R IVER PAR ISHES MAGAZINE A special publication of L’OBSERVATEUR • Spring 2021
«Cover Sponsored by APlus Construction» Read their story inside
YOUR DREAM+OUR WORK=YOUR HOME
TABLE OF CONTENTS designed 14 Locally bracelet captures culture of the River Parishes
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A Plus Construction Quality over Quantity
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Football coach to family man
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Houmas House finds support from locals during COVID-19
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Talent shines in the River Parishes
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A Plus Construction
Quality over quantity, that’s our philosophy
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PLUS Construction, LLC was established in March 2006 by owner, Aaron J. Tregre, a lifelong resident of St. John the Baptist Parish. Born the son of an electrician and HVAC contractor and the grandson of an Intertherm air conditioning distributor, and owner of a wholesale lumber yard, Aaron was introduced to the construction industry at a very early age and had no choice but to learn and love the construction industry. When other toddlers were playing with building blocks, he was on job sites, in the lumber yard, and traveling the country with his dad, uncle, and grandfather delivering lumber and air conditioning systems. Aaron’s early introduction to this line of work, and his experiences working in the field on jobs and in the lumber yard shaped his future. Upon graduation from high school, he began working for a local contractor while working towards a bachelor’s degree in
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business management. After earning his degree from Southeastern Louisiana University and continuing to work for the same contractor for a few more years, Aaron decided to move forward and focus all of his knowledge and experience into his own company, A PLUS Construction, LLC. Now, after over 15 years in business as a contractor building residential homes and commercial properties throughout southeast Louisiana, Aaron has developed a unique but efficient process to lead his clients to a manageable and effortless home building experience. A PLUS Construction is able to provide you, the homeowner, a wide variety of ideas, options, budget solutions and design features from start to finish each step of the way. A PLUS Construction also has a rarely found business philosophy of “quality over quantity.” The Five to Seven Project Rule is something the company implemented from the beginning of the business and still has in place today.
www.aplusconstructionllc.com A Plus Construction, LLC 100 Circle Dr. LaPlace, LA 70068 Office: (985) 359-0109 Fax: (985) 359-7701
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Houmas House finds support from locals during COVID-19 Opening of The Great River Road Museum brings more to explore BY BROOKE R. CANTRELLE Houmas House Plantation and Gardens never closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but owner Kevin Kelly started to notice one significant change. Whereas most of the visitors before were tourists from outof-state, the local population has finally discovered what Houmas House has to offer. “The first couple of months, we had dining under the oaks. The weather was beautiful, and everyone was able to eat
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Houmas House plantation is located at 40136 Highway LA-942 in Darrow.
This panorama shows the lobby area at the new Great River Road Museum located adjacent to Houmas House Plantation. outside,” Kelly said. “About three weeks ago with Spring Break, guests started returning. The business is back, and if guests don’t have reservations, sometimes they have to wait in line to get into the restaurants now. In the future, we hope COVID is going to help us because the locals have finally found us as a place to come dine and play.” Located at 40136 Highway LA-942 in Darrow, 38 acres of lush gardens and centuries-old live oak trees.
The historic house on-site was home to Louisiana sugar barons of the 1800s, and its role in the tourism industry has focused on extravagant experiences from weddings to bed and breakfast lodging and fivecourse dinners under the ancient oaks. In June 2020, The Great River Road Museum opened adjacent to Houmas House Plantation to expand the narrative.
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The new 30,000 square foot attraction exposes visitors to the culture, commerce, folklore and music of life along the lower Mississippi River. The devastating story of slavery along the River Road is shared on this new tour. “There are stories from plantations along the river. It has artifacts from the Civil War, and there is a whole section on slavery. Houmas House has never really gotten involved in the story of slavery before because we don’t have any of our slave cottages here, but we now have an exhibit,” Kelly said. He added that a wax museum that closed in New Orleans about five years ago donated its collection to the Great River Road Museum. “All of the wax figures are on display, and they help to tell the story very well. All of the plantations tell a
The Great River Road Museum has a variety of exhibits that expand the narrative of early life along the River Road. different story. Whitney Plantation tells the story of the back of the house, meaning the slavery side of the story, without talking about the plantation owners. At Houmas House, we have told the story about the big house without talking about the back of the house. With the new museum, we’re able to do that,” Kelly said. Other exhibits at the Great River Road Museum include explorers, native inhabitants, flora and fauna, steamboats and ships, wartime battles along the river and much more. Another new addition to Houmas House in 2020 was the amphitheater, which will feature an arts and crafts festival later this year. A new restaurant opened on the Houmas House grounds in April 2021, offering a River Road buffet of red beans and rice, fried catfish, barbecue chicken, etouffee, gumbo and other traditional Louisiana foods. Kelly said visitors do not have to tour the house or museum to eat at on-site restaurants. However, reservations are recommended for dining. RiveR PaRishes stRong 9
The spiral staircase at Houmas House Plantation was featured in the 1960s movie “Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte.”
