WHERE TO LIVE NEXT
3 Top Neighborhoods In The Region + Top Real Estate Pros
34 Kitchen Upgrades From No Budget to Full Reno
42 Where to Live Next Three Acadiana Neighborhoods to Explore
August/September
La Maison
A tropical cocktail brings a taste of the islands to assuage imbibers during the height of hurricane season
EDITORIAL
Editor Reine Dugas
Art Director Sarah E.G. Majeste
Associate Editor Ashley McLellan
Copy Editor Liz Clearman
Lead Photographer Danley Romero
Web Editor Kelly Massicot
ADVERTISING
Sales Manager Rebecca Taylor (337) 298-4424 (337) 235-7919 Ext. 230
rebecca@acadianaprofile.com
Sponsored Content Coordinator Jeremy Marshall
RENAISSANCE PUBLISHING
PRODUCTION
Digital Director Rosa Balaguer
Production Designer Ashley Pemberton
Production Designer Czarlyn Ria Trinidad
MARKETING
Marketing Manager Greer Stewart
Visual Media Producer Mallary Wolfe
CIRCULATION
Distribution John Holzer
ADMINISTRATION
Office Managers Emily Ruiz
Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne
For subscriptions call 877-221-3512
One of my favorite things to do, whether I’m looking to move or not, is to search for houses. I’m not sure why or what that says about me, but from time to time, I’ll see what’s for sale near by or in some other city I think would be fun to live. There’s something about the whole process that intrigues me. Part of it is seeing how much houses that are comparable to mine cost. Then there’s the sneak peek inside — looking at the décor and design of houses on the market. Sometimes for kicks, I’ll even go to an open house.
Is that an unusual thing to do? I don’t know. And it’s not like I’ve moved a ton of times in my life. To date, I’ve owned three houses, and I wouldn’t say I’m a person who embraces change and loves the idea of packing up and moving every few years.
I’m guessing part of the desire to seek out places to live is rooted in a deep-seated need to have our home be the best possible home we can find. It’s our safe space, after all. Being sure that the neighborhood we take evening strolls in or walk our dogs first thing in the morning is safe and cozy is important. Knowing that the house we share with our family is comfortable, sturdy, appreciating in value and a good fit matters. So there’s that — the need to be certain about the place we live.
Making that place the most beautiful version of itself takes a little exploration, whether that means browsing the pages of home and design magazines or checking out new houses.
I like the idea of looking around — window shopping for houses. Researching what’s out there for fun. It’s a great way to get ideas to update my own house or perhaps view it in a different light.
Within the pages of this issue, you’ll see a home that is more than a beautiful, modern house. Located in Broussard, this home was raffled off in the St. Jude Dream Giveaway. Also in this issue, there are kitchen renovation suggestions from budget to splurge. Kelcy Wilburn gives lots of great ideas to change the look of your kitchen. And if you are thinking of a change of pace, making the move and getting out of town, Suzanne Ferrera highlights three very different neighborhoods in the Acadiana region that offer wonderful things to those who move there.
Whether you’re planning a move or a renovation, or if you’re just window shopping, happy hunting to you. It’s always fun to look!
Reine Dugas, Editor Reine@AcadianaProfile.com
Eat, Drink and Mingle
Round up of what's new in Acadiana
BY LISA LEBLANC-BERRY
Tasting Adventures
The Louisiana Food and Wine Festival brings a mélange of celebrity chefs and pitmasters, vintners and oenophiles, master classes and music to Lake Charles (September 19-22). Signature events include an elegant six-course Celebrity Chefs Wine Dinner and a festive open-air Grand Tasting featuring an array of seafood-inspired, Cajun and Creole creations by top chefs and unlimited libations from vintners, enlivened by music and awards (presented by Acadiana Profile and Louisiana Seafood). Experience Fire on the Lake’s BBQ extravaganza, attend master classes and enjoy a lavish Sunday Jazz Brunch finale (louisianafoodandwinefestival.com).
WEEKENDERS IN PURSUIT IN THIBODAUX
Fervent collectors customarily gravitate to Thibodaux the weekend after Labor Day for the Tawasi Antiques and Arts Show (September 6-8) to explore great “finds” and deals among the carefully curated collectibles in two huge, air-conditioned showrooms. The 46th annual show features local art and a wide variety of antiques including silver, furniture, maps, linens, glass, porcelain and jewelry (tawasi.net).
Sign of the Times
Lafayette For the first time in the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s history, American Sign Language (ASL) is being introduced as a minor, available in the curriculum this fall. The inclusive instructions will avail students of the opportunity to study and one day master sign language. According to the Commission for the Deaf, American Sign Language is the third most commonly used language in the U.S. today after English and Spanish. (communicativedisorders. louisiana.edu).
New Cybersecurity Programs
Thibodaux Louisianans’ growing need for a cybersecurity workforce has been amplified amid the 4,500 reported unfilled cybersecurity jobs in 2023. Hence, Nicholls University recently received two cybersecurity grants from the Louisiana Board of Regents to establish the Maritime Cybersecurity program at Nicholls and the Louisiana Cyber Academy, tasked to spearhead six shared online cybersecurity courses for a Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate aligned with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Nicholls also announced a new Coastal Center and Universities of Louisiana Maritime Academy hub (nicholls.edu).
LAKE CHARLES
In Support of Shrimpers
Seafood fans and shrimpers participating in the Delcambre Shrimp Festival (August 14-18; shrimpfestival.net) and the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City (August 29-September 2; shrimpandpetroleum. org) will be celebrating several recent laws to prevent cheap, imported shrimp from further crippling the industry. As the school year begins, a new law bans public schools and any other schools receiving state funding from serving imported seafood in school lunches. The law also bans imported seafood from being served at the Louisiana Dining Hall.
In the Face of Misfortune
New Orleans The new 2024 King of Louisiana Seafood, Chef Chase Woodard of Parish Restaurant, advances to the 20th Annual Great American Seafood Cookoff on August 3 in New Orleans (hosted by Parish’s Chef-owner Cory Bahr). Woodward’s winning dish was rapidly reimagined with tuna instead of his signature flounder when the fish failed to arrive in time. Rising-star Acadiana chefs Sullivan Zant of Lafayette’s Vestal and Thibodaux’s Brandon Naquin of Spahr’s Seafood also distinguished the competition with clever entries (louisianaseafood.com/greatamerican-seafood-cook).
Keep Slipping and Sliding
Breaux Bridge The state’s largest aqua park, housed at Poche’s RV Park in Breaux Bridge since June, will be open until October 1 according to owner Greg Domingue. He spent the last six years coordinating with Union Aqua Park about the various pieces he selected for the 15,000-square-foot, 37-piece inflatable obstacle course (designed for ages six and up) that has become a popular family destination for slipping, sliding and climbing atop inflatables within the RV park’s 51 acres of water (pochesrvpark.com).
DELCAMBRE, MORGAN CITY
An Acadian Story
Congrès Mondial Acadian, an international Acadian (Cajun) celebration, happens every four years. August is the month for Congrès, coinciding with National Acadian Day on Aug. 15. If you can’t go to Nova Scotia this year, visit St. Martinville for all things Acadian.
