the pheasant and waterfowl hunting was marvelous. Hey, I’d been a guide for 22 years. I knew that hustle. The hunting is always fabulous. Pause. Longer pause. I knew the price was coming, so I quickly explained that I too was a guide and that I was also a teacher. My humble earnings hustle. Pause. “I charge $500 a day for two guided hunts a day, lodging and meals included.” Steve said. Gulp. Pause. I had to wait him out. I was an old hand at this and he was a “newbie. I can look out the window at Jimmy’s marsh damn near Volume 1 • Issue 8
forever. Steve broke first. “But since you’re also a guide and my very first booking, I’ll drop it to half.” he said. Let’s see, that’s $250 a day for five days: $1,250. I’d dreamed about this since I was a kid lying in bed while reading Field & Stream or Outdoor Life. I figured the round-trip flight would be $300 to $500. I could do the whole thing for the $2,000 I didn’t have. Having un-carefully thought this through, I replied. “Steve, you’ve got a deal!” We chatted about the flight there and what I needed to bring to his farmhouse. His wife, Linda got on the phone and gushed about how happy they were to have their first customer. I was ecstatic to be that customer. Now all I needed was the $2,000. No real problem, I hoped, since my banker hunted with me. He’d once loaned me $500 to buy a shotgun. The minute I mentioned the word “loan” he transformed from my Hunting Podna to Scrooge. Still, I got the loan. Not because of my outstanding credit but because he liked hunting with my Golden Retriever. Like I cared. On the flight out I left a sweltering hell in Lake Charles and descended into post-cold-front-heaven in Sioux City, South Dakota. It was 50 degrees with 10 percent humidity on the tarmac. I had an epiphany right there. “Hallelujah!” I exclaimed to no one there and scurried into the airport. I was met by my host. Back in Louisiana on our farm, we’d had a Santa Gertrudis bull I’d named “Bull.” My stocky, redheaded, flush-faced but smiling host just struck me as resembling
him, but in a nice way. He even got used to me calling him that. Guides have to take that fecal matter. On the drive I saw corn, sorghum, and winter wheat spread out over the hills like it used to be back home with rice fields. That and buffalo. Yep, I was where the buffalo roamed and the pheasant ran along the road, don’t you know. After a warm welcome from Linda and a sumptuous mule deer roast supper, I turned in early and slept with visions of decoying waterfowl and flushing pheasants dancing in my head. An hour before daybreak I stepped out onto the porch, Community Coffee in hand (you know I brought some). I could actually see my breath. And no, it wasn’t pipe smoke! It was 30 degrees. Three Zero! Now for the hunt. Lake Thompson may be 12,455 acres but we were hunting the finger end of the lake. All we had to do was ride ten minutes in the truck along the rural farm road, stop at the bridge and walk down the knoll to the sandy beach path through the South Dakota cattails and whip grass. The yellow Lab Butch led the way and he sure didn’t need the flashlight. We finally caught up to him waiting, set to go, at the blind. That hide was an old tree that had floated up there sometime during the Paleozoic Age surrounded by natural whip grass mixed with cattails that had grown up around it. There was a natural indention in the old roots for the dog and once seated, we were well
hidden. The three dozen or so decoys were out in an omega symbol with six Canadian Goose decoys set just beyond the right side of the spread. It was almost a deja vu experience for me, as it looked so much like the finger end of Hamilton Lake where I used to hunt in Cameron Parish, near Johnson’s Bayou. Dawn broke in and so did the ducks. I noted that were about a dozen black clumps in the emerald winter-wheatcovered hill that rose up from the other side of the lake. I thought they were buzzards, so I pointed them out. “Canadian Geese,” Steve said as he ID'd them. “They’ll get up after while and come right across the lake to us.” And damned if they didn’t take flight just 15 minutes after we’d limited out on teal, pintail, and mallards. The geese rose up and did exactly what Steve said they would as they flew downhill and on over the edge of the lake. Here I expected them to rise up like geese in Louisiana do over open water. They just kept coming, get-
ting bigger and bigger, closer and closer, and unlike Louisiana, lower and lower. I ducked my head under the brim of my wide-brimmed hat, my eyes on Steve to know when to shoot. “Take ‘em!” he shouted as he rose. And I would have, but I was too busy ducking the seemingly too-close geese. These Greater Canadian Geese had 6-foot wingspans, weighed 14-to-20 pounds and one of them that Steve shot was falling right for me. It missed but splattered mud and sand on me. Then my reflexes took over and I shot and dropped two in self-defense. Next week I’ll pull a Paul Harvey and tell you “the rest of the story.”
SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
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By Nishae Guice
Tailgating with Ease The seemingly endless days of summer are over. Our long, lazy weekends have been replaced, and are now jampacked with the most important thing in the world…FOOTBALL! There is a tangible energy in SWLA during football season; you can feel it in the air. The fans here are awesome! I’ve seen people bond in the produce section of Market Basket just because they were wearing the same team’s colors. I have to be honest; I was not really a football fan before I got married, but my husband is one of the biggest fans in the world and wore me down. I now consider myself a fan-in-law. One of the best things about football season, for us, are the infinite reasons to party. Season openers, bowl games, National Championships, Super Bowls…it’s non-stop! Tailgating Parties are really some of my favorites to host because they are tons of fun and so easy. The menu can and should be kept simple, the entertainment is built in, and you don’t PAGE 10
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have to over-think things like theme or décor because you can never go wrong with team logo and colors. When you host as many football parties as I do, you may find it more economical to purchase your favorite team’s décor during the
be plentiful: bottled water, non-alcoholic punch, “grown folks punch,” and beer (estimate about 5 bottles per guest). I make punch because this isn’t the time for individual martinis and pretty drinks with umbrellas. I don’t want my guests having to wait for me to refresh their drink and I don’t want to miss a good play refreshing them! I invested Pulled Pork Sliders in a few of with Pickled Red Onions the clear acrylic beverage dispensers with spouts off-season and store it and keep an eye on them until you need it. A few during the party, refilling weeks after the Super when it’s half empty. Bowl, I stock up on team They are really nice, but flags, banners, inflatashatterproof, so you bles, and anything else I won’t have to worry am able to find on clearabout them. Just be sure ance. to label each punch so no Another great perone confuses the two. sonal touch to add to I choose menus that your tailgating parties are allow me to do the mabanners. There are tons jority of the work well of local and on-line before my guests arrive. printing companies that This allows me to particigive you great deals on pate in the pre-game fesfull-color banners that tivities with everyone you design yourself. We and do all my mingling have some pretty funny before the game comes ones and my guests alon. Try these recipes for ways get a kick out of your next game-day them. bash; they will blow your Drinks should always fans away!
Nishae’s family at a recent MSU game Pulled Pork Sliders with Pickled Red Onions Ingredients 2 10-lb. pork shoulders 2 large onions 2 dried bay leaves 2 cups brown sugar 4 tablespoons onion powder 4 tablespoons garlic powder 2 tablespoons paprika 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon cumin 3 18-oz. bottles of barbecue sauce 1 two-liter bottle of cola
later. Place the pork in a large roaster or slow cooker with the sliced onions and bay leaves and pour in the cola. Cover and cook in the oven on 300 for nine hours or in the slow cooker on high for nine hours. When the pork is done, take them out of the cooking liquid and shred the meat with two forks. Add the remaining seasoning blend and barbecue sauce, cover, and keep on warm until you are ready to serve. The pulled pork can stay on warm for about three hours prior to serving if it’s kept covered. Just be sure to mix well before serving. Serve on small dinner rolls, dressed with the pickled onions.
