Acadiana Profile Magazine February-March 2023

LIGHT RECIPES

Flavor-packed, healthy, nutritious and delicious — you can't go wrong with roasted veggies

Dîner Dehors

Boutin's

A second home in Crowley is custom built for bringing together the next generation

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor Melanie Warner Spencer

Art Director Sarah George

Associate Editor Ashley McLellan

Copy Editor Liz Clearman

Lead Photographer Danley Romero

Web Editor Kelly Massicot

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In December, I turned 50 years old. As an introverted, bookish and sometimes awkward child, tween, teen, young adult and well into my adulthood, I somehow knew my fifties would be when I finally felt at home with myself — and, thankfully, my younger selves were correct. The person I am on the inside has finally meshed with my physical shell and it's at once serene and liberating. There are of course countless elements that contribute to a sense of ease as any age, and in this issue, we'll address a few of the ones we can control (for the most part) that fall under the general theme of wellness.

For me, wellness translates to prioritizing those "unsexy" basic needs, such as healthful eating, hydration, sleep, yoga and meditation practices, cardio-based movement, alone time, stress management, spirituality and caring for my living space. After those needs are met, it's about making sure to also create time for the important relationships in my life and for my community.

When the essentials are addressed, everything else falls into place with less efforting on my part. It's so easy for any one of those categories to get out of whack however, which is where annual resets, like setting New Year's resolutions, come in handy. It has of course become popular to poke fun at or holes in the efficacy of resolutions as we enter into the first few days, weeks or months of a new year, but for many of us, it feels like a natural time for a fresh start or to reconsider our goals and priorities. If the flip of the calendar doesn't resonate, any time of year is a good time. Which is why I love that our "Health Issue" arrives in February. By now, it's possible that either habit fatigue has set in with January intentions and inspiration is in order or, the new year came and went in a whirlwind and only now are some of us thinking about what's next, if anything.

Getting started can be as simple as adding a few healthful meals each week, creating a new or different movement routine or cultivating a short, daily meditation practice. To make it easier, we've consulted with a host of experts throughout Acadiana for their advice. While there's lots of wellness material in these pages, there's also a lot that has nothing to do with the topic, so if you are all set in your daily habits and routines, keep reading. Meanwhile, here's to a healthful 2023. As a newly-minted 50-year-old, I've learned that most of the time, we've got this, but even when don't, we can at least gain some new insights along the way.

Cheers!

Melanie Warner Spencer Managing Editor Melanie@AcadianaProfile.com

AWARDS

International and Regional Magazine Association

2021

Gold Art Direction of a

Single Story

Silver Covid Related Story

Silver Food Feature

Bronze Overall Art Direction

2020

Gold Overall Art Direction

Silver Art and Culture Feature

Silver Recreation Feature

Bronze Food Feature

Bronze Profiles

Bronze Art Direction of a Single Story

2019

Winner Magazine of the Year

Gold Overall Art Direction

Gold Art Direction

Single Story

Gold Photo Series

Silver Photographer of the Year

2018

Gold Overall Art Direction

Gold Magazine

Photographer

Gold Art Direction of a Single Story

Gold Food Feature

Gold Department

Silver Magazine

Writer of the Year

Silver Hed & Dek

Silver Photo Series

2017

Gold Overall Art Direction

Gold Magazine Photographer of the Year

Gold Art Direction of a Single Story

Gold Food Feature

Silver Cover

2016

Gold Overall Art Direction

Gold Magazine

Photographer of the Year

Gold Art Direction of a Single Story

Silver Photo Series

Carnival Fun and More Round up of what's new in Acadiana

BY LISA LEBLANC-BERRY

Sample a taste of Mardi Gras and watch the Krewe of King Cake Children’s Parade at the inaugural Bayou King Cake Festival in downtown Thibodaux Feb. 4. Following the parade, Nonc Nu and Da Wild Matous perform as revelers sample an abundance of king cakes by popular local bakeries and bakers alike. Don’t forget to vote for your favorites. VIP tickets available (lacajunbayou.com).