BY CHERÉ COEN
1
2
LongfellowEvangeline State Historic Site
The Louisiana state park rests on the former hunting grounds of the Atakapas tribe, then settling Acadians, French Creoles and enslaved Africans. Pierre Olivier Duclozel de Vezin used it to grow indigo and built Maison Olivier, an example of a raised Creole cottage, which visitors may tour today. The park also includes a reproduction of an Acadian farmstead dating to about 1800 with an outdoor kitchen, slave quarters and a barn. The park routinely offers special events throughout the year.
3 LITERATURE
The Evangeline Oak and Evangeline Monument
For many years, the deportation of the Acadians from the Canadian Maritime Provinces went untold. In 1847, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow published his epic poem “Evangeline” and the world became aware. In the poem, displaced Acadian Evangeline waits patiently for her loved one by a Louisiana live oak tree. In the heart of downtown St. Martinville, along Bayou Teche, lies the massive Evangeline Oak, one of the town’s most visited spots. Nearby, next to the St. Martin de Tours Church, is a statue dedicated to the fictional Evangeline.
ST. MARTINVILLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
St. Martinville Cultural Heritage Center
The St. Martinville Cultural Heritage Center houses the African American Museum and the Museum of the Acadian Memorial, both of which tell the stories of the people who came to Southwest Louisiana during the 18th and 19th centuries. Look for the struggles and contributions of enslaved and free people of color, “The Arrival of the Acadians in Louisiana” mural by Robert Dafford, the wall of Acadian names for those doing genealogy research and the Deportation Cross, a replica of the one found in Grand Pré, Nova Scotia.
TRANSIENT NATURE
Kathy Dumesnil’s landscapes
BY JOHN R. KEMP
The South Louisiana landscape with its flowering bayous, marshes, warm humid light, painterly sunsets and seemingly evergreen prairies has never failed to inspire artists. One can clearly see that inspiration in the paintings of Lafayette artist Kathy Dumesnil, who describes that beauty and her work as a “celebration of the rich tapestry of nature” and “a liberating exploration.”
Dumesnil is drawn to the region’s natural landscape whether she is painting broad, spatial vistas or the colorful and often abstract images of the “flora and botanicals” that grow wild in that landscape. When out in the natural environment in her kayak or hiking on wooded trails, she feels compelled to sketch and capture those images she describes as “free-flowing organic shapes with an edge of abstraction.”
“I experience a visceral excitement and connection within myself, a spaciousness and flow,” she says. “It takes away thinking and the daily noise of life. This resonance speaks to my being and where paintings actually begin. Just being in nature’s beauty and presence is meaningful and creates a story for my artmaking.”
(Above) Song of Flora No. 3 (Right) Abstraction Lily Lotus Series
MEET THE ARTIST
Kathy
Dumesnil
Born San Antonio, Texas Residence
Lafayette Inspiration
Japanese concept of wabi-sabi
Education University of Louisiana at Lafayette, BFA 1975
Medium
Watercolors and acrylics
Favorite Imagery
Beauty in the natural landscape
Web kathydumesnilart.com
Dumesnil also draws comparison between her paintings and the Japanese aesthetic “wabi-sabi,” which roughly states that beauty is transient. The glorious colors of autumn foliage and spring flowers radiate across the landscape and then disappear with the change of seasons. They live on in her paintings, however.
“It is an aesthetic view of appreciating beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete in nature,” she says. “It is also an appreciation of natural objects
and the forces of nature. I love observing plants in their fullest peak as well as in their waning or deconstruction. I love the beauty in the patina as the forms change in shape, color and texture.”
Whether painting landscapes or the abstract images of wild “flora and botanicals,” Dumesnil says her goal is to create “a sense of place and that the viewer connects” to that place.
Although she completes most of her larger paintings in her studio, Dumesnil works mostly with watercolors, gouache and pen when traveling or out in the natural landscape. “I never leave home without my journal and papers,” she says. “I have a go-to set of concise art tools to do quick studies or to do more indulged paintings of my surroundings and experience.”
Dumesnil truly has been on a self-described “everevolving journey” since studying dance and art at what’s now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Although dance was her major, she also studied art history and the visual arts, including drawing lessons with the renowned Louisiana artist Elemore Morgan Jr. While in college, she also took up fabric art to help design her own costumes. With the urging of a friend, she took time off from classes and headed up to New York to study contemporary dance with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company at Wolf Trap. After graduation in 1975, she went back to New York for about a year to dance with the Marleen Pennison and Phoebe Neville dance companies. After that bite at the Big Apple and life in the big city, Dumesnil took off for Arkansas and the Ozarks where she “lived a hippie life learning to grow organic food and gained new life skills.”
A bit homesick, she returned to Louisiana in about 1980, gave up her hippie lifestyle and with five other dancers formed the Moving South Dance Company that performed throughout Louisiana and Texas. Dumesnil also continued her fabric art, eventually creating her own fabric artistry business. Then in 2004, she married Peter Bulliard who encouraged her art.
“I began traveling and studying painting more as therapy,” she says. “I then became more serious and directed my study to teachers whose styles I resonated with. In 2008, after a trip to Bali and my mother’s passing, I began an even further immersion into my visual expression with different visual mediums. In 2010, I fully devoted myself to exploring and continuing to study mostly painting to develop my work.”
That exploration and transition, she says, has given her a “new realm of freedom of expression.” And that expression has gained her considerable recognition. She has received several impressive awards and shows, and her art is now in numerous corporate and private collections.
Indeed, Dumesnil has been on quite a journey. For as she says, her career is “ever-evolving” and “a fusion of dynamic experiences.”
Dreaming Big
The 2024 St. Jude Home combines traditional architecture with colorful, textured interiors
BY MISTY MILIOTO PHOTOS BY HAYLEI SMITH
The 2024 St. Jude Dream Home — a fundraising project that benefits the children’s research hospital — features special touches throughout. Located in Broussard’s Magnolia Trace subdivision, the 2024 St. Jude Dream Home flaunts traditional architecture by
Lafayette-based Jarod A. Hebert, Architect. This is the 15th year that Lafayette-based McLain Homes, which developed the boutique gated subdivision, is building the home.
“There will be less than 100 homes total, [and] all of the houses are set close to the street to create a quaint neighborhood and a community garden,” says Jim Van Breemen, construction manager at McLain Homes. “The subdivision is a little different because the HOA takes care of the grass cutting and pressure washes the houses once per year. We do that so the subdivision always looks good.”
The 4,600-square-foot St. Jude Home boasts four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths, an office, a kitchen scullery and gorgeous interior design details. “Out of the last 14 houses that we’ve built, Jarod has drawn about 10 of those houses,” Van Breemen says. “We have probably over 50 subcontractors and vendors who donate labor or materials. Doug Ashy Building Materials is one of the bigger [vendors] who makes a donation of lumber. [Another] big subcontractor is Flooring and Accessories, which donated all of the
The 2024 St. Jude Dream Home features pops of color throughout, including deep green walls and jewel-toned chairs in the dining room (next page).
Fun interior design touches are also sprinkled throughout the home, such as this unique installation of
antique golf clubs.
stone fabrication and installation for the kitchen and scullery. This year’s house would typically appraise for $700,000, [but it will cost] less than $100,000 to build — that’s how much is donated.”
The exterior of the one-story home is constructed of painted brick, lap siding and stucco, while the interior features a mixture of porcelain, ceramic tile and engineered-wood flooring donated by Shaw Floors. The traditional interior design includes plenty of color (in shades of pink and green) by way of paint, wallpaper and plaster throughout. “This year’s house has a lot of color and texture,” Van Breemen says. “The design is going away from an all-white house and white trim.”