Preparation Combine all the dried spices with the brown sugar and liberally rub the pork with the mixture and one bottle of barbecue sauce. Leave about two tablespoons of the seasoning blend for
Pickled Red Onions Ingredients 1 clean glass jar 3 red onions (cut into ½-inch rings) 3 teaspoons salt 3 teaspoons sugar 3 cups rice wine Volume 1 • Issue 8
vinegar 1 clove garlic (cut in half) 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 5 sprigs fresh thyme 2 dried peppers Preparation In the jar, mix vinegar, sugar, and salt. Gently stir to combine. Add garlic clove, peppercorns, thyme, and peppers. In a pot, bring eight cups of water to a boil. Place red onion slices in a strainer and slowly pour the boiling water over the onions. Add the onions to the jar and seal tightly. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour, but the longer they sit, the better they are. The pickled onions will keep for about 10 days, if refrigerated.
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Baked Potato Bar Ingredients 10 lbs. brown russet potatoes ½ cup canola oil ¼ cup kosher salt Topping Suggestions: Shredded Cheddar Shredded Pepperjack Sour cream Chives Butter Bacon pieces Gravy Preparation Wash and puncture the potatoes with a fork. Rub with canola oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Allow to bake on 350 for about 1 ½ hours. For a real treat: open your baked potato, sprinkle salt and pepper, top with pulled pork, shredded cheese, and bacon pieces…HEAVEN!
Grown Folks Punch Ingredients (Per gallon) 2 cups vodka 1 cup rum 1 cup spiced rum ¼ cup simple syrup 1 12 oz. frozen flavored lemonade concentrate (I use strawberry or raspberry) 3 liters lemon lime soda Preparation Mix vodka, rum, spiced rum, simple syrup, and concentrate thoroughly. Just before serving, stir in lemon lime soda and garnish with sliced lemons.
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The "headline act" of the Chennault International Airshow will have your head turning and your jaw dropping as the Black Diamond Jet Team scorches the sky with incredible highspeed precision maneuvers and formations. The Black Diamonds join an airshow lineup that's jam-packed with some of aviation's most exciting—and nostalgic—flying machines. Two complete shows— on Saturday, Sept. 28, and Sunday, Sept. 29—
will fill the sky over Chennault International Airport with breathtaking aerobatic performances and flights by historic “war birds.” Here are some of the sights you'll see: • A B-29 Superfortress nicknamed "Fifi" and a B-25 Mitchell, two rare World War II bombers • A Red Tail Squadron P-51 fighter, as flown by the famed Tuskegee Airmen in WWII • The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team, leaving white smoke trails behind their bright red-andwhite T-6 Texan aircraft in an amazing display of synchronized flying, sponsored by the Port
The Chennault International Airshow The airshow will be held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28,-29 at Chennault International Airport, Lake Charles. Gates open at 10 a.m. each day; show begins at noon. Tickets PAGE 12
SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
are available now online at www.chennaultairshow.com at discounted prices. Regular-price tickets will be available at the gate (and kids 5 and under are free).
of Lake Charles • A MiG-17 Soviet jet fighter from the Vietnam era, zooming through a series of high-speed, high-G aerobatic stunts • The Royal Canadian Air Force's CF-18 Hornet, one of today’s hottest jet fighters • Melissa Pemberton, flying her high-performance Edge 540 around her husband, Rex, as he descends in his wingsuit, sponsored by CITGO • Louisiana's own Kevin Coleman, performing eye-popping aerobatics in his oneof-a-kind Extra 300SHP • The speed-recordsetting Flash Fire Jet Truck, sponsored by Kia of Lake Charles • The Air Force’s “Rapid Strike” simulator ride • The Rise Above movie-exhibit telling the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, sponsored by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury • Aviation-themed fun
and games in the McDonald’s Kid Zone • An array of amazing aircraft parked on the runway for up-close viewing All the familyfriendly action will take
place at Chennault International Airport, just off the I-210 Loop at the Legion Street exit. For tickets and more information, go to www.chennaultairshow.com.
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SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
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The Lake Charles Symphony Opens 2013-2014 Season
Bold is Their Signature Color
By Angie Kay Dilmore If a composer could sign his name with a concerto, which one would he choose? Signatures is the theme for the Lake Charles Symphony’s brand new season. Board member Collette Bulber-Tanner developed the theme by researching and studying the pieces chosen by Maestro Bohuslav Rattay. “Music has key signatures and time signatures and the theme grew from the fact that a majority of the music that will be performed this year is powerhouse music – pieces that are known, big, enjoyable, and greatly expressive of who the composers were,” said Bulber-Tanner.
A Bold New Season Three season concerts will be performed at the spacious Rosa Hart Theater on September 28, February 15,
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SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
Bohuslav Rattay
Kellie Rumba
Erik Lawrence
Misha Vayman
and April 5 at 7:30 p.m. The Symphony opens its 56th season with guest artist Erik Lawrence. This accomplished musician studies piano performance and is a senior at Rice University. Along with the orchestra, Lawrence will perform Sergei Rachmaninoff ’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor on the Symphony’s Steinway Grand Piano, generously donated a few years
ago by Laura and Buddy Leach and the late Henry Alexander. “Something about [Rachmaninoff ’s] music, makes me feel like a real concert pianist,” said Lawrence. “It’s so well-written for the instrument. This piece has the most notes I’ve ever seen in any one piece. It’s very challenging and it took me a long time to learn.” Maestro Rattay is excited to conduct Rachmaninoff ’s third. “I have never conducted the whole entire concerto before. So I am really looking forward to it. It’s a wonderful piece,” he said. Those familiar with classical music may recognize the piece from the 1996 movie Shine, based on the real-life story of Australian virtuoso David Helfgott, who was obsessed with Rachmaninoff ’s popular concerto. The second feature on opening night is Symphony No. 2 in D-Flat Major, "Romantic,” by composer Howard Hanson. Rattay describes this piece as “Hollywood-ish” and suggests that some suspect John Williams may have been influenced by this piece when he wrote the score for the movie E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. “It should be quite interesting,” he said. On February 15, 2014, the Symphony welcomes Rattay’s new bride, soprano Kellie Rumba, who will join them to sing Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 in G Major. The Symphony will also celebrate Black History Month by featuring a com-
missioned world premier by an African-American composer and A Lincoln Portrait, by Aaron Copland. At these first two concerts, patrons can vote for the People’s Choice Overture. This year, the People’s Choice will be a Mozart piece, which will be played at the final concert of the season. For one dollar per vote, patrons can choose either Cosi fan Tutte Overture, Don Giovanni Overture, or Marriage of Figaro. Votes can also be cast via the Symphony website. The final concert of the season will be performed on April 5 and feature guest violinist Misha Vayman, who will play Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor by Sergei Prokofiev. And of course, the Symphony will perform the People’s Choice Mozart overture.
Series event in her home last year and said it was a fabulous experience. “It’s a unique program that the Symphony offers,” she added.
Don’t Miss the Discovery Series The Symphony organization offers their fun and educational Discovery Series to interested patrons and new season ticket holders. On the Thursday prior to a Saturday concert, Discovery Series ticket holders enjoy a preview of the concert and are able to meet some of the musicians and Maestro Rattay in a small intimate setting – often a board member’s home. The musicians answer audience questions and share personal stories and pertinent history behind the pieces performed. Leslie O’Byrne hosted a Discovery
Become a Member Patrons can buy tickets to individual concerts, or purchase one of several different levels of membership and support fine music in Southwest Louisiana. Like all aspects of arts and culture in Lake Charles, the Symphony is a part of our cultural “community.” You can become a part of the Symphony community not only by becoming a member and attending the concerts, but also by following them on Facebook and joining the crowd at the concert “afterparties” at Pujo Street Café. “It’s a great way to mix and mingle with other music lovers and people with a heart for the arts,” said board member Angie Manning. Each Symphony ticket entitles the bearer to a “two-forone” drink. According to Symphony executive director Shelly Appleby, Café owner Dan Schaad is concocting an opening night “signature” drink called “on the Rachs” in honor of Rachmaninoff ’s concerto. For more details on the Symphony season, to become a member, or to order tickets, find their website, www.lcsymphony.com/call Shelly Appleby at 433-1611, or visit them at their office; Suite 210, Central School, 809 Kirby St., Lake Charles.