DESIGN YOUR OWN MASK

Celebrated Martinique artists, Jean-Luc Toussaint and Vanessa Guy, lead Carnival mask making workshops Feb. 10-13 at NUNU Arts and Culture Collective. Fees include meals and materials but students are encouraged to bring fabric or personal objects that can be added. Supported by a Louisiana Project Grant and administered by the Acadiana Center for the Arts. To register: eventbrite. com/e/maskmaking-workshopmartinique-styletickets-478308061287.

Holy Guacamole!

Carencro After five years of construction, El Paso Mexican Grill is open in Carencro, complete with whimsical artwork, a large interior bar surrounded by booths, roll-up floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor seating areas. Locally owned and operated (facebook.com/ elpasomexicangrillcarencrola). Also notable: Local business owner Charlotte Clavier was recently sworn in as Carencro’s first female mayor.

Gotta Try It

For more news briefs visit AcadianaProfile.com

Sulphur Derek Gaspard, the novel boudin award-winning owner of Insane Sausages in Vinton, recently introduced a second location in Sulphur featuring his vast selection of unique sausage combinations (popular with a growing band of foodie fans). New: healthier items and weekday plate lunches. Insane Sausage Crawfish Boil (crawfish tails, pork, corn and potatoes in a casing), Steen’s Syrup Sausage and Cajun Poutine (with boudin crumbles and remoulade-style sauce) are among the more than 40 refrigerated and menu items available (facebook.com/ insanesausages).

THIBODAUX

New King Cake Festival

For Crawfish Cravings

Celebrity judges gather in Eunice March 26 to decide who makes the best étouffées in three categories (professional, amateur and clubs/ organizations) during the 36th annual World Championship Crawfish Etouffee Cookoff. The party starts Saturday night, March 25, with live music and dancing until midnight at the Barn, Lakeview Park & Beach. Sunday’s headliners include Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys. Great local crafts. Arrive hungry (etouffeecookoff.org).

Mandez's Seafood

Bar & Grill is expanding to a second location in Youngsville formerly occupied by Bourrée. Mandez's is renowned for such specials as duck wontons accented with bacon and cream cheese; grilled redfish topped with Rockefeller sauce; spicy Cajun burgers with beignet fries; shrimp tacos and creative paninis (mandezgrillcom).

Roll the Dice

Lake Charles Caesar

Entertainment’s new 60,000 square-foot, land-based Horseshoe hotel and casino recently opened in Lake Charles with 253 new hotel rooms and a diversity of restaurants (including Brew Brothers plus the Michelinstarred Chef Gordon Ramsay's Steak, slated to open this summer). The new resort replaces the Isle of Capri that closed in 2020 after damage from Hurricane Laura (caesars. com/horseshoe-lake-charles).

Dog Wash with Car Wash

Lafayette The new stateof-the-art Giles Subaru is now underway in Lafayette. Featuring 16 service bays plus a separate express building with three more bays for quick oil changes and a car wash. A new perk: includes a free dog wash for customers and a new public dog park complete with separate areas for large and small dogs. Expected completion date in late 2023 (gilessubaru.com).

Best Place to Travel

Lafayette Lafayette was recently named as the #1 best place to travel in the world in 2023 by Travel Lemming, a US-based online travel guide read by more than 6 million travelers. The annual list of 50 best places to travel encourages travelers to go “off the lemming path” (travellemming.com).

YUMMY IN YOUNGSVILLE

EUNICE

Shop 'Til You Drop

Spend the day touring boutiques and antiques in Breaux Bridge, but make time for food and fun

BY CHERÉ COEN

2 3

Vive la France! Chef Jacqueline Salser hails from Louisiana’s mother country and she serves up traditional French dishes — we’re talking escargots, among other delectable entrées — at Chez Jacqueline. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch every day but Tuesday and sometimes dinner by reservation. Salser also hosts special events, including for Valentine’s Day and Bastille Day.