The kitchen, which has an attached scullery (akin to a second work kitchen where dirty dishes can be stored while entertaining), also features a retractable backsplash that opens between the kitchen and the scullery. Bosch, the national appliances sponsor for
Clockwise from top left: Flooring and Accessories donated all of the stone fabrication and installation for the kitchen and scullery; Bosch donated the kitchen appliances; an outdoor fireplace ensures cozy gatherings in the fall and winter.
all St. Jude homes, has donated two dishwashers, a 36-inch range, a wall oven, two refrigerators, a warming drawer, a microwave drawer and a built-in coffee machine.
The home, open for guests to tour through June 25, was also up for a raffle giveaway. “We have 13,000 tickets to sell, and each one costs $100, so we should raise $1.3 million for St. Jude,” Van Breemen says. “The goal is to sell all of the tickets, [with $1.3 million going] to St. Jude.” The home was given to the winner of the raffle on June 26.
“It’s important to understand that we have a lot of people who come together to build this house,” Van Breemen adds. “We have a lot of vendors and sub-vendors who want to be involved, and, without them, the mission would’ve never gotten started. It’s really a community effort to be able to build this house for the price that we do.”
Do you want to support the 2024 home fundraiser? Make contributions to Acadiana Dream Home Foundation by mailing a check made out to St. Jude Children’s Hospital to P.O. Box 52222 Lafayette, LA 70505. For additional details and a full list of vendors and sponsors visit: StJude.org/give/dream-home/lafayette.html
Clockwise from top left: Pretty wallpapers imbue the bathrooms with a touch of class; Shaw Floors donated the porcelain, ceramic tile and engineered-wood flooring used throughout the home; designed by Jarod A. Hebert Architecture, the exterior of the onestory home is constructed of painted brick, lap siding and stucco.
BY KELCY WILBURN
KITCHEN UPGRADES FROM NO BUDGET TO FULL RENO
Any realtor or home designer will say that time and money used for upgrading a kitchen is well spent, but what if there’s not much money or it’s spent on the wrong things? Kitchens not only impact your home’s resale value, they impact your everyday life, from your first cup of coffee to the last dish put away in the evening. With countless components to invest in, the kitchen can be an intimidating — and costly — room to upgrade. Whether you have no budget, a modest amount saved or funds for a full renovation, many upgrade options are available.
LOW COST/DIY
WWhile many home design professionals recommend calling in the experts for kitchen upgrades, there’s at least one do-it-yourself task where you can’t go wrong — cleaning.
“I call it de-junk,” says Gigi Shinn, general manager at Cabinet Time, formerly Live Oak Cabinets. According to Shinn, a good cabinet and drawer clean out is the first place to start. She recommends removing all contents, cleaning the interior spaces and adding organizers to your drawers, shelves and cabinets. Then, she suggests wiping down the doors and drawer faces using an oil-based cleaner or a wiping stain (if you don’t mind going darker). For painted cabinets, touch up paint where needed. Remove extras from atop your countertop and wall cabinets for a clean and organized look.
Another DIY upgrade is replacing your cabinet pulls and knobs with those that fit your new or more modern aesthetic. Consider contrasting the metals with your plumbing fixtures for a statement look.
Items such as new cutlery, cookware and dishes can also improve your day-to-day life, whether they’re brand new or “new to you.” Don’t underestimate the joy that a good estate sale or thrift store find can bring to your dining or cooking experience. Replacing island seating is another upgrade idea, and you can often sell or donate your old chairs or stools.
“Add a vase of fresh flowers, a collection of herbs, or a bowl of fruit,” says Tanya Zaunbrecher, ASID, LA registered interior designer at Zaunbrecher Design. “These items are useful and smell nice. My favorites are rosemary, basil, flowers from my yard and a bowl of citrus.”
Decorative items such as confit jars, blue and white vases and cachepots for flowers and indoor plants extend the living space into the kitchen, brightening the room with color and foliage. Another low-cost option for softening the kitchen is placing runners and rugs in the room.
“Kitchens can sometimes be harsh with hard materials, and bringing in soft textiles softens the space and brings pattern and comfort,” says Justine Hebert, NCIDQ, owner and principal designer at J Design Interiors. Examples include an antique runner between the island and cabinets or a decorative entry mat at a kitchen doorway.
Hebert’s biggest tip echoes Shinn’s decluttering advice — remove countertop appliances from sight if possible. If space allows in your pantry, relocating toasters and coffeemakers — even microwaves — will make the room feel more spacious and clear.
“Kitchens can sometimes be harsh with hard materials, and bringing in soft textiles softens the space and brings pattern and comfort,”
Replace your cabinet pulls and knobs with those that fit your new or more modern aesthetic.
A good cabinet and drawer clean out is the first place to start.
MODERATE BUDGET
FFor homeowners with a more focused budget, one top-choice upgrade recommended by area designers is lighting. Hebert specifically recommends the addition of wired undercabinet lighting, an expense she says you’ll enjoy.
“Ambient soft lighting is both beautiful and helps you to see when you cook,” she says. “Adding layers of lighting is always key to a kitchen.” Hebert suggests low-voltage, warm-tone LED lighting that an electrician can install and that matches the color temperature of the room. She warns against battery-powered lights, which don’t provide consistent lighting.
She and Zaunbrecher recommend upgrading your decorative lighting as well — such as a new pendant light over the island or sink — and replacing old fluorescent lighting or recessed cans with newer LED fixtures. Finally, add dimmers to all of your lighting.
From a decorative standpoint, additional moderate upgrades include changing out your window treatments and art. Whether a new bistro curtain or shade over the kitchen sink window, textiles add pattern, texture and color. Similarly, art brings out personality in a space.
“Maybe you frame some neat recipes on antique paper or find something kitchen related at an estate sale or antique store,” says Hebert. “Or, bring in heirlooms or treasures from the family. I love hanging small pieces on the ends or sides of cabinetry — people are often scared to hang things in the kitchen, but it brings more character to the room.”
Another tip for homeowners on a modest budget, according to Zaunbrecher, is to check the age and condition of current appliances and make a plan to replace older ones that may not work well.
“Changing out all appliances at once is expensive, so it may be helpful to change out appliances once
“Ambient soft lighting is both beautiful and helps you to see when you cook. Adding layers of lighting is always key to a kitchen.”
a year or every couple of years until they are all in working condition,” she says.
When changing out appliances, Designers Melanie Blasingame and Kim Harman at Top’s Appliances and Cabinetry emphasize the need to consider quality, longevity and ability to get service and parts. Incorporated technologies are now the norm, even in basic models. Beware trendy colored appliances, they say — stainless is still classic.
“We are seeing more people interested in induction [ranges], especially when they have the opportunity to use it or know someone who uses it,” says Harman. Priced slightly higher than gas ranges, these cooktops offer a faster, cleaner and safer alternative to gas. Induction uses electric power but heats the pot or pan using magnetic technology.
“Induction cooking surfaces heat much faster and cool off quickly as well,” she Harman. “It is very safe because it doesn’t burn gases for heat, and it shuts off automatically if the pot is not on the cooking surface. For those reasons, it is especially great for aging clients or anyone with cognitive issues.”