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American/ Family Cracker Barrel 249 S. Cities Service Hwy., Sulphur 337-626-9500 O’Charley’s 1780 W. Prien Lake Rd. Lake Charles 337-478-9927 Ryan’s Family Restaurant 4501 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-477-2707
Asian Asia at L’Auberge 777 Avenue L’Auberge, Lake Charles 337-395-7777 Osaka Japanese Steakhouse 3035 Gertsner Memorial Drive, Lake Charles 337-990-5478 Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse 2610 Dillard Loop Lake Charles 337-478-2888 Fuji Japanese Steakhouse 3241 E. Prien Lake Rd. Lake Charles 337-480-3788 Miyako Japanese Restaurant 915 E. Prien Lake Rd., Lake Charles 337-478-1600 Peking Garden 2433 Broad St., Lake Charles 337-436-3597 Pho Tien 4415 Nelson Road Lake Charles 337-477-8557 China Taste 1415 Beglis Pkwy. Sulphur 337-527-5985 Yank Sing 4626 Nelson Rd. Lake Charles 337-477-9004 PAGE 16
SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
Bakery & Desserts
Cajun & Southern
Cypi’s Cake Box 520 McNeese St. Lake Charles 337-478-0269
Richard's Boudin and Seafood Mart 2250 E. Napoleon Sulphur 337-625-2030
Pronia’s 3101 Kirkman St. Lake Charles 337-478-0785 Sweets and Treats 411 Ryan St., Lake Charles 337-437-3913
Barbecue Dan’s BBQ Express 2635 Country Club Rd. Lake Charles 337-478-5858 Famous Foods 1475 Gerstner Memorial Dr., Lake Charles 337-439-7000 Bar-B-Que Pit Stop 2400 A. Westwood Rd. Westlake 337-433-7818
Breakfast
The Sausage Link 2400 E. Napoleon St. Sulphur 337-625-2030 LeBleu's Landing and Sausage Link Specialty Meats 202 Henning Dr. Sulphur 337-528-6900 B&O Kitchen & Grocery 3011 E. Burton St. Sulphur 337-625-4637 Boiling Point 1730 S. Beglis Pkwy. Sulphur 337-625-9282 Boudin King 906 West Division St. Jennings 337-824-6593
Le Peep Café 337-240-8497
Hollier’s Cajun Kitchen 1709 Ruth St., Sulphur 337-527-0062
Pitt Grill 606 W. Prien Lake Rd. Lake Charles 337-564-6724
Rabideaux’s Sausage Kitchen 105 US 165, Iowa 337-582-3184
Pitt Grill 2600 Ruth St., Sulphur 337-527-0648
Southern Spice 3901 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-474-6065
3800 Ryan St., Lake Charles
Waffle House 2488 S. Cities Service Hwy., Sulphur 337-626-8111
Burgers
Walker’s Cajun Dining 603 Holiday Dr., Jennings 337-616-0766
Cotton’s Famous Hamburgers 2001 Oak Park Blvd. Lake Charles 337-477-9759
Italian
Five Guys Burgers & Fries 2950 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-721-1903
Joe’s Pizza and Pasta 1601 Ruth St., Sulphur 337-528-2560
Novrozsky’s Hamburgers 2706 Ruth St., Sulphur 337-527-0041
121 Artisan Bistro 121 DeBakey Dr. Lake Charles 337-310-7499
Romano’s 731 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-491-1847 Volume 1 • Issue 8
Mediterranean Zeus Greek & Lebanese Café 409 W. Prien Lake Rd. Lake Charles 337-439-7099 Mazen’s 217 W. College St. Lake Charles 337-477-8207
Mexican Agave Tamale 521 Alamo St. Lake Charles 337-433-4192 Agave Tamale 1614 Sampson St. Westlake 337-429-2987
Cancun 4001 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-477-6802
Papa John’s Pizza 650 W. McNeese St. Lake Charles 337-474-7272
La Rumba Mexican Grill & Cantina 1804 Ruth St., Sulphur 337-287-4846
Rotolo’s Pizzeria 4201 Nelson Rd. Lake Charles 337-478-1996
Coyote Blues Fresh Mexican Grill 3624 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-502-5131
Sandwiches, Soups & Salads Nina P’s Café 600 W. McNeese St. Lake Charles 337-479-2201
Pizza Cici’s Pizza 3533 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-562-2223
Pappy’s Deli 2627 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-436-2813
Gatti’s Pizza 1811 Ruth St., Sulphur 337-527-0318
Roly Poly 2241 Maplewood Dr. Sulphur 337-625-5555
El Tapatio 2624 Gerstner Memorial Dr. Lake Charles 337-475-9022
Gatti’s Pizza 3522 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-474-6225
El Tapatio Dos 808 Sampson St. Westlake 337-721-7685
Papa John’s Pizza 1415 Beglis Pkwy. Sulphur 337-528-7272
Roly Poly 3100 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-433-3130
Seafood Granger’s Seafood Restaurant 2636 Hwy. 3059 Lake Charles 337-433-9130 Regatta Seafood and Steakhouse 508 Hawkeye Ave. Lake Arthur 337-774-1504
Steamboat Bill’s 732 N. Martin Luther King Blvd. Lake Charles 337-494-1700 Boiling Point 1730 Beglis Pkwy. Sulphur 337-625-9282
Steaks
Seafood Palace 2218 Enterprise Blvd. Lake Charles 337-433-9293
Big Sky Steakhouse Coushatta Casino 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder 800-584-7263
Kenny’s Katfish Kabin 1577 W. Fourth St. Dequincy 337-786-5562
The Harlequin 501 W. College St. Lake Charles 337-439-2780
Steamboat Bill’s on the Lake 1004 N. Lakeshore Dr. Lake Charles 337-494-1070
Outback Steakhouse 2616 Derek Dr., Lake Charles 337-477-3161
Roly Poly 4423 Nelson Rd. Lake Charles 337-474-3332
Rosita’s 2401 Napoleon St. Sulphur 337-533-9077 El Paso 3355 Derek Dr. Lake Charles 337-990-5034
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Delta Waterfowl Auction Sept. 26 On Sept. 26, The Delta Waterfowl Association will be having an auction at the Burton Complex, 7001 Gulf Hwy. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and dinner is at 7 p.m. Single tickets, $50; couples tickets; $60, and youth tickets, $25 each. For more information, call 529-2418 or email jason@keilandllc.com. CPSO Senior Citizen Fishing Derby Sept. 27 The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office will host the Annual Senior Citizen’s Fishing Derby on Fri., Sept. 27 from 7 – 11 a.m. at the CPSO Farm Pond behind the Calcasieu Correctional Center at 5400 E. Broad Street in Lake Charles. Participants are asked to bring their own fishing gear (only one per person, please). The CPSO will provide help in baiting the lines, removing fish from the hook, if requested, and bait shrimp for catching catfish. Refreshments will be furnished. All senior citizens in the parish are invited at no charge. For more information, call (337)-263-4563. Gallery Promenade Sept. 27 At SWLA Arts’ Council’s Gallery Promenade, galleries, art venues and museums across the Lake Area work in a coordinated effort to open their doors and take part in an extensive promenade of current exhibits and local art. Each year, over 15 venues from downtown Lake Charles to McNeese campus and Sulphur to Moss Bluff open their doors from 6-9 p.m. and feature dozens of local artists and exhibits. For more information,
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SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
call (337) 439-2787. Cayenne Kayak Challenge Sept. 28 The Pelican Paddlers Club of SWLA announces the 7th Annual Cayenne Kayak Challenge on Sat., Sept 28 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lake Charles North beach. Anyone interested in getting involved in canoe or kayak sports is invited. Registration starts at 7 a.m. and admission is $10. The Challenge includes a Cardboard Kayak Race, a Kayak Skills Relay Race and a paddle around the lake. Food, fun and music will be offered. A variety of boats will be available for participants to experience. For more information, email david@boothenvironmental.co m.