1

Lagniappe Antiques

Start the shopping stroll through quaint downtown Breaux Bridge with a stop at one of its largest establishments at 17,000 square feet. Lagniappe Antiques contains rows and rows of antique dealers, as well as items from local artists. Open every day but Monday, it’ll take a while to peruse this enormous antique mall, so save time for other antique stores and boutiques along Main and Bridge streets.

DANCING

Shop more of what Breaux Bridge offers but put on your dancing shoes and end the day with live music and dancing at Buck & Johnny’s, a restaurant serving Italian and Cajun specialties in the former Domingue Motors car dealership (check out the cool antique car items throughout). Cajun and zydeco bands don’t perform every night but the joint usually starts rocking on Thursdays, Fridays and at the Zydeco Breakfast on Saturdays.

Chez Jacqueline LUNCH

Buck & Johnny’s Restaurant

CATCH AND RELEASE

Lafayette nature Photographer Gary Meyers finds endless inspiration in Acadiana's lush landscapes

BY JOHN R. KEMP

Lafayette nature photographer Gary Meyers gives new meaning to the old sportsman adage, “catch and release.” With his camera and kayak, Meyers — dressed in camouflage — moves quietly through the swamps and bayous of Louisiana’s Acadian parishes, capturing thousands of split-second images of the region’s natural beauty.

Born and raised in Lafayette, the 66-year-old Meyers has spent most of his life fishing and exploring the region’s watery landscape. Places such as Henderson Swamp, Belle River, Atchafalaya Basin, Bayou Teche, Bayou Benoit, Lake Martin, Two O’Clock Bayou, Lake Fausse Pointe and the names of local wildlife management areas roll off his tongue like a railroad conductor calling out approaching whistle stops. With his camera, he moves through those dark waters in his kayak with the stealth of an alligator approaching its prey.

“When you are out there in the wild moving around in their territory, you have to be quiet,” he says. “Sometimes it will take me 20 minutes to paddle

See more of Gary Meyers' artwork online at AcadianaProfile.com

30 yards just to get a little closer to something. It’s knowing what their habits are, what spooks them and taking your time and being careful.”

Over the years, just being there has resulted in a stunning body of images such as a chevron-winged white heron gliding through a misty cypress swamp, a ruby-throated hummingbird feeding upon a Turk’s cap flower or flowering water hyacinths framed against a foggy backdrop of cypress trees.

“When I’m coming out of the swamp,” he says, “I’ll stop and get something to drink. Because I’m wearing camo, people standing around think I’ve been out hunting. They ask, ‘Did you do any good?’ And I say, ‘Yeah, I probably got 13- or 1,400.’ And they say, ‘What?’ And I say, ‘Well, I shot them with a Canon.’ Then I tell them I’m taking pictures with my Canon camera. I always get a few chuckles out of that. When I was doing a lot of fishing, we did catch and release, now I shoot and release.”

Though Meyers' interest in photography began as a hobby about 35 years ago, he took it up seriously 17 years ago. Then COVID-19 hit and he lost his job

managing a sign printing shop. Now in forced retirement, he can devote more time to exploring those familiar landscapes. It has become his passion.

“It’s just being outdoors among the wildlife, the cypress trees, the sunrises, the sunsets,” says Meyers, who prefers to shoot during the so-called “golden hours” two to three hours after sunrise and before sunset. “It’s quiet and serene. I’m just enamored with the outdoors, everything from bees and butterflies and birds. I may have a thousand shots of a roseate spoonbill, but I always want to get a better one.”

Paddling alone through a vast swamp can have risky moments. Meyers recalled the time he got too close to a nesting female alligator. She came out with her teeth exposed, hissing loudly. He judiciously back paddled, stating, “Oops, sorry, mama.” Another time a water moccasin struck at his leg but didn’t penetrate his jeans. From then on, he has worn boots with snake leggings.

When Meyers is not out alone in the swamps, he gives guided swamp tours for professional and amateur photographers who come from all over the United States and Europe.