Work surface upgrades are another option for a focused budget. Solid surfaces such as granite, marble, quartz and quartzite or wood butcher block continue to be popular.
At Lafayette Marble & Granite, Stone Manager Robyn Albarado is seeing growing interest in quartzite over quartz, though both are highly sought for their durability and offerings in white and light colors. However, she says, Acadiana homes are often warmer in color than other regions, which is why quartzite has the edge. Light, white stones are gradually giving way to midcentury modern darker tones, and there’s a notable — and welcome — new interest in soapstone and other exotic stones, she says.
“Induction cooking surfaces heat much faster and cool off quickly as well. It is very safe because it doesn’t burn gases for heat, and it shuts off automatically if the pot is not on the cooking surface.”
Work surface upgrades are another option for a focused budget. Solid surfaces such as granite, marble, quartz and quartzite or wood butcher block continue to be popular.
Top To Bottom: Granite, Quartzite, Marble, Butcher Block, Quartz
THE SKY’S THE LIMIT
TIf the sky’s the limit with your kitchen renovation budget, it would be easy to say to change/upgrade all of the above — your countertops, appliances, lighting, cabinetry and décor. But one thing is certain if you’re undergoing a complete redo — hire a design professional.
“Designers’ jobs are to help guide you and design for your tastes,” says Krysten Ledet, principal of Krysten Ledet Interiors. “They also have a Rolodex of vendors that are experts in their industries so that you can rest assured you are in good hands. This saves you time and money in the long run because it is done exactly how you want correctly the first time.”
Ledet says the most common mistake she sees with kitchen renovations is the lack of a plan. With infinite design choices, the average person doesn’t have the time or know-how to lead a full-scale project, and mistakes and miscommunications will result in time and money wasted.
Hebert echoes this sentiment and says that hiring a designer skilled in kitchen renovation or design will help you determine if function can be improved and spatial layout changed to suit your needs. Even with new construction, it’s important to know how you function and what works for you now. She recommends taking a look at what season of life you’re in. Do you have kids? Are you retired? Is this a five-year or 10-year home, or is this your forever home? How do your personality and preferences come in to play?
Some additional considerations for a full kitchen remodel not yet touched on include cabinetry and vent hoods. Complete renovations often call for new cabinetry, and area designers recommend full overlay or inset cabinets over partial overlay. Shaker style is in, and raised panel is out. Ledet recommends custom cabinetry, which ensures your storage solutions work for you. Gigi Shinn says that while white is still popular, cabinet colors such as black, charcoal and cedar are trending upward. One common mistake she sees is an insistence on wall cabinets touching the ceiling. While it looks great in some instances, it can make the kitchen look smaller in others.
Also, consider your vent hood. According to the designers at Top’s Appliances and Cabinetry, the hood is the most impactful appliance update in regards to appearance.
“Mixing painted finishes with metal or wood accents or contrasting metals together creates a textured point of interest,” they say. “While the design can be beautiful, quality ventilation is a very important part of the kitchen — be sure to consider the power, quietness and ease of maintenance.”
And a final big-picture kitchen renovation note from Ledet (and echoed by others): “Color, color, color. In the more recent past, gray and white were all the rage. We are seeing maximalism return, and we are in love with this trend.”
Whether you go bold or timeless with your upgrades, the reintroduction of color is welcomed across the industry — small doses for some and big splashes for others. What’s most important is that your kitchen reflect your style and fit your needs — perhaps your budget, too.
“While the design can be beautiful, quality ventilation is a very important part of the kitchen — be sure to consider the power, quietness and ease of maintenance.”
“Color, color, color. In the more recent past, gray and white were all the rage. We are seeing maximalism return, and we are in love with this trend.”
Things to consider before starting a kitchen renovation:
What is your budget? Figure out the maximum amount you can spend and then add a bit because it’s almost always more. What style would you like? Think about whether that style blends with the rest of your home.
What’s your aesthetic (minimalist/ maximalist/something in between)? That might mean hidden appliances or, on the other end of the spectrum, lots of shelves for art and plants. What purpose will the kitchen serve? The space may just be a spot to cook or it might be a hang out for your kids or a hub for when you entertain.
What are your/your family’s needs? This is something often overlooked but is so important. For example, if you use more glasses/cups than anything else, buy a dishwasher that accommodates that need.
WHERE TO LIVE NEXT
THREE ACADIANA NEIGHBORHOODS TO EXPLORE
BY
SUZANNE FERRARA PHOTOS BY HAYLEI SMITH
YOUNGVILLE’S SUGAR MILL POND
The City of Youngsville is the rock star of family communities; it’s growing at a record pace and was recently named one of the Best Places to Live in America by 24/7 Wall St.
Youngsville was once a sleepy Cajun town, copiously blanketed with sugarcane fields; however, it still carries an allure of wholesomeness that’s extremely attractive to families. The mind-boggling number of students — filling its schools by the thousands — paint quite a picture. Youngsville has a rural feel, as well as a rich cultural heritage, and it’s deeply rooted with people who’ve been here for generations.
However, more families have moved here for the unsurpassed quality of life. “We have more kids in school today in Youngsville than we had in an entire population in 2010, which was 8,105,” says Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter.
THINGS TO
CONSIDER
WHEN LOOKING FOR YOUR DREAM NEIGHBORHOOD
There is an impetus for the city’s unwavering residential and commercial growth, as Youngsville boasts over-the-top quality amenities that are prime for families. This 13-square mile “Mayberry” haven is chock-full of major conveniences and offers a sense of security that money cannot buy. The first-class Youngsville Sports Complex is a drawing card for local families. The diversified state-of-the-art offerings at this youth and adult sports mecca includes Sugar Beach, which has nine NCAA beach volleyball courts.
But it’s not only Acadiana residents uprooting to Youngsville; it’s also people both from every corner of Louisiana and beyond. “We’ve seen a ton of good people who move in from Texas and beyond,” explains Pitman Hesterly, who built his family’s home in the prized Youngsville development of Sugar Mill Pond, a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND). “I feel safe living here and we have the best neighbors in the world,” adds his wife, Natalie.
While choice subdivisions ooze with new families, the carefully curated Sugar Mill Pond is a desired mix-use, aesthetically pleasing, walkable neighborhood. Part of the appeal of this 509acre, picturesque sanctuary is its strong sense of community and ease that attracts people from multiple generations.
“You really don’t have to get in your car if you don’t want to because of its walkability,” adds Pitman. “It’s a real lifestyle change for us. We have the gym that we get with our homeowners’ association, two pools, a large park, the pond and a bunch of green spaces. It’s very peaceful and quiet, and if I want an ice cream, or a smoothie from
Smoothie King, or something from Andy’s Frozen Custard, it’s all so close to us.”
Perhaps no one loves the neighborhood more than twoyear-old Grace, who marches
SAFETY Is the neighborhood safe and do you feel secure in the environment?
EDUCATION Are there high-ranking and high-scoring schools available for your children?
VIBE Does the character reflect your core? Do you want a quiet or bustling atmosphere?
daily to the park with her parents, Pitman and Natalie. “It’s a great place for starting a family,” says Natalie. “It’s super-convenient, there’s a lot of stuff in a small amount of space, and the sidewalks are great.” In Sugar Mill Pond’s backyard is also an amphitheater, restaurants and shops; plus, this neighborhood oasis plays host to popular public events including concerts and festivals.