(337) 433-1611 or email info@symphony.org. Chennault Airshow Sept. 28-29 The Chennault International Airshow will fill the sky over Lake Charles Sept. 28-29 beginning at 10 a.m. with thrill-aminute aerobatic stunts, precision maneuvers and dozens of rarely-seen aircraft. Airshow crowds will gather at Chennault International Airport on the east side of Lake Charles’ former Air Force base. The show is located at 3650 Sen. J. Bennett Johnston Ave. Lake Charles. For more information, go to info@chennaultairshow.com.
UP4DOWNS Walk Sept. 28 UP4DOWNS Walk Sept. 28 Come out to the 11th annual Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk at the McNeese Quad on Sept. 28. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and the walk is scheduled for 9:30 with face painting, Moon jumps, great food, dancing and kids games to follow from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. To register, join a team, or form your own team, go to www.up4downswla.org and click on the “Step Up Walk” link or contact Melanie Sarro at 842-6555 for more information.
Green Gator Multi Cultural Festival Sept. 28-29 The Green Gator Multi Cultural Festival will begin Sat., Sept. 28 at Burton Complex 7001 Gulf Hwy, Lake Charles. Hamilton Loomis, Leon Chavis & the Zydeco Flames, The Doghill Stompers and Rusty Metoyer & the Zydeco Crush will provide entertainment. There will be a variety of fun events for the whole family and plenty of vendor booths to browse and shop. Proceeds will benefit Abbas House of Grace in Lake Charles, a new homeless shelter. For more information, call Sandra Felix at (337)425-3903.
Lake Charles Symphony Sept. 28 On Sat., Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. the Lake Charles Symphony will be performing Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Symphony No. 2 at Rosa Hart Theatre, Lake Charles Civic Center. Admission is $15 for students, senior citizens, or military and $20 for adults. For more information, call
Calca-Chew Food Festival Sept. 29 The Calca-Chew Food Festival is an alcohol-free festival centered around our French heritage. Enjoy good food and a live and silent auction. Your children will have their own play area. Festival hours are 7 a.m. - 3 p.m., and admission is free. St. Margaret Family Center 1103 17th St., Lake Charles, LA 70601. For more informa-
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tion, call the church office at (337) 439-4585. McNeese Bayou Players Present Antigone Oct. 2-6 The McNeese State University Theatre Bayou Players will present Antigone at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2-5, with a 2 p.m. matinee Oct. 6, in the Shearman Fine Arts Performing Arts Theatre. Antigone by Jean Anouilh, was written in 1942 when Nazi forces occupied France. The story revolves around the conflict between the idealist, Antigone, and her rigid uncle, Creon, over the proper burial of Antigone’s brother, Polynices. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $10 for McNeese faculty/staff, senior citizens and youth, and free for McNeese students with a current ID. For tickets or more information, call 475-5040.
Second Annual LC Film Festival Oct. 4-5 The 2nd Annual Lake Charles Film Festival will bring independent film screenings, filmmaking and acting workshops and awesome parties to Lake Charles. Over 30 films from around the world compete for a unique trophy award called the “Scallywag” and for cash prizes, which will be presented at the festival’s awards ceremony. The Festival Kickoff Party will be held from 711 p.m. at Dharma, 329 Broad St. The Film Festival is from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Central School Arts and Humanities Center, 809 Kirby St., and tickets are $10. The festival is followed by the Festival Awards Ceremony at 6 p.m. at Central School. For more information visit www.lakecharlesfilmfestival.com.
Getaway
(Warner Bros., Dark Horse Entertainment, 2013)
September is not the best time for seeing a good movie, but don’t panic. Getaway is such a bad movie that it makes even some of the good ones look great. Brent Magna (yes, that is a person’s name) is a former race car driver who finished his career tragically, in a flashback. Now married and living in downtown Bulgaria, he comes home on Christmas Eve to find that his wife has been kidnapped. A cell phone rings and he is told by a mysterious “voice” to go and steal a car. A very special Volume 1 • Issue 8
car. A souped-up for racing and fully video-cameraloaded car, one that records every move inside and outside the car. This is the only way to ever have hope of seeing his wife again. After stealing the car and eluding the police, Brent is intermittently instructed by the “voice” (“you are very talented, Mr. Magna”) over a Bluetooth phone to drive through town and run down various groups of bystanders. This is the only way to ever have hope of seeing his wife again.
Smokin’ on the Grove BBQ Fest Oct. 5 At the Sulphur BBQ Festival, enjoy a full day of BBQ challenges while Cajun, Country, Zydeco, and outlaw music is performed throughout the day. Bands include Twangsters Union, Judd Bares & Six String Rodeo, Brad Brinkley & Comfort Zone, Greg Blanchard, and Chute 13. The festival begins at noon at The Grove at Heritage Square, 1015 S. Ruth Street, Sulphur. Admission is free. For more information, call 527-4500. Wheels of Hope Charity Bike Ride Oct. 5 Wheels of Hope Charity Bike Ride is “letting the good times roll” on Sat., Oct. 5, at 7:30 a.m. at St. Theodore’s Holy Family Catholic School in Moss Bluff. This is a fundraising event for St.
I guess I mentioned that already. Okay, this is about as contrived as you can get, but can anyone deny that Speed, the classic Keanu Reeves/Sandra Bullock adrenaline rush movie, was any less contrived? Or what about Phone Booth, another madman on a telephone movie? So I’m not taking any points away for the setup. Nor can I argue about the casting choice for main character. Brent is played by Ethan Hawke, (The Dead Poet’s Society) who brings as much acting experience and character to his character as anyone could. The guy could read the dictionary and probably make it watchable. Unfortunately, the script for Getaway is no dictionary. Also, I have to say I really thought the use of cheap cameras and relentless action was in its own way a very innovative idea. No, really. That part worked. I don’t care how much of the movie was computer-generated, I really felt like I was in a race car with a driver careening down street after crowded city street. And like any sane passenger, I really wanted to get out. So why is Getaway so awful? It must be the newest Disney castoff, Selena
Nicholas Center for Children, which provides services to children with autism and developmental delays. Advanced registration is $35/adult and $15/child at Capitol Cyclery on Fri., Oct. 4, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., or online right now at active.com. Race Day registration is 6-7:15 a.m. Go to www.wheelsofhopelc.co m for registration forms, etc. For more information, email stephanie@stnickcenter.o rg, or call (337) 4910800. 2013 Calcasieu Blue Krewe Banquet Oct. 5 Media personality and political icon James Carville will be the keynote speaker for the 2013 Calcasieu Blue Krewe Banquet, which will be held on Sat., Oct. 5 at Treasure's of Marilyn's. The evening begins
at 6 p.m. with a Wine and Cheese Patron's Reception for Table Level Sponsorships. The banquet will begin at 7:30 p.m. For ticket and sponsorship prices, go to www.atncaldpec.org. Ethel Precht Hope Breast Cancer Walk Oct. 19 The Ethel Precht Hope Breast Cancer Foundation Walk announces the opening of registration for the annual walk, which is set to take place October 19 at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Participants come from all over to support our local survivors giving hope throughout the community. Individuals and teams can pre-register at www.ethelbreastcancerwalk.org Email completed form to info@ethelbreastcancerwalk.org or fax the form to (337) 474-3412.