“They come to see the scenery and to get out into the swamps,” says Meyers. “I stay within 80 miles of Lafayette. I take them out in the kayaks and sometimes I do it from the shoreline to shoot pelicans, shore birds and seagulls. Sometimes I shoot where the birds nest, so you can see the breeding plumage. It’s hard to guarantee you’ll see a black bear or bobcat, but the birds are easy.”

While some people have told him they live vicariously through his images, others have suggested he could make more money photographing weddings and graduation ceremonies. He has a perfect reply:

“I tell them if I take a bad picture of an egret, it doesn’t want its money back. It just doesn’t interest me. I’d rather be outdoors. I enjoy being out there.” 

MEET THE ARTIST Gary Meyers Hometown

Lafayette Age 66

How long he has traveled in the swamps I’ve been going into the swamp since I was 6 or 7. I did a lot of bass fishing when I was young but didn’t hunt much. When I look back and remember all the stuff I saw when I was fishing, I’d say, ‘Man, I wish I had my camera then.’

Web facebook. com/imagehunter1naturephotography

(above) Roseate Spoonbill Family, Rip's Rookery (right) Louisiana Black Bear, Cypremort Point (bottom) Flight Through Paradise, Lake Martin

Family Ties

BY MARIE ELIZABETH OLIVER PHOTOS BY HAYLEI SMITH

Stacey Doré and her husband knew they would end up in their mutual hometown of Crowley. They just weren’t exactly sure when or how.

Despite working and raising their two sons in Dallas, the Dorés felt the pull grow stronger a few years ago and decided to finally put down roots on family land in Acadiana.

“It started out as we might buy one of these mobile homes, and then maybe we should build something we can add onto, and then it turned into, ‘Let’s just build the house we want to live in forever’,” says Doré.

They manifested this vision with the help of Kevin Gossen of Gossen Architects. The result is a

A second home in Crowley is custom built for bringing together the next generation

The front landscaping provides a welcoming formal entry for guests, while blending with the agricultural land that runs adjacent to the property.

DETAILS

Architecture & Design Gossen Architects, gossenarchitects. com

Builder Clayton LaFosse, LaFosse Construction, lafosseco.com

Interiors Katie Greene

Audio/Video Treylon LeBoeuf, Elevat'd AVL

modern farmhouse that serves as a gathering place for extended family, a comfortable landing spot when visiting relatives and a future primary home when the couple (eventually) retires.

“I wanted an architect who had a feel for the local culture and understood what would make sense when putting a house in the middle of a rice field and a crawfish farm,” says Doré.

Gossen used the surrounding land and property to inform the home’s design. “It is deeply rooted in a farmhouse, rural architecture. Even down to the interiors,” he says.

He also worked closely with Doré to make sure the layout could function to meet the family’s needs. That

meant scaling down the size of the home’s four bedrooms to make room for large living and dining spaces.

“The whole point of this house is no one is supposed to be sitting in their bedrooms,” says Doré. “We’re supposed to be spending time together.”

Doré selected furniture with her extended family in mind, specifically a dining table and sofas that can comfortably fit up to 15 people. A vaulted, cathedral ceiling and ample natural light streaming in from a clerestory window keep the main living spaces feeling open and airy, no matter how many people gather inside.

But when the Louisiana weather blesses them, the Dorés also have ample outdoor entertaining options. Sliding glass doors in the living room open to the

Doré says she loves sitting on the East-facing back porch with a hot cup of coffee and watching the sun rise.

home’s large back porch to pave the way for crawfish boils and backyard barbecues.

“On a beautiful day — that rare fall, October day — we can open those sliding glass doors and it’s seamless,” says Doré.

The primary bathroom features clean lines and ample natural light.

A versatile palette allows the house to easily transition from vacation home to a more permanent abode in the future.

Gossen says as the architect, his goal was to achieve a modernized, farmhouse aesthetic.

If all else fails, the garage can convert into a climatecontrolled party room. They designed the versatile space with custom barn doors on one side that serve as an entryway. “It’s an easy place to entertain,” says Doré.