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Houmas House also offers bed and breakfast accommodations featuring quaint cottages with old-world furnishings and romantic views of the surrounding lush gardens. Lately, Houmas House has found great success with monthly wine dinners under the mossy oaks. The beautiful grounds are the perfect space for an intimate five-course candlelight dinner. A Mother’s Day Buffet will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 9, 2021 with a perfect, socially distanced feast under the live oaks. In the event of inclement weather, the buffet will be moved indoors to The Great River Road Museum. For more information or to reserve a table, please call the Gift Shop at 225-473-9380. With so much to offer, Houmas House is an example of a perfect Louisiana day trip or staycation. “It’s important to learn about the culture and support the local businesses around here. A lot of people will drive to Florida for the weekend to find things to do, but it’s all available right here in our own backyard,” Kelly said. “We have great food, fun things to do, beautiful gardens. We have what other places have, and now people realize that they can do all of those things locally, too.” Kelly, a big architectural and garden buff, decided to purchase Houmas House Plantation 18 years ago as he approached his 50th birthday. The current era of ownership marks another chapter in the rich history of Houmas House. The home was constructed on a great curve of the Mississippi River on high ground originally occu-
The gardens at Houmas House Plantation are particularly beautiful in the Spring as plants bloom with color and fragrance.
The Carriage House is only one example of the fine dining offered at Houmas House Plantation.
pied by the Houmas Indians. Fertile lands perfect for farming sugar cane, cotton, indigo and corn attracted settlers to the area in the 1700s and gave rise to the sugar barons of the 1800s. The building itself went through several stages of development, beginning with a smaller French House constructed in the 1700s. In 1803, the same year as the Louisiana Purchase, men by the name of Donaldson and Scott built a new center hall directly in front of the 1700s house. Twenty-six years later, General Wade
Hampton enlarged the Donaldsonville cottage and transformed it into the classic revival mansion familiar to tourists and locals today. When Hampton died in 1835, his son Wade Hampton II inherited the $1.6 million estate and decided to give the house to his step-sisters, Caroline Hampton Preston and Susan Hampton, and his step-mother, Mary Cantey Hampton. By the 1840s, Caroline Hampton Preston and her husband John Smith Preston had ownership of
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Houmas House is nestled right along the Mississippi River on the Great River Road. the plantation. Self-made entrepreneur John Burnside was the next to acquire the million-dollar plantation home in 1858. Daily tours focus on the lavish lifestyle of the sugar barons during this period in history, when dozens of guests would stay at the home for months at a time. Today, guests are guided through women’s and men’s parlors and an assortment of spaces that were used for entertaining in the 1800s.
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At the entrance of the Houmas House Plantation, framed on a mural of a sugar cane field is a vintage Louisiana map that was discovered in the attic of the home in the 1970s. It is believed the map Live oak trees such as the ones was stowed found at Houmas House Plantation and Gardens can live as long away during as 1,000 years. Some of the trees the Civil War to keep the on-site are more than 600 years Union soldiers old. from learning the lay of the land. Many more treasures can be discovered on the Houmas House mansion and garden tours offered daily from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 225-413-2319 or visit www.houmashouse.com.