This is her angry face.
Gomez, in her role of “the kid.” Just picture former Mouseketeer Annette Funicello (who died of MS this year), pulling a gun on a guy in a car, and you can understand right away why a Disney kid was a bad casting choice. It’s like Minnie Mouse in Fast and Furious, only worse. There are countless other things wrong with Getaway, like clumsy pacing. (Let’s almost die running from the police. Whew! Now, tell me why you’re so full of anger, kid? Ok, Brent but first you tell me about why you’re so upset about your wife being held by terrorists. Cue the motorcyclists with machine guns.) Then there’s the mysterious “voice” (no mystery, you’ll guess who he is in five seconds.) But this guy is so annoying. “Turn left. Turn
right, into those bystanders in the ice skating rink. You’re running out of time Mr. Magna, ha ha ha.” This guy is so painful to listen to, you actually appreciate it when “the kid” hangs up on him. Thank you, kid. Probably the best news though, is that Getaway is so bad, it won’t be here long. So most impressionable, Disney-loving kids won’t get a chance to see Gomez and try to imitate her. Parents are lucky, because she plays the most spoiled, toiletmouthed, obscene gesturing teenager since, I guess, Miley Cyrus. Let’s face it, growing up Disney is a burden. Kids, don’t try this at home. Or ever. Adults and kids, anyway, stay away from Getaway. Rated PG-13, I suppose in the hopes that someone, anyone, will come see it. SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
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Thursday, Sept. 26 KB Unplugged 5 p.m. @ Otis & Henry's Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave., Westlake Bernie Alan 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live @ Coushatta Casino Resort, 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder Karaoke w/ En-Tune 7 p.m. @ Tropical Spirits E. Napoleon St., Sulphur Brad Brinkley and Comfort Zone 8 p.m. @ The Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake
Karaoke w/ Shakey 8 p.m. @ No Name Lounge 6120 Common St., Lake Charles Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie 8 p.m. @ Yesterdays Night Club 5313 Common St, Lake Charles X-It 43 8 p.m. @ The Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake LA Express 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Karaoke w/ DJ Rooster 8 p.m. @ Jacky's Western Bar 2090 Pujo Rd., Lake Charles Shake N Bake Karaoke 9 p.m. @ Sam's Cove 3609 Davis Rd., Westlake
Karaoke with DJ David Verrett 9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory 4688 Common St., Lake Charles
DJ Crush 10 p.m @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill @ L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L'Auberge, Lake Charles
Karma 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live @ Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder
Friday, Sept. 27
Street Side Jazz Band 7 p.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill
Don’t Miss CHOKE By Jody Taylor Lake Area rock fans will not want to miss the return of Southern metal powerhouse CHOKE, performing with one of their major influences Deadhorse, plus openers Deadman Circus and Entrenched Defilement. It’s been three long years since fans last saw this Choke lineup on stage--and it may be your last chance. The core members, singer Tracy SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
Saturday, Sept. 28 T-Broussard and The Zydeco Steppers 8 p.m. @ The Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake
Second Nature Live 9 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. Suite 5, Lake Charles
Gallery Promenade: McNeese Student Art Association Showcase with MAD CONDUCTOR 5 p.m. @ Dharma 329 Broad St., Lake Charles
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719 Ryan Street, Lake Charles
Marvelous Wonderfuls 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., Lake Charles DJ Crush 11 p.m @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill @ L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L'Auberge, Lake Charles
McGinnis, bassist Jason Fusilier, drummer Bryan Hood, and guitarists Charlie Frye and Jeromy Boullion are back once again. Since 1994, Choke released three albums, toured the country several times over (once playing at legendary New York venue CBGB), and opened for metal legends Soilent Green, Crowbar, and Acid Bath, plus outlaw country rebel Hank Williams III. Over this time, Choke refined their sound from the straight-up metal of their early days to the heaviest southern rock grooves on the planet. Houston’s cult heroes Dead-
Karaoke w/ En-Tune 8 p.m. @ Tropical Spirits E. Napoleon St., Sulphur DJ Bear 8 p.m. @ Bob & Pete's 2345 Industrial Dr., Sulphur Static with David Joel 8 p.m. @ Yesterdays Night Club 5313 Common St, Lake Charles Karaoke w/ Russ 8:30 p.m. @ Linda's Karaoke & Sports Lounge 438 Lake St., Lake Charles Hard Bop Jazz Combo Live 9 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. Suite 5, Lake Charles Karaoke with DJ David Verrett 9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory 4688 Common St., Lake Charles Karma 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live @ Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder Dolo Jazz Suite #6 10 p.m. @ Dharma 329 Broad St., Lake Charles Shake N Bake Karaoke 10 p.m. @ Sam's Cove 3609 Davis Rd., Westlake
horse, active through the ‘80s and ‘90s, broke up the year Choke formed. Their blend of thrash metal and Texas country, dubbed “horsecore,” influenced seminal bands like Pantera and Faith No More, as well as Choke, who are excited as hell to share a stage with them. Deadhorse have been tearing it up all over the South since reforming in late 2011 with new singer Mike Argo. Catch the show on Friday, September 27 at The Red Room in Beaumont and on Saturday, September 28 at Luna Live here in Lake Charles. Volume 1 • Issue 8
Choke, Deadhorse, Deadman Circus and Entrenched Defilement 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan Street, Lake Charles DJ Crush 11 p.m @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino Resort, 777 Avenue L'Auberge, Lake Charles
Sunday, Sept. 29 Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill 719 Ryan St., Lake Charles Karaoke w/ Rooster 7 - 11 p.m. @ No Name Lounge, 6120 Common St., Lake Charles
Monday, Sept. 30 Brian Moore (Free Live Music) 8 p.m. @ Dharma, 329 Broad St., Lake Charles Karaoke w/ Shakey 8 p.m. @ Linda's Karaoke & Sports Lounge 438 Lake St., Lake Charles Wayne Dylan Live 8:30 p.m. @ Micci's Piano Bar, 3606 Ryan St., Lake Charles
Tuesday, Oct. 1 Justin Martindale "Two Wheel Tuesdays" 8 p.m. @ Dharma, 329 Broad St., Lake Charles
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Wednesday, Oct. 2 Karaoke 2013 @ Mikko Live, 8 p.m. @ Coushatta Casino Resort, 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder Vinyl Night hosted by Kat Griffith 8 p.m. @ Dharma, 329 Broad St., Lake Charles Brian Racca (Classic/Modern Rock) 8 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. Suite 5, Lake Charles
Thursday, Oct. 3 Corey Ledet & His Zydeco Band 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder DJ Sno 11 p.m. @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill @ L’Auberge Casino Resort, 777 Avenue L'Auberge, Lake Charles
Friday, Oct. 4 La Express BB & CO 8 p.m. @ Yesterdays Night Club, 5313 Common St, Lake Charles 2nd Annual Lake Charles Film Festival Kick-Off Party featuring "England in 1819" 7 p.m. @ Dharma 329 Broad St., Lake Charles
Waylon Thibodeaux 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder Spanky (Americana) 9 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. Suite 5, Lake Charles Karaoke with David Verrett 9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory 4688 Common St., Lake Charles Fayuca 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., Lake Charles
Saturday, Oct. 5 Kevin Nauin & the Ossun Playboys 6 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder Champagne Room 8 p.m. @ Yesterdays Night Club, 5313 Common St, Lake Charles
Jamie Bergeron & the Kickin' Cajuns 10:30 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder
Monday, Oct. 7 Pretty Gritty (Free Live Music) 9:30 p.m. @ Dharma, 329 Broad St., Lake Charles
Tuesday, Oct. 8 Doug & Larry's Country Party 5 & 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder Karaoke with DJ David Verrett 8 p.m. @ Jack Daniel's Bar & Grill, 777 Avenue L'auberge, Lake Charles Neil Smith (Free Live Music) "Two Wheel Tuesdays" 10 p.m. @ Dharma, 329 Broad St., Lake Charles
Wednesday, Oct. 9 Doug & Larry's Country Party 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort, 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder Adam Bechtel (Southern Rock) 8 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. Suite 5, Lake Charles Karaoke 2013 8:30 p.m. @ Mikko Live @ Coushatta Casino Resort, 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder Vinyl Night hosted by Daniel Castro 9 p.m. @ Dharma, 329 Broad St., Lake Charles
Thursday, Oct. 10 Doug & Larry's Country Party 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Dr., Kinder
Karaoke with David Verrett 9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory 4688 Common St., Lake Charles Spanky (Americana) 9 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd. Suite 5, Lake Charles The Dubonauts 10 p.m. @ Luna Live, 710 Ryan Street, Lake Charles
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You can walk into almost any bar in the country on a Friday or Saturday night and be able to hear someone strumming an acoustic guitar while singing a beloved song from the ‘70s or ‘80s. Though many consider such entertainers to be a dime a dozen, it takes a special kind of musician to make an audience pay attention in a crowded bar. Over the sounds of a boisterous bachelorette party, the loud ramblings of a drunken twentysomething and the obnoxious shouts of patrons trying to get the bartender’s attention, it can be hard to hear the mellow tones of a singer from across the room. But one local musician has found a way to be heard and has become locally renowned for his unique interpretations of classic songs as well as his original compositions. Lake Charles native Paul Gonsoulin has been entertaining audiences on the Gulf Coast for over a decade at venues that include The House
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of Blues and the Barking Dog in Houston and Beaumont, The Varsity and the Jouppe Café in Baton Rouge and Crowley, as well as at Luna Bar and Grill in Lake Charles.