Doré and her husband have enjoyed hosting family gatherings since completing the home, but she says one of her favorite things to do is sit on the porch and enjoy her morning cup of coffee, surrounded by the natural beauty of the familiar Louisiana landscape.

A large, traditional sugar kettle planter at the home’s entrance is one of guests’ favorite features and creates a focal point in the front landscape, designed by Gossen. The architect created a formal-meetsfarmland aesthetic with a picket fence and crushed granite walkway.

Gossen says each element of the home pays homage to the family, the property and the celebration of their lives together. 

Impressionistic landscape paintings echo the beauty of the natural world surrounding the home and add warmth to the neutral walls.

RECIPES LIGHT

Oven roasted dishes that are as tasty and satisfying as they are nutritious

Broiling eggplant instead of frying it is a more healthful choice. Serving it with pesto is a no-brainer.

my household, we recently set a goal to eat three vegetables at each meal. This practice brings to mind the classic southern “meat and three” restaurants that offer a lunch consisting of a meat (or chicken or fish) and three vegetables. The thing about preparing three vegetables for each meal is that it’s very time consuming if you’re starting with fresh produce.

When cooking several vegetables, the oven and some sheet pans are your best friends. Roasting or broiling vegetables is an efficient method of preparation that produces excellent results. Flavors are concentrated in the process, and your seasoning options are limitless. In addition, leftovers make delicious snacks straight from the refrigerator.

Sheet pans, the workhorses of restaurant kitchens, come in three principal sizes — full, half and quarter. Full sheet pans are awkward to handle and are too large for most home ovens. Half sheet pans and quarter sheet pans are what you need for these recipes. In order to cut down on cleanup, line the pans with aluminum foil, but if you do, vegetables will not brown and caramelize as well, with an attendant loss of flavor.

Roasting carrots brings out the natural sweetness and improves texture. Cilantro, which is in the carrot family, is a fine accompaniment. If you can find multicolored carrots, use them for a stunning visual effect. The combination of asparagus and Parmesan is a match made in heaven. For an additional treat, top each serving with a poached egg.

BROILED EGGPLANT WITH PESTO

1 large eggplant

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt and freshly-ground black pepper

PESTO

2 cups loosely-packed fresh basil

½ clove garlic , minced

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler. Cut eggplant into quarter-inch slices. Brush both sides with olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Broil until lightly browned, turn and broil the other side. Remove eggplant with a spatula, season with salt and pepper.

PESTO In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients except salt and pepper. Process until puréed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on top of eggplant. Serves 4.

ROASTED CARROTS WITH CILANTRO

1 pound carrots

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons coarse salt

¼ cup cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 400 F. Wash and scrub carrots with a vegetable brush. Dry in a clean kitchen towel. Trim ends of carrots and cut into sections about 3 inches in length. Cut each section into 4 lengths. Combine carrots and olive oil in a bowl and toss to coat carrots with oil. Sprinkle with salt. Place carrots on a sheet pan in a single layer and roast until carrots are tender and have begun to caramelize, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serves 4.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH PARMESAN

1 pound asparagus

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. Trim ends from asparagus and blanch in boiling salted water until asparagus just begins to soften, about 2 minutes for thin asparagus. Drain asparagus and turn into baking dish. Add olive oil and turn asparagus to coat. Sprinkle with cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until asparagus is tender and cheese is browned and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Serves 4.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH WALNUTS AND DRIED CHERRIES

1 pound Brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2⁄ 3 cup dried cherries

1 cup walnu t pieces

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim stem ends from Brussels sprouts and remove any discolored leaves. Thinly slice Brussels sprouts and combine with olive oil in a bowl. Toss to coat. Add dried cherries and walnut pieces and toss to combine. Transfer to a sheet pan and roast until Brussels sprouts are tender and lightly brown, about 15-20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4.