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Locally designed bracelet captures the culture of the River Parishes
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BY BROOKE R. CANTRELLE he custom-designed La Riviére bangle bracelet at Roussel’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts shows the meandering of the mighty Mississippi River through St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St. James parishes. It’s the only piece of jewelry that captures the culture of the River Parishes with symbols representing native wildlife, culinary delights and sights that aren’t replicated anywhere else in the world. Creation of the La Riviére bracelet was a team effort that began more than a year ago, according to Earl Rodrigue Jr., manager of the LaPlace Roussel’s location at 232 Belle Terre Blvd. Suite A. “We wanted to find a way to represent the River Parishes in a unique way that could combine St. Charles, St. John and St. James parishes. That’s when we developed the idea to do a cuff bracelet,” Rodrigue said. Crafted in sterling silver, the bracelet features the Mississippi River as the tie that binds the three parishes. In the center is a fleur de lis representing light and life in the
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Carlos Martich, Meshia Slack, Codi Duncan and manager Earl Rodrigue Jr. helped design the exclusive La Riviére bracelet at Roussel’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts. All of the employees across the different store locations were part of the team effort. River Region. Several symbols are intricately weaved into the bangle, including a bold magnolia flower that reflects the blooming trees throughout the region. A stalk of sugar cane symbolizes the industry that spurred early development of local communities, as well as the Sugar Queen festival that crowned generations of young women. Meanwhile, a simmering
jambalaya pot symbolizes a love of food that brings the communities together. The bracelet contains a smokehouse in honor of St. John the Baptist Parish’s designation as the Andouille capital of the world, as well as the Andouille Festival that takes place annually in LaPlace. St. Charles Parish’s Alligator Festival and St. James Parish’s Festival of the Bonfires, a unique Christmas tradition, are also represented in the bangle. The alligator doubles as a symbol of local wildlife along with the image of a pelican, which is recognized as Louisiana’s state bird. At each end of the bracelet are silver columns that stand for the diverse community and the strength that the three parishes have when standing together. The La Riviére bracelet is priced at $499, and Rodrigue said the community response has been overwhelming. The positive reception has been a testament to the teamwork that went into designing the bracelet and producing a commercial that garnered more than 5,000 views on Facebook in less than two weeks. “It took a little while for us to decide which images would best represent the parishes,” Rodrigue said. “It was a team effort from all of the stores, from the initial design to picking out the images that represent the region. The images were picked and produced in the store, and the commercial was done in house.”
Crafted in sterling silver, the La Riviére bracelet holds a lot of meaning to people who love the culture of the River Parishes. While there were some delays in production due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roussel’s employees were excited to be part of the process. The college-aged employees at the LaPlace store were able to pick up some useful career skills in the creation and marketing of the unique piece. Codi Duncan assisted Rodrigue with selecting images that encapsulated local culture. The symbol that spoke to her the most was the Andouille Smoke House and its connection to the Andouille Festival in St. John. She also aided in the creation of the La Riviére commercial.
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“It really shows all of our parishes in one. We wanted to emphasize the food, the culture, the experience and what shows off Louisiana,” Duncan said. She added, “This was my first time working on a script. It was a great experience for me since I am going to school for acting. I learned what goes into making a commercial. I’m happy it was a great success.” College students Maria Schexnayder and Meshia Slack did a lot of the computer work involved with making the commercial, with help from Rodrigue. “We did a lot of the editing and production. I can honestly say the production of the video was fun,” Slack said. “It did take a lot of challenging work, and we had to go back to listen to and edit certain parts. We had to take our time, but it was easy afterwards, and it was fun to learn different things from YouTube about how to do the edits.” While giving input on the bracelet, the bonfire is what stood out to Slack the most. The wooden teepee shaped structures are seen along the levee during Christmas time and ar eset ablaz each Christmas Eve to light the way for Papa Noel, the Cajun version of Santa Claus. Rodrigue said each image from the bangle bracelet will eventually be sold as individual pendants in Roussel’s stores.
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The La Rivière bracelet is only one example of the treasures to be found at Roussel’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts. The store offers something for everybody, from personalized wedding gifts and floral arrangements to home décor, timepieces and elegant masks for Mardi Gras balls. Roussel’s has served the River Parishes for 44 years, starting with the LaPlace store at 232 Belle Terre Blvd. Roussel’s later expanded to Gramercy, Boutte and Ponchatoula. Original owner Jesse Roussel opened the LaPlace location after retiring from teaching. His experiences restoring furniture with his wife inspired him to open a business with a focus on antiques and home décor. Custom designed jewelry, especially sparkling engagement rings, became part of the heart of the business after Jesse’s son, Chris Roussel and his wife, Amber, took ownership of the store. Today, Roussel’s spans three generations of family with Chris and Amber’s sons, Jess and Rene, bringing new and innovative ideas to the table. Rodrigue is Chris Roussel’s brother-in-law, and he enjoys serving the local community with good, old-fashioned customer service. Gifts purchased at Roussel’s are beautifully wrapped as a complimentary service, and customers are welcome to return to the store for jewelry repairs. For more information, follow Roussel’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts on Facebook or visit roussels.com.