Gonsoulin said he began playing as a child before eventually joining a band and then striking out on his own. “I started playing as a kid, just on my own, basically never leaving the bedroom,” he said. “When I graduated high school and went to LSU, I started playing there with a band called the Flamethrowers. That taught me a lot and we played in a lot of places, even doing shows in Florida. We broke up when I graduated.” Passionate about music, whether he’s playing it or not, Gonsoulin found a job with the Lake Charles Arts and Humanities Council where he is able to plan
local arts and music-centric events, while keeping himself free on weekends to play for live audiences. “My two jobs pair really well together,” he said. “I get to have my hands in a lot of stuff that I enjoy. I get the chance to work with some incredible artists here, and still get to play on the weekends. “It works really well.” Playing solo and influenced by artists such as Tom Petty and Bob Dylan, Gonsoulin’s shows consist of songs in the genres of folk, pop, blues and country from the 1920s all the way up to the present. “It’s a purely acoustic situation, just one man with an acoustic guitar, sometimes a harmonica, playing a lot of older tunes,” he said. In addition to his performances of well-known covers, Gonsoulin also has a repertoire of original compositions that he compares to the personal songwriting style of Neil Young. He only performs in special situations where it’s appropriate, such as this year’s Visions & Verses event, which paired local poets with local artists to create unique works of art. “I did all original songs at the Visions and Verses event, and recently did a show full of originals,” he explained. “In some situations, it’s easier to play original music because the au-
dience is already there to listen and be a part of it. Those kinds of audiences wouldn’t respond to covers.” Gonsoulin said that he doesn’t concern himself with always having to play original music, and is happy to entertain with classic covers. As long as he’s able to play, he’s happy. “It’s much easier to get a gig when people know you’re playing music that the audience already knows,” he said. “It’s easier to make money playing covers. If I want to do a show with all original music, it’s harder for me to book that kind of show because it takes more effort on the audience’s part to connect with the music. For me playing music is
about the joy of playing music. If I’m in a situation where people are interested in what I’ve written and in what I have to say, that’s great. But covers are fun for me to do to, and at the end of the day I get paid to play and that’s great fun for me.” Whether he’s playing bar standards like “American Pie,” “BrownEyed Girl” or an original piece, Gonsoulin has no problems finding an audience to entertain. He says he hasn’t been free on a Friday or Saturday night for the past several years due to his gigs. “I’ve been doing it so long at this point that it’s become completely comfortable for me,” he said. “In fact, I don’t know what to do with myself when I’m off on a weekend night because I’m so used to playing.” Volume 1 • Issue 8
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Friday, September 27, 5-9 p.m. Gallery Promenade Gallery Promenade, the Arts Council of SWLA’s annual art space showcase, returns, with dozens of galleries, studios, and art spaces opening their doors for an evening celebrating the spaces that work year-round to provide cultural resources, exhibits, and opportunities for both artists and residents of the Lake Area. Call (337) 4392787 for more information. Abraham Lincoln: The Image Historic City Hall 1001 Ryan St. Lake Charles Mon- Fri 10 am- 5 pm Sat 10 am- 2 pm 8/2/2013-10/12/2013 337-491-9147 Black Heritage Gallery Central School 809 Kirby St. Lake Charles Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm 337-488-8567 DeQuincy Railroad Museum 400 Lake Charles Ave., DeQuincy Tues-Sat 10 am-5 pm 337-786-2823 DeQuincy Town Hall Museum 218 E. Fourth St. DeQuincy Mon-Thurs 9am-noon and 1 pm-4pm 337-786-8241 Elvis: Grit & Grace Exhibit Historic City Hall 1001 Ryan St. Lake Charles Mon-Fri 10 am-5 pm Sat 10 am-2 pm 6/20/2013-9/7/2013 337-491-9159 PAGE 24
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Imperial Calcasieu Museum 204 W. Sallier St. Lake Charles Tues-Sat 10 am-5 pm 337-439-3797 Brainstorming: Graphic Design Exhibit Henning Cultural Center 923 Ruth St., Sulphur Mon-Fri 10 am-noon and 1 pm-5 pm Sat 10 am-2 pm 9/26/2013-10/24/2013 337-527-0357 Linda Gleason Ritchie Exhibit Gallery by the Lake 106 W. Pryce Lake Charles August, 2013 337-436-1008 Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu 809 Kirby St. Lake Charles Tues-Fri, 1 pm- 5pm 337-430-0043 USS Orleck Naval Museum 604 N. Enterprise Blvd. Lake Charles Mon-Fri 10 am-3pm Sat 10 am -4 pm 337-214-7447 Vintage Arts By Jeanne Owens Central School 809 Kirby St. Suite 212 Lake Charles Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm 337-304-1165 W.H. Tupper General Merchandise Museum 311 N. Main St., Jennings Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm 337-821-5532 “Tales and Travels” Through Jan. 12 Painting the Pages Through Oct. 12 Stark Museum of Art Tues.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm Orange, TX 409-886-2787
New Takes on Old Legends I love folklore and fairy tales, and what could be better than two really good updates on a few old legends? Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody is a revisit of the Robin Hood legend, set in England during the time of the Crusades. Good King Richard the Lionheart has been away fighting in the overseas wars, and his younger brother, Prince John, has been ruling the country in his absence. Basically, John has let criminals run the place, for a price. At Shackley Castle, Will Shackley is the youngest son. His father has been off fighting with King Richard for two years. "But now the king was coming home, and Will's father with him." The boy is teasingly called "Will Scarlet" because he "always blushed a bright crimson" when afraid or embarrassed. But, "at thirteen, he was now of age, and expected to act like the heir to his father's title. That meant he should spend his days at study, he should join his uncle on his hunts, he should learn politics and history and governance." One day, an uninvited visitor arrives at the castle - Sir Guy of Gisborne, the
Horse Night. "Guy is Prince John's man. And the prince, it seems, has taken an interest in Shackley House," the new sheriff of Nottingham warns Will. The sheriff, who was once a family friend and hasn't yet turned too evil, counsels Will to be civil to the knight without going against the prince or the king -- to walk a fine line. Sir Guy manipulates events so that he can claim the castle as his, and Will is branded as a criminal and is forced to escape to the forest. Here's where our favorite part of the story begins. In the woods, he meets the Merry Men, among whom are a miller's son (who is really a girl); the big man, Little John; and a drunken archer named Rob. "The Merry Men's camp was hidden safely away among the tangles of Sherwood Forest, at the junction of a pair of longforgotten hunting trails." The Merry Men's enemies aren't just the sheriff and Prince John's cronies. They also have to watch out for a rival band of outlaws. And of course, before it's over,
our hero will be called upon to save the day. This is simply wonderful, with swashbuckling swordplay, hidden passages, treasure, doublecrossing, secrets and surprises. Oh, how I'm hoping this becomes the first of many of these stories. I loved it! The book comes out Oct. 8. It’s marketed for “young readers,” and is therefore “safe” for kids to read, but it holds up as well as any book for grownups. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker is unlike anything else I’ve read. At the end of the 19th century, a Prussian Jew named Otto Rotfeld asks an old man to make him "a golem that can pass for human" -- a female one. A golem is a person made of Volume 1 • Issue 8