This utopian development that sits within an award-winning city offers a way of life that
is exceedingly desirable and in demand. It’s not surprising that real estate is sometimes purchased through just a leap of faith. “Our next-door neighbors were in Houston and bought the house sight unseen. They heard how great it is here, saw some pictures online and made an offer on it,” says Pitman. You can’t help but notice the idyllic contentment of residents, and the Hesterlys say they are living their best lives. “I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else,” smiles Natalie.
TOP REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS
METHODOLOGY The agents in this feature were selected through a submission process analyzed and vetted by Professional Research Services. Agents were asked to submit their sales volume over a specified 12-month period. Sales volumes were required to be accompanied by proof (MLS numbers/letter from broker/letter from accountant). Submissions were open to residential real estate agents working within Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Pointe Coupee, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion and West Baton Rouge parishes. Once the submissions were collected, PRS established a cutoff based on the top 5 percent to 10 percent of volumes submitted. All agents above this cutoff were named Top Real Estate Professionals for 2024. Additionally, the selected agents had the option to endorse up three mortgage professionals within the market area. The mortgage professionals listed were added to a separate list of Top Mortgage Professionals.
TEAMS
The Dream Team of Real Estate
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-349-8869
Phillips Miller Group
Keller Williams Realty First Choice Prairieville 225-938-0558
The Ragusa Team
Keller Williams Realty First Choice Prairieville 225-892-3296
The Triche Team
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-341-9987
The Stewart Home Group
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-776-3166
S. Williams & Associates Inc.
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-221-2449
Hub City Home Team
Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-356-1943
Team of Heathyr McDaniel and Amy Braun Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-344-0463
Teresa Hamilton & Team Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-519-4425
The A.H.C Group Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-349-9370
LAFAYETTE’S SAINT STREETS
You don’t have to be a saint to live in Lafayette’s Saint Streets neighborhood; in fact, residents of this part of Lafayette say they have found heaven on earth. “When people come to visit us, they’re just amazed,” explains longtime resident Marilyn Lee, “because there’s not a lot of cities this size where you can safely live in one of the oldest parts of town that’s as charming and warm as this.”
The streets are aptly named after Catholic saints and also regional flora, the latter of which is fitting because of the picturesque plant life and bursts of blooming colors emanating from landscapes. This historic neighborhood is far from cookie-cutter; elevated one- and two-storied cottages, modest bungalows and charming million-dollar homes are all part of the canvas.
BEST CONNECTED NEIGHBORHOOD
It’s one of the city’s earliest residential developments and has a complete mix of multigenerational demographics. Relaxing on the front porch, walking the fourlegged pups and chatting with neighbors are popular pastimes; the idyllic setting is green and lush as life unfolds underneath the whimsical canopy of oak trees. “We have seven live oaks that are at least a hundred years old, and some are 400-plus. They are big giant beautiful trees, and that’s why we bought the house. The house was secondary,” says resident Kevin Blanchard.
Living in the heart of Cajun Country is a godsend in and of itself; however, dwelling amid its beating heart — the Saint Streets — is priceless. This timeless neighborhood maintains its desirability because of the prime location and access to an endless array of lifestyle perks. It’s encircled by Lafayette’s significant institutions and activity centers that offer boundless entertainment and recreation offerings all within walking or biking distance.
These benefits include quick access to vibrant Downtown Lafayette, the University of
Louisiana, the Cajundome and Convention Center and Cajun Field. “We really enjoy the convenience; we work downtown and it’s such a short commute,” adds Blanchard, who serves the community as CEO of Lafayette’s Downtown Development Authority. “Our kids have been taking their bikes downtown since they were eleven years old.”
The Saint Streets is home to award-winning Myrtle Place Elementary, renowned for its French immersion program. Legendary Olde Tyme Grocery (that serves its famous poor
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN LOOKING FOR YOUR DREAM NEIGHBORHOOD
boys) and Comeaux’s (one of the last standing neighborhood grocery stores) are among many great options in the neighborhood. “Everything is just so convenient and walkable,” adds resident Leslie Bienvenu, whose parents also live in the neighborhood. “We absolutely love it!” Blessings are raining down on the Saint Streets neighborhood which fittingly borders the stunning Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist. It’s as if, for those who live here, many prayers have been gloriously answered.
COMMUTING
Do you have to drive far to get to work or to bring the kids to school?
WALKABILITY
Are there sidewalks, and is everything nearby so that you don’t need to get in your car and drive?
TREES
Do you want a neighborhood dotted with trees? (Fact: Scientists believe the presence of trees creates a happier mood and helps defuse depression).
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Is there a hospital or urgent care facility nearby that can help during a medical emergency?
The Get Sold Team
Latter & Blum New Iberia 337-380-3680
The Listing Group & Buying Specialist Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-278-8963
Robbie Breaux & Team Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-658-5690
AGENTS
Russ Vegas Blue Heron Realty Baton Rouge 985-677-0036
Robyn Schmitt
HomeSmart Realty South Metairie 504-236-1144
Doug Adams
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-552-3815
Harold Anderson
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-412-8769
Katie Aucoin
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-322-8388
Alok Banga
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-781-5865
Pat Barnard
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-243-3332
Sunni Bienvenu
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-321-5559
Kristen Blanchard
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 361-727-7271
Dawn Foreman
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-280-3492
Brian Gotreaux
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-278-3444
Diana Greene
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-739-3938
Carolyn Groner
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-578-4345
Robert Hillard
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-692-8474
Lucius Hornsby
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-344-9949
Charles Ilonya
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-344-9875
Stacy Johnston Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 361-877-2780
Dennis Jones
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-852-5236
Krystal Jones Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-335-5140
Tuyen La Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-255-1122
Amy Larriviere
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-230-4899
Rhett Ledet
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-257-9299
Tashiah Lewis
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-280-0429
Selena Lormand
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-962-6305
DOWNTOWN LAKE CHARLES
There’s an energetic vibe flowing through downtown Lake Charles as more young professionals converge in this city center and turn it into a place they call home.
Downtown Lake Charles has come a long way and, after the wrath of back-to-back destructive hurricanes. These natural disasters plus heavy flooding and the pandemic occurred within a year’s time.
However, revitalization has resolutely persevered, and includes newly constructed downtown dwellings that are reinforced with disaster resilience. Plus, the residential resurgence is being fueled by the steady escalation of conveniences and entertainment options that, thanks to the area’s much improved walkability, are entirely accessible on foot.
A growing movement among members of downtown’s Generation Z population is living near services and amenities, and Lake Charles’ urban environment is
satisfying that demand. “It’s a central location for me, and I work five minutes away,” says 27-year-old Emily Treme. “I’m so close to the waterfront, and I love walking along the boardwalk.” When she’s off the clock, Treme takes her dachshunds Coco and Spud to the Bark du lac Dog Park and the Charlestown Farmer’s Market, the latter of which is where she shops for locally sourced items like fresh eggs, beef and jam.
Glistening Lake Calcasieu, with its flanking Lakefront Promenade, is only steps away, and traverses from the Bord du Lac Marina to Veterans Memorial Park. “It’s wonderful,” smiles 23-year-old Rudy Sifuentes. “I walk down there to see the nice sunset, and I watch the people walking and biking.” But that’s not all: There’s also Sifuentes’ love for the numerous eateries of downtown Lake Charles. “I’m big into the food scene and enjoy going out to eat. So, I often walk to The Villa Harlequin, Pujo St. Café, 1910 and LUNA Bar and Grill, and Lagunas Mexican Grill & Cantina, which has an upstairs patio overlooking the water.”