Some people don’t like Brussels sprouts because the only ones they’ve had were boiled until they turned to mush and gave off a disagreeable smell. Slicing them, then roasting with walnuts and dried cherries creates a smorgasbord of contrasting flavors.

The sweetness of butternut squash is intensified by the caramelization that occurs when it is roasted, while chipotle pepper adds heat and a smoky flavor. Roasting intensifies the flavor of broccoli. Be sure to peel the broccoli stem, cut it into 2 or more pieces and add it to the florets.

If cauliflower is going to be interesting, it needs the addition of some strong flavors. This sauce of arugula, anchovy, garlic and pecorino romano is just the ticket.

ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH GARLIC, RED PEPPER AND LEMON

1 head broccoli

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic , sliced

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

⅛ teaspoon coarse salt

lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 400 F. Separate broccoli florets and combine in a bowl with olive oil, garlic red pepper and salt. Toss well to coat broccoli, place in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake in preheated oven until tender and lightly browned, about 20-30 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH CHIPOTLE PEPPER AND PARSLEY

2 pounds butternut squash , peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder , or to taste

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 450 F. Combine squash, olive oil, chipotle chili powder and salt in a mixing bowl and toss to coat squash. Transfer squash to a sheet pan and roast until tender and browned, about 15-20 minutes. Serves 4.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH ARUGULA AND ANCHOVY PESTO

1 head cauliflower

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil coarse salt

1 cup arugula , torn and packed

4 cloves garlic , minced

4 anchovy fillets packed in oil

1½ cups freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Core and separate cauliflower into small florets and combine in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss well to coat cauliflower, sprinkle with salt, place in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake in preheated oven until tender and lightly browned, about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine arugula, garlic, anchovy fillets, pecorino romano cheese, 1 cup extra virgin olive oil and black pepper in a food processor and pulse until combined. Transfer cauliflower to a serving dish and drizzle with arugula and anchovy pesto. Serves 4.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO FRIES

4 small sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

Cajun/Creole seasoning

Preheat oven to 450 F. Scrub sweet potatoes, but do not peel. Dry with paper towels. Cut each potato lengthwise into 4-6 wedges, depending on size of the potato. In a mixing bowl, toss wedges with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with Cajun/Creole seasoning. Place potato wedges on sheet pan, skin side down and roast until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Serves 4.

Everyone loves fried sweet potatoes, but these are a delicious and more healthful choice.

LevelUp

Raising your wellness game in 2023

By marie simoneaux illlustrations by s.e. george

Movement

Dr. Cassandra Pillette, a family medicine physician at Ochsner Lafayette General, said adults need 150 minutes of moderateintensity physical activity and two days of muscle strengthening activity every week. Her recommendation for getting that in is twofold: Break it up into chunks of time that work for you, and find ways to get your body moving that you enjoy.

For Caroline Helm, that means Cajun dancing. Helm learned to dance alongside her father, who started taking lessons when she was 10. Now a licensed therapist and social worker, Helm said dancing is more than just a great workout.

“We’re so lucky to live in a place where couples dancing is an integral part of our culture,” she said.

“Not only is it a full-body workout, it’s also a way to get out in your community, engage with your region’s culture and connect with other people.”

While Helm has been dancing most of her life, she promised you don’t have to be an expert before you start.

“I know it can be intimidating, but no one is going to judge you,” she said. “The musicians and other dancers want you there. They want the tradition to carry on.”

If you don’t know the steps, you can learn as you go, or take a few

lessons before going to a dance. She said one of the best ways to really get into the scene is to gather a few friends, take lessons together and turn it into a group activity.

If Cajun dancing isn’t appealing, there are plenty of other fun, accessible ways to get active in Acadiana. According to Pillette, even just adding more walking to your routine can positively impact your health.

As for that strengthening work Pillette recommends, don’t worry – any activity you do that makes your muscles work harder than usual will usually do the trick. Walking, dancing, cycling, yoga and even gardening are all great options, she said.