clay in Jewish legend, brought to life by magic. "Give her curiosity," Rotfeld requests. "And intelligence. I can't stand a silly woman." The old Jewish magic man does as he is asked, creating a wife of clay for Rotfeld, who is leaving for the New World. But he warns him: "Remember this. A creature can only be altered so far from its basic nature. She'll still be a golem. She'll have the strength of a dozen men. She'll protect you without thinking, and she'll harm others to do it. No golem has ever existed that did not eventually run amok. You must be prepared to destroy her." The golem has the ability to understand and speak in any language. She also "hears" people's thoughts and has no need for food or sleep. But when Rotfeld dies on the ship crossing to America, the Golem is left without a master and must fend for herself in New York. Meanwhile, in a neighborhood of Manhattan where the inhabitants are all from the ancient land of Syria, a Christian tinsmith is given a copper flask to repair. As he begins to work on it, "a powerful jolt blasted him off his feet, as thought he'd been struck by lightning." When he looks up, he finds "there was a naked man lying on the floor of his shop." It's a jinni that had been trapped inside the flask by an evil wizard, more than a thousand years before. "Of the many types of jinn ... he was one of the most powerful and intelligent. His true form was insubstantial as a wisp of air, and invisible to the human eye. When in this form, he could summon winds, and ride them across the desert. But he could also take on the shape of any Volume 1 • Issue 8
animal, and become as solid as if he were made of muscle and bone... but
his true nature was always that of the jinn, who were creatures of fire. So, we have a magical man made of fire and a magical woman made of clay. He doesn't eat or sleep, either. Sounds like they should be friends, no?
Well, it's complicated (fire/earth; Arab/Jew). Meanwhile, there's someone out there who discovers the secrets of both of them, and wants to control -- or destroy -them. The story incorporates Jewish and Arabic folklore. It also recreates the time period and how the people in the separate communities lived. How the golem creates a life for herself in the Jewish neighborhoods of New York is an interesting story. How the jinn became trapped and what he gets up to in the big city make for interesting stories. How the two get together, the people they encounter — it's all interesting. I couldn't put it down. It’s clever, filled with new ideas from these old legends. Copyright © 2013 by Mary Louise Ruehr.
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“Drift”
“Haunted Head” (watercolor)
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“Art” is an interesting word. To average folks, it typically brings to mind stuffy galleries filled with intellectuals eating cheese and talking about scribbles that represent blah blah blah…and that’s fine. But brother, don’t let that scare you. Instead, check out local artist John Martel’s “Haunted Heads” show, opening at Stellar Beans in downtown Lake Charles on Friday, October 4, and let his works scare you. It’s the Halloween season, after all. Martel has always been attracted to the creepy and unsettling, way back to elementary school when he was encouraged by a pretty teacher who praised his “space-pig-monster” drawing. Martel’s main influences range from horror and sci-fi to comic books, video game concept art, and crime films. Concerning the upcoming show, he said “I’ve always made these weird heads that look like ghosts or aliens. I have piles of them.” The centerpiece work of Martel’s show, an inked illustration called “Drift,” features a spooky girl at the bottom of a lake looking upwards, hands
raised in supplication, surrounded by seaweed, stylistic bubbles, and dry-brushed wave patterns. This was the rare piece that started with a very specific concept and preliminary sketching. While “insanely-detailed illustrations with ridiculous amounts of line work” represent a big part of Martel’s art, he also enjoys crafting his Haunted Heads with watercolors in a sort of loosely defined Rorschach style. Martel flicks his brush at an empty page, scribbles lines, or drops random color schemes onto a white canvas, ending up with impressionistic blobs and drips. From this ambiguous shaping, he sees the final piece and begins to pull it from the background. “It might say something that what I see is usually creepy and weird, but I don’t know what to say about that,” he said. Southern artists typically find inspiration from the nature
around Southwest Louisiana, and Martel is no exception. “I’ve never made deer or duck paintings, swamp scenes, magnolias, or golden retrievers, but I really like the birds, the cranes,” he said. “They’re interesting visual elements.” So far, so good, right? “Blue herons are crazy, scary birds,” he continued. “I’ve seen videos of them catching a rat and drowning it in a river.” Later, he admitted an affinity for crabs as well, saying, “They’re creepy and they’ll eat your face if you drown.” We’re clearly in prime horror movie territory here. Because the art pieces are composed mostly of headshots, the gallery at Stellar Beans will be set up like a photography darkroom, with grotesque and ghostly faces clipped to wires running through the space. Over 50 different 6 x 8 drawings will be displayed, priced affordably around $35, while larger, more time-consuming paintings range from $65-75.
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“Bearded Vulture”
Martel decided to keep the price tags affordable so anyone who enjoys his works can take one home. A lot of hard-working people in the Lake Area just don’t buy local art and, at least in part, Martel blames the art world for that barrier which keeps regular folks from feeling comfortable in a gallery setting.
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“They make it so unapproachable. It’s all concept, no execution,” he said. “I wish more people realized that it was okay to just look at a piece and say, ‘That’s cool.’ All you have to have is eyes and a soul to appreciate art.” Furthermore, Martel doesn’t create with grand symbolism (which high-art galleries tend to prefer), but this doesn’t stop people
from attributing their own meanings to his works. “It’s cool that my art speaks to them, and it’s so much more interesting than the reality,” he said. “They filter my work through their experiences and personalities to get something that is completely unique and their own.” Martel believes the concept of God-given talent is a falsehood. “Everybody has 10,000 bad drawings,” he said. “Only compulsive artists get them all out of their systems.” Other than
his commercial art degree from Sowela, he has no formal training, relying instead on library books, a voracious appetite for the works of other artists, and a passion to create daily. To get a preview of John Martel’s art before the Stellar Beans show, check out The Children’s Museum exhibit during the Arts & Humanities Council’s premier annual shindig, the Gallery Promenade, on Friday, September 27, where three of his unique works will hang alongside those of other lo-
cally-renowned artists. “Goat and the Grapevine,” along with companion pieces “Hound” and “Hare” are all based on the morality tales of Aesop’s Fables. These playful pieces appeal to the child in all of us, but like all great children’s stories, the darkness hides just around the corner. Check out more artwork, gain insight into his process, or commission your own portrait at johnathanmartel.com.