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Football coach to family man
Frank Monica retires after monumental 51-year career, plans to spend more time with 12 grandchildren BY BROOKE R. CANTRELLE
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rank Monica started coaching without any goals in mind. He was a graduate assistant at Nicholls State University in 1970, fresh off a national championship appearance in the Division II world series. His aspirations of becoming a big-time major league baseball player were dashed when he was told he was too short, and he went into coaching because athletics was all he knew. Monica certainly didn’t expect to create a 51-year legacy that included being named the “winningest” football coach in the River Parishes with an overall record of 284 wins and 91 losses. He never anticipated being inducted into the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame. Twenty-four of those 51 years have been spent at St. Charles Catholic High School. While Monica feels he could coach for longer, he knows in his heart that it’s time to divert his energy from chasing kids on the football field to chasing after his 12 grandchildren. Monica announced his retirement as head football coach and athletic director in January of this year. He’s passing the torch to his nephew Wayne Stein, a 1999 graduate of St. Charles Catholic and the current head baseball coach/ defensive coordinator for the Comets. After many years of hard work and late nights, Monica is eager to put his family first. “I’ve always said I wanted to be a better grandparent than I was a parent. I wasn’t there very often. That’s how it goes as a coach; there are a lot of hours away from home. I’ve put my family second my whole life. I’m not proud of that, but I think it’s time for them to be first from here on out,” Monica said. “I think I would be able to coach for longer, but it’s time to step aside. I’m handing it over to my nephew, Wayne, who has been very loyal to me for many years. It will give me a chance to spend some more time with my wife, Nancy. She’s been the rock to this whole process, and she understood when we first got married what coaching is all about. I was very fortunate the 18 River Parishes Strong
Coach Frank Monica proudly holds up St. Charles Catholic’s first and only football state championship title in 2011. Under Monica’s leadership, the Comets have made five additional state championship appearances.
good Lord sent her my way.” Family and faith were at the foundation of Monica’s monumental career that spanned more than five decades. After leaving Nicholls with one year of baseball coaching under his belt, Monica arrived at Lutcher High School and spent eight years coaching multiple sports. He was an assistant coach and a head coach on the collegiate level with Tulane University for 12 years. His career carried him to Riverside Academy for a year, and then to Jesuit High School for 12 years before he returned to Tulane for another eight years. St. Charles Catholic proved to be the perfect match when Monica was hired 24 years ago, starting out as a baseball and a football coach. Over time, it became difficult to manage both sports, and Monica focused his attention on football and all of its year-round responsibilities, from Spring training to the Summer 7-on-7 league and the highly anticipated Fall season. With St. Charles Catholic located so close to home, Monica had the pleasure of coaching his own children. Both of his daughters, Katie and Gina, were multi-sport athletes at St. Charles Catholic. Katie went on to work in education in St. Charles Parish. Monica’s sons, Ty and Nicholas, both pursued coaching, following in the footsteps of their father. Nicholas currently serves as the head football coach at Rummel High School, while Ty coaches softball at SCC.
Frank Monica’s wife, children and grandchildren are the greatest treasures in his life, and he looks forward to dedicating more time to them in his retirement. One of Monica’s granddaughters is the head cheerleader at St. Charles Catholic, and the school has truly become a multi-generational home for his family. Other accomplishments during Monica’s tenure at SCC included being named the Allstate Sugar Bowl Coach of the Year in 2011 and the Outstanding Prep Coach of the Year for the entire state of Louisiana in 2016. Monica was selected to attend the exclusive NFL/USA Youth Football Summit after being nominated by the New Orleans Saints Organiza-
Coach Frank Monica has spent countless hours on the sidelines of the St. Charles Catholic football field. With the help of administration and Comets parents, he was happy to be part of numerous facility improvements, including the new stadium that was completed last year. tion. That’s not counting the numerous times he was named the NFL Coach of the Week by the New Orleans Saints. Monica has guided the Comets to 12 semifinal appearances and six championship appearances, which culminated in one state title in 2011. Prior to Monica’s arrival in the 1990s, St. Charles Catholic’s football program had recorded only one semi-final appearance.
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In 2019, Frank Monica was recognized as the “winningest” coach in the River Parishes.
St. Charles Catholic’s Coach Frank Monica often had to give tough love to his team on the field. Off of the field, he strived to be a friend and father figure.
Frank Monica is pictured with his New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Plaque.