Sifuentes lives in the Victorian-styled Karam Lofts, which is directly across the street from the luxury, 270-unit Erdace Apartments. Meeting projected demand for housing, HRI Properties’ resilient, multifamily Woodring Apartments and its accompanying
HOA Do you want to follow homeowner association rules about your home? HEALTH & FITNESS Is there a fitness center, a park, or recreational sports opportunities, nearby?
CONVENIENCE
Are services and amenities, including restaurants and shopping nearby?
townhouses are expected to open in the summer of 2024.
Entertainment options distinct to the urban lifestyle are numerous, as residents can walk to the Lake Charles Event Center to attend concerts. Reveling at many of the downtown festivals such as the long-running Downtown at Sundown Concert Series and Chuck Fest gives residents more fun options. Providing more feasts for the senses is the Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center, a public art and history gallery that features traveling global exhibits.
Improvements continue to unfold downtown, as Mayor Nic Hunter announced the demolition of the hurricane damaged and abandoned 21-story downtown bank building; one of three new parking garages will be constructed on the site. Long-term planning includes expanding the lakefront area’s walkability to downtown and connecting the Lakefront Promenade to the north shore. This means residents will be able to walk, jog and bike from the Lake Charles Yacht Club all the way to the marina.
On the north side of the lake, Port Wonder will house the massive Children’s Museum of Southwest Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Nature and Science Center beginning in summer 2024. Additionally, the Crying Eagle Brewing Company broke ground for its Lakefront restaurant, family-friendly tap room and micro-brewery, all of which will be connected to downtown via the Lakefront Promenade.
Residents like Treme feel exhilarated by living amid this pivotal time of downtown growth. “It feels like home,” she says enthusiastically. “I was born and raised here, and I absolutely love living downtown!”
Michelle Mouton
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-371-1033
John Ray Perkins
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-654-9480
Ryan Petticrew
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-255-7481
Deborah Pierce
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-316-0951
Razan Qamhiyeh
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-962-0109
Kane Racca
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-412-3731
Shelley Rhodes
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-654-8766
Kreshonda Robertson
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-704-1134
Alexia Robicheaux
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-581-9171
Jonetta Sam
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-280-7494
Miles Santiago
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-308-2595
Yolanda Sias
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-344-3117
Jenn Stonicher
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-781-4932
Tyler Summerlin
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-230-3850
Ammy Taylor
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-349-2901
Linda Taylor
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-945-2467
Lucinda Tillman
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-577-1459
Nicole Trumps
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-739-2791
Leticia Verhage
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-212-0125
Natalie Vied
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 337-255-7158
Mikaela Wiggins
Keller Williams Realty Acadiana Lafayette 720-299-2400
Erin Aguilar
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-324-2736
Cynthia Allen
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-571-8667
MaryBeth
Armstrong
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-279-1338
Joanna Arnold Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-522-1952
Christopher Aronstein
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-938-8229
Lori Bergstresser
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-505-3705
Lindsey Brou
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 504-559-0115
Matthew Bruno
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-916-3711
Lisa Carline
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-776-7076
Sarah Carroll
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-485-5846
Richard Childress
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 985-233-9611
Dione Collins
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-931-6591
Crystal Coppola
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-773-9239
Remy Curry
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-937-8002
Lathan David
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 985-507-5352
Natasha Engle
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-202-1170
Christie Farris
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-315-9003
Kelly Gable
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-324-5332
Charly Genco
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 985-507-7868
Sara Gummow
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-939-3598
Deborah Harding
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-413-9538
Timothy Houk
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-301-7467
Sharell Jacquet
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 337-680-0474
LaTasha Johnson
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-936-6516
Jan King
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-229-2422
Helene Kurtz
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-772-8709
Macon Mayeux
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-439-0248
Michele MoralesPourciau
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-614-5338
Albert Nolan
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-603-2661
Soy Pizzolato
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-892-6238
Ericka Queen
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-223-1604
Brandon Ricard
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-620-7598
Kristy Roubique
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners
Baton Rouge 225-978-4820
Deanté Thomas
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-726-1783
David Vercher
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-405-3257
Jennifer Waguespack
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-445-3274
Trey Willard
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 225-413-4835
Whitney Willard
Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Partners Baton Rouge 318-446-0700
Janina Kinler Bellew Kinler Bellew Realty Paradis 985-210-9176
Michelle Badeaux Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-366-7940
Philip Bailey Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-451-9848
Jade Barras Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-551-3452
Charlie Baudoin Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-654-6881
Glenda Bryan Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-251-3216
Edward Campbell Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-534-6439
Rose Chaisson Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-278-6314
Michael Chapple Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-366-5376
Francis Duhé Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-254-7812
Nanette Fisher Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-344-2973
Tricia Freeman Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-288-2880
Lynne Gautreaux Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-315-6265
Deborah Gill Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-654-1235
Debbie Greene Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-962-6945
Melissa Guilliot Latter & Blum Lafayette 318-984-1782
Jennifer Guillory Latter & Blum Lafayette 225-218-3216
Renisa Hampton Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-281-7925
Tommy Hayes Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-280-0480
Kellie Kinsland Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-298-1768
Natalie Leon Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-344-2661
Jackie Lyle Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-781-1273
Sandy Mann Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-288-3707
Billy McCarthy Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-739-0938
Wendy McCombie Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-277-0590
Angel Metrejean Latter & Blum Lafayette 318-981-8865
Setareh MirianDelcambre Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-344-0067
Jammie Parbhoo Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-739-0290
Midge Parker Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-278-4142
Kim Pham Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-322-8682
Jodi Pruitt Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-781-2079
Diana Richard Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-349-7586
Teresa Scarsella Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-962-3362
Kirk Schexnaider Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-962-2894
Lisa Sheppert Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-277-2077
Arla Slaughter Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-344-5263
Jennifer Steen Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-296-4670
Kelly Streva Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-356-9835
Sandy Thibodeaux Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-278-6217
Kathy Welch Latter & Blum Lafayette 337-298-1313
Devin Bellard NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-308-3154