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By “Acting Up!” columnist Julie Fay It’s only been a year since the first one, but already the Lake Charles Film Festival (LCFF) is on track to be double the fun for local film fans, filmmakers and the occasional wandering scallywag. Actually, most of the scallywags at this festival won’t be on the high seas, they’ll be on the awards table. The creative mind behind the festival, Patrick Bennett, refers to the Scallywag trophy as the “Cajun Oscar.” This is the award du jour at the LCFF and it’s reserved for only the very best of the best at the fest. In 2013, there will be even more movies to watch
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and more workshops to take, so get your tickets early! “We had a great festival last year, but this year it is going to be amazing,” says Bennett. “I hope the public comes out to learn something about filmmaking or they just come to be entertained. If anything – come hang out with Shazam! Besides Jackson Bostwick being an indie filmmaker, he’s friggin’ Captain Marvel! A Superhero! How cool is that?” Events begin on Friday October 4 and conclude the next day. First up is the Festival Kickoff Party at 7 p.m. inside Dharma on 329 Broad Street. Festival-goers can mix
and mingle with filmmakers, actors and fellow film buffs. There will be film screenings, drinks, dancing and of course you can meet Hollywood actor Jackson Bostwick. Live music will be provided by the band “England in 1819” for those who want to continue to party after 11 p.m. Saturday screenings and workshops get started at 9 a.m. and go all day through 5:30. Stick around until 6 p.m. to see who gets those “Cajun Oscar Scallywag” awards at the awards ceremony. Oh yeah, top winners get $500, too, courtesy of BennetVision Productions. If you choose the VIP festival ticket, the event doesn’t end there. At 9 p.m., there will be a Festival Wrap Party that lasts until midnight at a location to be announced only to the celebrity guests and VIP ticket holders. VIP tickets are available online at www.lakecharlesfilmfestival.c om. General admission tickets will be sold at the door. So, what can you expect to see when the lights go down inside the screening rooms? New official selections are being added to the website every day, but here are a few already chosen films. For fans who like films like Sharknado and Mansquito, the festival offers The Giant Spider. It’s about a trio of scientists who must stop a gigantic killer mutant arachnid before it devours an entire county and the scientists along with it! Another film for creature feature fans is a documentary that rips the lid off one of the great urban myths about animals that are half man and half mole. Is it a product of fevered imaginations, or a closely guarded
secret? Watch Talpidanthropy to find out what the filmmakers uncovered. One of this year’s short films feature steam-powered ships flying through the air and clockwork robots the night a grisly murder takes place in The Mechanical Grave. Police commissioner Teddy Roosevelt, Detective Wayne, Mrs. Emma Entwistle and a clockwork automaton housing the soul of Edgar Allan Poe determine there’s a much more dangerous plot afoot than just one man’s murder. Meanwhile, a film shot in the Lake Area highlights a single mother grieving the loss of her only child. She does what the police have failed to do. She finds the hit and run driver responsible for her daughter’s death and imprisons him in her home. This is the plot of The Man in the Chair and it has been selected as the festival’s closing film. I play the role of the mother in this film, JAM readers, so if you’ve ever wanted to drop by and say “hi” you can find me in the audience. The “man” in the chair is local radio personality Gary Shannon. We’ll both be watching it for the first time along with the audience, so it will be a pretty special experience for all. If you live in Lake Charles, there’s a good chance you know someone who participated in last summer’s shoot for How to Love a Geek. That movie will not be showing, but another movie by the same director will. Michael A. McGowan’s Reservation is about a weekend camping trip that takes a turn for the worst when a group of college students unknowingly desecrate a sacred Indian burial ground. Mc-
Gowan’s also been working with Sowela to get more local film crews trained to work on local films. Something you can get a taste of right here at the festival. Chances are, if you’ve got an itch to make your own films, the LCFF has a workshop to get you started. Before you even pick up a camera you have to have a story that translates well onscreen. Award-winning screenwriter Ken Henderson’s Screenwriting Basics is a must-take workshop if you’ve never written a screenplay before. Then, you’ll need to make your movie look like a million dollars even if the closest you’ll get to that is in monopoly money. Indie filmmaker Jim DeVault returns to the festival with a new movie and a new book on ultra-low budget filmmaking. New additions to the workshops this year include a class on stop-motion animation taught by filmmaker Al Bohl, a film distribution seminar by Larry Carrell, who won the “Best Film” award last year, and a seminar on directing from veteran Hollywood filmmaker Frank Zuniga, who directed films for The Wonderful World of Disney. Finally, Louisiana Film Historians Ed and Susan Poole will be holding another seminar, “Hollywood on the Bayou,” with a museum- style exhibit. “Ed and Sue Poole are amazing people,” Bennett said. “The trivia that Ed knows about each Louisiana productions is mind boggling.” And that folks, as they say on every film set, is a wrap! Until next time, see you at the fest! Volume 1 • Issue 8
Symphony! Baton Bohuslav Brahms Chopin Classical Music
Concert Conductor French Horn Maestro Mozart
Orchestra Piano Summer Pops Symphony Violin
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Players take turns connecting two dots. When you make a square, put your initials in the box and take another turn. When all dots are connected, the player with the most boxes wins.
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FOURTH ANNUAL BLACK RODEO
Zowanda Celestine, Anthony Syldell, Shirley Manuel and Joseph “Cowboy” Anderson
Brandi Kirkland and Jessie Ladner
Patrick Guillory, Summer Ceaser, Lillian McGee and Hilton Ceasar
The fourth annual Lake Charles Black Rodeo kicked off with a great big tailgating party! A crowd of cowboys and cowgirls of all ages gathered outside the Lake Charles Civic Center for some fun prior to the start of the event. The barbeque pits were fired up and the jambalaya pots were simmering—a fabulous beginning to an evening of Wild Wild West entertainment! Ride ‘em, cowboys!
Lewis and Brandi Victorian
Wendy Smith, Herman Ceasar, Michael Kelly, Birdie Praylor and Travis Allison
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM It was a big day at the Children’s Museum of Lake Charles as a new exhibit was introduced to the kids of the Lake Area! The Wheel of Phonics got quite a few spins during the grand introduction of this exciting learning tool—a welcome addition to this already amazing museum! In addition, kids enjoyed Sasol's Second Saturday Science event—and there were several birthday celebrations going on, too! Big fun for everyone!
Maebree and Mandy Trahan
Paxton, Melissa and Olivia Sanner PAGE 30
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Jana and Emily Delpapa with Hadleigh and Candice Hicks
Peyton Mangrum and Ryder O’Quinn
Ella Manning and Ella and Katie Leslie, with Luke and Hannah Manning Volume 1 • Issue 8
MIDNIGHT FANTASIES SHOW The Midnight Fantasies Car, Truck and Bike Show was the place to be this weekend! The heavy rain couldn’t keep away the crowds who came to the Lake Charles Civic Center to see over 400 extraordinary show vehicles and enjoy music, food, vendors, dyno pulls and fun activities for the kids. See y’all next year!
James McIntire and Leilani Graffagnini
Khloe and Ryan Chesson with Shelby Conner
Kaitlin and Gwen LeBleau
Chris Roy Cancino and Naomi Uresti
Cole Cooper and Popa Sam Culpepper
ST. THERESA’S BON TON FESTIVAL The annual Bon Ton Festival at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Carlyss was a big hit, come rain or shine! There was plenty of fun for kids of all ages including carnival rides, music and yummy for the tummy treats such as Father Joe’s banana splits, cotton candy, funnel cake and a sweet shop. Let’s not forget the more wholesome burgers, corn dogs, jambalaya and more! It was a great weekend for families and friends to pass a good time and support the church!
Alex Boudreaux and Millie LaFargue
Brycen Roy and Lexis Derouen Volume 1 • Issue 8
Amanda, Alex and Beaux Crochet
Donavon Victorian and Brooke Covert
Tylee Vincent and Mica Thibodeaux SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
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