But for Monica, it’s not about the awards, the fancy titles or the number of wins attached to his name. To him, the true reward of coaching is instilling work ethic and a value system into boys who will go on to become successful men. He found that it was important to give the kids structure and fair discipline, while still encouraging them to have fun on the field. “One thing I try to teach kids is to be accountable. It’s not about them making a ll state. I wanted every kid to enjoy the experience, but I also wanted to give them a value system. It’s about the way they tie their shoes to the way they look on the field to the way they practice. If you make the little things important, the big things take care of themselves,” Monica said. Because of the nature in the game, Monica had to be firm and fuss more than he wanted to on the football field. In
doing so, he prepared his team to stare adversity in the eye and say, “I’m going to succeed no matter what.” Off of the field, he strived to be a friend and a father figure to the boys. He’s proud of his Comets for always playing fair and operating within the rules, even when faced with challenges that seemed insurmountable. Monica found joy not in th eeasy wins against weaker opponents, but in the games that were fierce with competition and kept spectators at the edge of their seats. Of the hundreds of games he’s coached, some that stand out the most were overtime wins against teams like St. James and Catholic New Iberia. Some of the best victories were against Benton, Sterlington and other undefeated teams that challenged the Comets to shine as the underdogs. One particularly memorable game against St. Augustine drew a crowd of 19,000 people, a number almost unheard of for a prep football game. “We didn’t have the biggest and fastest guys, but we had guys that were resilient. They played with heart, and they wanted to be here,” Monica said. The entire Comet family is second-to-none, according to Monica. “I’m indebted to all the people that have assisted me, including my wife and my family, all of the coaches and teachers, and especially the administrators that have trusted me and allowed me to use my own philosophy through the years,” Monica said. “Mr. Cupit first hired me and Dr. Millet has continued to support me. The fan and parental support has been phenomenal, and we have a very energetic Quarterback Club. Special thanks to all the players that I’ve
Frank Monica was inducted into the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. 20 River Parishes Strong
had, the coaches and assistant coaches that I worked with. It’s been a glorious ride, and you feel like you have been part of the lives of a lot of athletes.” Monica isn’t nervous about leaving the program because he knows it’s in good hands. “I don’t think this program will miss a beat,” Monica said. “Wayne Stein is a hard, hard worker. The kids will respond to him, and I think the program will be a quality program for years to come. You can tell a healthy program when you have numbers. I think Wayne will keep that going and make it even better than what I’ve left.”
Talent shines in the River Parishes
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tanding at the edge of the runway in a sparkly dress, Lischelle Jasmine addressed an audience gathered at YMC Events Venue LLC in LaPlace last month. “You don’t have to go looking for Broadway or Hollywood,” she said. “It’s coming right here.”
Flourish Model & Talent Agency held its inaugural production March 6 to showcase the acting, singing, dancing and modeling talents of children and adults in the River Parishes. Jasmine saw a need for a local talent agency with the region becoming an increasingly popular backdrop for the film industry. Production companies often film in the River Region or New Orleans area, but all too often, casting takes place outside of the region. Kimani Brown, Samirah Jasmine, Corey Johnson, Alyssa Mitchell and Kade Olivier opened the show with a group dance choreographed by Leah Brown. Later on that evening, Kade returned to the spotlight and showed off his original choreography to “This is Me” from “The Greatest Showman.” The models shined with confidence on stage across all age groups. Kids models Kennadi O. Adams, Kimani Brown. Kambri Jasmine and Blair Elise Quinn got their first taste of the runway as they modeled clothing provided by Dyri Edwards of Dy’s Runway. Teen and adult models wore fashionable clothing from St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store. The models were Lakia Brown, Azelae Cage, JaShane Hardy, Kory Johnson, Alyssa Mitchell and Tatayana Mitchell. While the ladies brought the heat, GQ models Ronnie Fiest Jr., Justin Krauss and Jerome Wilson were cool and collected in their men’s wear provided by Southern Stylez. Singers Ron Sebastian and Blaze amazed the audience with their musical talent throughout the show. Meanwhile, Carl Briggs’ beautiful singing voice added emotional depth to a scene about a man who lost his wife one day short of their 50th anniversary.
Westbank Bridge Park 13825 River Road Luling, La.
Flourish Model & Talent Agency showcased its actors with a variety of scenes that ranged from comical to heartfelt. Asasha Terry and Lakia Brown performed a humorous skit called “Carol and Sue” about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. Another skit drawing laughs from the audience, “You Did What,” starred Kenyatta Raashi and Lavette Holmes. Deacon Lawson strapped on some boxing gloves and performed an inspiring monologue as Muhammad Ali. In a scene called “Prodigy,” Tristan Olivier sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and spoke of making his parents proud. One of the most emotional performances came from Dione Wilson in “Locks Without Chains,” the story of a young woman finally breaking free of an abusive relationship. For more information about the River Parishes’ newest talent agency, email info@flourishmodel&talentagency.com or lischellejasmine@ gmail.com. RiveR PaRishes stRong 21
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