Jeanne deClouet NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-278-6456
Elizabeth Delafosse NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-356-6003
Shayna Henry NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-578-4512
Anna Lafitte NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-296-6197
Jessica Landry NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-603-0160
Casey Oliver NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-230-9373
Christie Theaux NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-298-2340
Kathleen Theriot NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-412-1536
Blaise Verret NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-577-8855
Mary Beth Walsh NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Lafayette 337-484-1184
Jarrid Boudreaux NextHome Cutting Edge Realty - Buying with Boudreaux Lafayette 337-356-4212
Shannon Higginbotham NextHome Cutting Edge Realty - The Higginbotham Group Lafayette 337-484-1184
YanLi Foshee RE/MAX Acadiana Lafayette 337-789-7066
Mandy Lavergne RE/MAX Acadiana Lafayette 337-412-8277
Brandi McKnight RE/MAX Acadiana Lafayette 337-316-1320
Amanda Peacock RE/MAX Acadiana Lafayette 337-257-3938
Gary Aymond Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-831-0244
Joel Bacque Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-739-0425
Jessica Broussard Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-200-0048
Michael Carr Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-322-9160
Alyson Finch Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-280-9651
AJ Francis Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-849-2668
Paige Gary Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-412-8977
Khristie Gass Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-349-8050
Melissa Gaubert Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-257-8129
Caitlin Hebert Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-680-0323
Sean Hettich Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-207-9430
Stephen Hundley Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-789-6538
Darla Lejeune Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-789-1255
Cameron Luquette Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-962-7862
Noelle Montgomery Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-319-4873
Cody Musgrove Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-962-4296
Jalyn Plaisance Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-356-2285
Lindsey Reed Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-303-3987
Lana Soileau Real Broker, LLC Opelousas 337-418-9700
Carrie Theard Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-371-6446
Ava Trimble Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-441-4000
Mark Van Eaton Real Broker, LLC Lafayette 337-654-5700
Crissy Domma Realty Executives
South Louisiana Prairieville 225-910-2190
Ginger Luquette Realty Executives
South Louisiana Prairieville 225-715-9234
Nicole Rowell Realty Executives South Louisiana Prairieville 225-936-4250
Erin King Realty Executives
South LouisianaLouisiana Waterfront Properties Prairieville 225-681-0161
Lulu David Rhoades Realty - Lulu David Real Estate Co. Lafayette 337-296-3643
MORTGAGE
Austin Shumaker CrossCountry MortgageNeighborly Team Lafayette 337-352-8532
Sarah Cooley CrossCountry MortgageNeighborly Team Lafayette 337-501-2201
Stacey Britton GMFS Mortgage Lafayette 337-412-2087
Congetta Arnette Mandalay Mortgage Raceland 985-226-3856
Fabio Passos Milestone Mortgage Lafayette 337-349-5626
Georgia Harrington NOLA Lending Group Metairie 504-355-5121
Kim Smith NOLA Lending Group Lafayette 337-288-2731
Robert Romero NOLA Lending Group Lafayette 337-257-4607
Benjamin LeBlanc Pemberton Mortgage Group Lake Charles 337-513-4618
Walt Herschede Power Mortgage LaPlace 985-653-7900
Derek Robin Preferred Lending Solutions Broussard 337-852-0330
Tasha Bourgeois Premier Lending, LLC Kenner 504-212-0704
Terri Gondron Priority Mortgage Lending Lafayette 337-289-0550
Jeff Johnson Revolution Mortgage Metairie 504-250-7210
Ashley Courville
The Complete Mortgage Team Lafayette 337-267-8511
Cameron Budzius
The Mortgage Firm Metairie 504-919-9504
Presented by:
Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 5:30 – 9:00 PM
Acadiana Center for the Arts
Enjoy the incredible art, cuisine, beverages, and unforgettable experiences you love about Downtown. All proceeds benefit DLU’s mission to create a clean, safe, and vibrant Downtown for Lafayette and all of Acadiana.
Learn More
The Storm Also Rises
A tropical cocktail brings a taste of the islands to assuage imbibers during the height of hurricane season
BY LISA LEBLANC-BERRY
PHOTO BY ROMERO & ROMERO
In the days leading up to a rapidly intensifying hurricane, we anxiously await the updates, wondering if it’ll be the next Big One. Should we ride it out or hit the road before it’s too late?
When there’s no time left to travel and the water is rising, hurricane parties often prevail, ideally fortified by abundant communal provisions. Once edgy guests start jumping at the sounds of howling winds and cracking tree limbs, it helps to be prepared with such distractions as a unique storm-themed cocktail that is at once restorative and soothing to the senses.
Paige Hanson, Vestal Restaurant’s award-winning bar manager, has created a zesty storm-themed cocktail with a tropical twist.
“Sounds of the Storm is a gin tiki drink that’s gingery and sweet with a bitterness from fernet,” she says. “I listen to music by Future, Post Malone and Ozzy Osbourne and think about the songs and their vibes for inspiration. It helps me imagine being with friends at the beach.”
Hanson incorporates fernet, the bitter Italian aperitif of over 40 herbs and spices (popular among bartenders for hangovers) to counter the sweetness of pineapple juice and cinnamon syrup. velvet falernum, an essential component in Caribbean cocktails, brings a little taste of the islands. Chocolate bitters heighten the afterglow.
“Paige was always the creative star of the show,” says Ryan Trahan, the original chef-owner of Vestal. He opened Lafayette’s elegant, live-fire finedining haven in April, 2021 and appointed Hanson as his rising star.
Three years later, Trahan named protégé Sullivan Zant as executive chef before moving to St. Petersburg, Florida to become head of strategic partnerships for DoorDash. “I was offered a much more lucrative job opportunity, and my wife felt it was best for our family,” Trahan explains.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in restaurants and I haven’t come across someone as talented and masterful with cocktails as Paige,” he adds. “I’m grateful to have been there to see it all unfold.”
Sounds of the Storm
, freshly grated cinnamon and a dehydrated lime wheel
HOME BAR
Shake 2 oz gin, ½ oz velvet falernum, ½ oz fernet, 1 oz pineapple juice, 3/4 oz lime juice and 3/4 oz cinnamon syrup and pour into a large rocks glass with fresh ice. Top with crushed ice, chocolate walnut bitters
SWEET & SAVORY CRAVINGS
A Flavor Explosion at Southern Kreole Cravings & Pastries
BY ERIC CORMIER PHOTOS BY ROMERO & ROMERO
On any given Saturday, a red food trailer with the image of a tall chef hat-wearing culinarian with the company name — Southern Kreole Cravings & Pastries —can be found at Parc De Oaks in Lafayette.
A few feet from the cooking rig, a group of people sitting at picnic tables underneath large oak trees devour chicken wings.
These people, with white Styrofoam containers in front of them, are smacking their lips and licking their fingers and eating everything on these wings—even the fat and gristle.
Chef Logan Alfred, 33, sits in the big red mobile kitchen grinning. He knows the wings prepared by his team are good, better yet … awesome.
“Those are the Crack wings. What you are looking at is my number one seller.”
Alfred could be considered the Pied Piper of chicken wings in the Lafayette area considering his growing following.
What makes these wings, well, addictive?
“They are sweet and savory. Our wings are flourbreaded and deep-fried. Then, we toss them in a specialty sauce called Crack Sauce,” Alfred explains.
SOUTHERN KREOLE CRAVINGS & PASTRIES
SOUTHERNKREOLECRAVINGS.COM
FACEBOOK.COM/ SOUTHERNKREOLECRAVINGS
Cooking under the trees or in home kitchens brings peace to Alfred’s soul. His ultimate satisfaction, other than being a proud family man, is watching the faces of people who eat his food.
“I feel great. I feel like I blessed them. You can tell they have not had the flavors I create before by looking at the expressions on their faces,” he said.
Alfred’s foray into the culinary world started at Northside High School. He was part of the ProStart Program and caught the attention of Chef Terryl Jackson who worked at Prejean’s in Lafayette. Jackson helped Alfred get a job at the restaurant.
When he graduated from high school, Alfred enrolled at the Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge. Chef David Tiner and Chef Jeremy Coco continued his education.
While in school, Alfred worked in three Baton Rouge area restaurants.
Several years after graduating from culinary school, Alfred got a job cooking on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. After eight years of working in that environment, Alfred understood the impact of a good cooked meal on people.
“I cooked for hundreds and hundreds of offshore staff. They loved the food. I was able to help the
morale of the crews,” he said. “Every time it got rough for them, they would smell food in the galley. You would see their faces light up.”
When the oil industry started taking a beating, Alfred decided to bet on himself. Using his own money, Alfred set up a food rig and hit the road. He also started catering.
