Andrews Family

or our very first cover feature, I had the pleasure of speaking with the Andrews family about life in The Sanctuary since they put down their roots here over a year ago. I learned what they enjoy doing together at home, and their adventures outside The Sanctuary. After speaking with them it was clear that their main focus in life is: Family. Both Jennifer and Scott Andrews were born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. The couple met as freshmen at the University of New Orleans. Jennifer was studying Communications and Scott, Business. Prior to UNO, Scott attended high school at Isidore Newman, where he began playing basketball just as his dad had done before him. In fact, Scott’s father, Al Andrews, who is in the Tulane Hall of Fame for his athletic accomplishment, was the second-highest scoring position in history at Tulane University. He

Falso played professional basketball overseas before going on to study Law. Today, Scott has two businesses, one of which he shares with Al, Scott’s mother, and his brother. The company is called tasc Performance, A successful performance apparel business based in New Orleans. The store is located on the always-bustling Magazine Street between Louisiana and Napoleon Avenue. The company was opened twelve years ago and has extended its locations to Texas. tasc Performance offers clothing that is sustainable, chemical-free, and derived from natural sources like bamboo, cotton, and wool. The Andrews first moved to the Northshore’s Tchefuncta Club Estates to start their family. Several years later they decided they were due for something

new and relocated to The Sanctuary. Jennifer and Scott now have four sons: Griffin, who is studying at LSU; Harrison, who is a sophomore at Mandeville High School; Hayden who is six and in kindergarten at Ponchartrain Elementary; and their youngest, Brooks, who is one. Jennifer humbly acknowledged that being a mom to four boys is a full-time job, and one of the conveniences of living in The Sanctuary is the proximity to Mandeville High. When she and Scott were first looking at the property this was a major bonus for them. Another was the safety of the area and neighborhood. “I take for granted at times that I never have to worry about my family’s safety when we’re at home,” she said. An additional convenience was the area’s close proximity to the Causeway since Scott commutes to and from his business in New Orleans. They also value how close they are to shops, restaurants, and grocery stores. “The Sanctuary is extremely family-friendly, and we really appreciated that when looking to buy here,” they said.

When the couple first saw their house they admired how strong the bones were, since the house had been built in 1998. She noted that the houses in The Sanctuary were newer than where they were moving from; which meant the renovations they wanted to do weren’t major and could be done slowly. Once they were settled in, Jennifer was excited to put her personal spin on their new home. She admitted that the house was originally a bit muted and “taupe-y” for her taste. “I’m a girl who loves white,” she said, so, they first had parts of the houses’ interior painted white. Next, she incorporated cool, tranquil colors to the homes’ new palette by giving walls seafoam green accents and painting the boys’ rooms different shades of blue. A fun renovation that came with the house was a garage-turned-playroom, perfect for their two youngest boys. Jennifer laughed, “That room is home base! We basically live in there because my two youngest require most of our attention. There are so many toys in it and everyone just seems to gravitate to that room when they’re home.”

When it comes to group activities, the Andrews family is quite energetic. As a family, they often ride bikes to the park and enjoy being outdoors. Scott is an avid fisherman and revels in accompanying his father on fishing trips to Venice at every opportunity. Harrison, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, is a basketball enthusiast and plays on the varsity team. Between school, practice, games, k

and studying, he doesn’t have a ton of free time. “He’s just like his dad—he eats, sleeps, and breathes basketball!” Jennifer said delightedly. When everyone is home they appreciate grilling and cooking, or just relaxing with some take-out—but most of all what they enjoy is: the hot tub. The Andrews family’s hot tub gets extensive use in winter, spring, summer, and fall. The pool is a close runner-up but it isn’t as inviting in the colder parts of the year. When the Andrews’ aren’t busy playing basketball, being full-time parents, or running their own businesses, they take time to support local businesses. When home they’re regulars at places like Pardo’s, Mandina’s, and Pat Gallagher’s 527. When they’re in New Orleans they frequent Impastato’s. “We love Italian food obviously!” said Scott. Other Andrews-must-dos when in New Orleans, are visiting the Audubon Zoo and the Aquarium. “The kids adore animals. So, the more we visit them at the zoo and aquarium, the less pressure we have to get one at home,” the couple joked. Jennifer enjoys shopping on both sides of the lake but prefers to do that activity without the boys. A final hometown favorite of theirs is PJ’s Coffee, which they enjoy at home and on the go. Jennifer declared, “Scott gets coffee from PJ’s every morning, seven days a week, and looks forward to it every time!”

As a family, the Andrews share most of their activities together. Their love and support for one another are unwavering and strong. At the end of the day, Jennifer and Scott believe that they are just like any other family—“We really enjoy being together and doing things a lot of families like to do.” They also agree that moving to The Sanctuary gave them more time to share at home, and for that, they are truly thankful. v