“Back on land, I started creating too,” he said.
The Crack wings are not the only food items that Alfred features.
Alfred’s menu includes loaded seafood fries (shrimp and crawfish étouffée cheese sauce over French fries), fried catfish and an assortment of
dishes he cooks based on breaking traditional dishes down and rebuilding them his way.
Alfred is proud that his team gets requests to cook in people’s homes.
“Oh, our ribeyes, loaded mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, onions and mushrooms get us called back to cook over and over,” Alfred said.
Inspiring souls is what drives Alfred. He is happy to share his unique flavors with anyone looking for palate inspiration
“That’s why I tell people all the time — we create food that satisfies the soul,” he said.
TRY THIS!
1
Philly Cheesesteak Quesadilla
Chef Alfred figured the best way to satisfy a food lover’s palate is to stuff shredded ribeye steak, peppers, pepper jack cheese, a five-cheese mix and a few other significant foods and seasoning between two tortillas. Survey says … heck yeah!
2
Jacked-Up Chicken Sandwich
There is no fooling around with this sandwich. It is made big, tastes big and will fill a belly. Fried or grilled chicken breast with pepper jack cheese, onions, lettuce, bacon, tomatoes and jalapeños. Oh … and Chef Alfred tops it all with a spicy ranch drizzle.
3
Fried Crack Cauliflower
There is no better way to eat veggies — even those with no distinguishable flavor — than when they are seasoned, fried and served. Sweet and savory are the flavors that dance on your palate with this dish.
PUTTING UP TIME
Mirlitons— a Southern favorite
BY MARCELLE BIENVENU
PHOTO & STYLING BY EUGENIA UHL
My mother was known for “putting up” okra, maque choux, figs, pears and pickled anything, but her favorite was mirlitons (she called them "mellie-tons”). Around this time of year, she headed out in search of these for her final “putting up” for the summer. Although they were often available in grocery stores, she wanted ones that were homegrown. I never understood why she didn’t have her own vine. In a few days, she had gathered enough from family members and friends to make pickled mirlitons to put in her martini or to serve as snacks.
Our local mirliton was also known as chayote, christophine, vegetable pear, chocho or chuchu. Mama sometimes referred to them as alligator pears because of their prickly, ridged skin, although there are some that are smooth skinned and deeper green than those we have in South Louisiana.
My preferred preparation was her stuffed mirlitons, which can be offered as a first course or the main part of a menu.
STARTER
Stuffed Mirlitons
4 medium mirlitons
½ stick (4 tablespoons) butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ cup chopped celery
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1½ cups cubed bread
1 egg
1 pound shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined (or 1 pound chopped ham)
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
Buttered dried bread crumbs
1. Wash and cut mirlitons in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds and discard. Cover with cold water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from water and allow to cool until they are easy enough to handle. Carefully scoop out pulp, leaving skin intact. Set aside.
2. Chop mirliton pulp. Soak bread in a little water or milk until soft, then squeeze out liquid. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and celery and sauté until they are soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add pulp, bread and egg and season with salt and cayenne. Add shrimp, or ham, and cheese. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly and stuff into mirliton shells.
3. Top with buttered bread crumbs and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 8 servings
Broiled Trout With Lemon Butter
6 trout (or any firm white fish) filets, each about 8 ounces
Salt and cayenne, to taste
1 stick butter, melted and clarified
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Minced fresh flat leaf parsley
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Season fish with salt and cayenne and place them in a shallow baking dish. Combine butter, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over fish. Broil for about 5 minutes, then turn fish over with a spatula. Scatter onion slices evenly over fish and broil for about 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with pan juices and garnish with parsley. Makes 6 servings
DESSERT
Peach Cobbler
Filling
8 cups sliced fresh peaches
1 ⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon almond extract
Pastry
3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup shortening
6-8 tablespoons ice water
1. Filling: Dredge peaches in flour and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, cinnamon, water, butter and almond extract. Toss gently to coat evenly. Set aside.
2. Roll three-fourths of pastry to one-eighth-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Fit pastry into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spoon peach mixture onto pastry.
3. Roll remaining pastry out to one-fourth-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into one-half-inch strips and arrange in a lattice fashion over peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
4. Pastry: Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle ice water evenly over surface and stir with a fork until blended. Form dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before rolling out. Makes about 8 servings
MAIN DISH
Faire le mois d’août
Pour une vie
PAR COLBY LEJEUNE
ILLUSTRATION PAR SARA WILLIA
Dedans le nord de la vieille France, dans la Normandie, la Picardie et la Wallonie, il y a une expression que certains vieux campagnards va toujours utiliser jusqu’à jour d’ajourd’hui : au lieu de parler de « faire la récolte », pour décrire cet aboutissage du travail de l’année, beaucoup de ces vieux paysans, que leurs jeunes années a été passé parmi le bocage de la France rurale, va simplement faire référence à « faire le mois d’août ». Pour bien dire, tout partout dans l’hémisphère Nord, que le monde désigne cet ouvrage comme la récolte ou, par métonymie, l’août — ou que ça parle du coupage du riz ou du cassage du maïs, de la roulaison de la canne ou de la ramasse du coton, ou du fouillage des patates, de la cueillette des oranges ou de la vendange des socos — c’est bien pendant le mois d’août et les mois qui le suit qu’une grande partie de l’ouvrage de la récolte commence pour de même. Par conséquence, à mesure que l’ouvrage dans le clos transforme et s’intensifie, et à mesure que l’été long et chaud tire sus la fin et les caprices du temps changeoteur de l’automne s’impose, ces derniers mois de
l’été va ensemble marquer une période de transition — dans toute société agricole.
Icitte dans le sud de la Louisiane, l’ouvrage du clos pendant cette période de changement, en plein air et entièrement à la merci du temps, peut souvent assujétir les récoltiers à toute l’étendue du climat de l’année : le mois d’août et le commencement du travail de la récolte voit ordinairement les plus hautes températures de l’année, tandis que les derniers glainages du finissement de la saison se passe souvent dessous un ciel bleusi de frigidité, des fois essoré et balayé par un vent du nord mordant, d’autres fois humide et vêtu des brouillards d’automne. Cette transition vers le début de l’automne, avec son temps variable et le grouillement générale de la récolte, contraste fortement avec les mois d’été qui le précède, qui représente putôt une période de stase, voire de léthargie. La chaleur estivale aufaîte ces mois avec une langueur de somnolence profonde, et l’ouvrage — qui à ce temps se compose principalement de l’entretien des elevées, l’arrachage et le piochage des mauvaises herbes, et d’autre simple maintien de l’habitation — calimaçonne, doucement comme la lune, et il est habituellement accompagné de singos et de ‘tites sommes en bas d’un arbre dans l’ombrage du mi-jour, ou, après le soleil se cache en arrière d’une lisière lointaine, mais avant le couvert achalant de l’humidité de la nuit retombe, sus la galerie dans les petites fraîcheurs de l’après-midi tard. Avec l’arrivée de la récolte, le travail devient insouffrablement chaud et dur, mais chaque année, malgré que le mois d’août soulage jamais moindrement la chaleur de l’été, les phases finales de l’ouvrage de l’année et le raccourcissement des jours veut dire que, avec son arrivée, il vient toujours une espérance, mince mais profitante, pour du temps plus frais — et pour du travail moins mois chaud. T