It’s common knowledge that New Year’s resolutions are nearly impossible to keep. Factor in living in Louisiana — where Carnival season is almost always ushered in right on the new year’s heels — and it can feel pretty hopeless.

But, if your 2023 goal is to live a healthier lifestyle, don’t sweat it. There are ways to improve your mind, body and overall wellness without condemning yourself to a year in the gym and swapping out your rice for cauliflower.

WANT TO GET INTO CAJUN OR ZYDECO DANCING BUT DON’T KNOW WHERE TO GO? Caroline Helm recommends signing up for Lafayette Weekly, a newsletter written by local musician Philippe Billeaudeaux that features a rundown of live music and dance events happening in the region. Billeaudeaux also curates a playlist every week, so you can get your boogie on from the comfort of your home, if you aren’t quite ready to show your moves off on the dance floor yet.

Mental Health & Mindfulness

Meditation is an important part of Lafayette-based physical therapist Ari Dolegowski’s work. As a former professional soccer player, he believes true wellness must involve both mind and body, particularly when starting new goals.

Dolegowski uses meditation to slow down, recenter, and focus on what’s important. Practicing mindfulness can help you stay grounded “in your why,” he said, and avoid hyperfixating on results.

“I think in order to make sustainable lifestyle choices,

you need to have the right reasons and goals,” he said. “If your only motivation is to lose weight, then you might only see weight loss as the one and only success measure.”

Most often, people give up on their health goals because they’ve been too hard on themselves or haven’t set realistic goals.

“Changing and adopting a healthy lifestyle and exercise plan is a process and doesn’t happen overnight,” Pillette said. “When you fall off course, don’t beat yourself

up. Eliminate the triggers and distractions and get back on track,” she said.

Meditation, mindfulness, and prioritizing mental health can make that cycle easier, Dolegowski said, noting the importance of being kind to yourself, even when you feel like you’re failing.

“Incorporating mindfulness practice will help you strip everything else away and you can ask yourself, ‘Am I really happy; is this working for me?’ And if the answer is no, then try something else,” he said.

Ari Dolegowski recommends a threepillar approach to wellness: time, variety, and honesty. Find the amount of time to dedicate your practice that works for you. Mix up your approach. And be honest with yourself about your needs, your feelings, and whether or not they are being met.

Yoga

When Aly Schexnayder first started doing yoga in Lafayette 20 years ago, hardly anyone was offering classes in the area. Now, there’s no shortage of yoga studios and classes, including at Red’s gym, where Schexnayder teaches.

Depending on the practice, yoga can be more gentle and meditative, balance and musclestrengthening and even a source for cardio. It’s a fantastic way to combine mind and movement, and to be gentle and kind to your body, all while getting a killer workout.

If you’re uncomfortable taking a class, there are tons of online options to build your confidence before going into a studio. But, Schexnayder said she prefers to recommend in-person classes to avoid injuries or straining your body.

For beginners, Schexnayder recommends finding a “gentile, beginners yoga,” to warm your body up and find comfort in your peers.

MEDITATION IN MOVEMENT Ari Dolegowski utilizes meditative movement, which he said is perfect for beginners. “It gives you something to focus on,” he said. Similar to tai chi, the practice combines meditation with gentile, intentional movements. “Sitting in silence to meditate is really hard. Adding movements removes some of the pressure, especially in a class setting, where it’s easy to get distracted thinking about the other people in the room.” Dolegowski teaches meditative movement at Basin Arts in Lafayette on Wednesday nights and works with clients at their homes or in his studio by appointment. He also practices massage and physical therapy at Lafayette's Ascend Wellness.

HEALTHY CAJUN COOKING Lately, Yvette Quantz has been excited by the number of authentic-tasting Cajun cooking staples that use healthier alternatives. One of her personal favorites is Skinny Roux, which is made with almond flour and avocado oil, instead of the traditional butter or oil and flour. The Eat Fit Acadiana app is an easy-to-use way to find restaurants that offer delicious and healthy menu options, nutrition facts for Eat Fit dishes, grocery guides, recipes, and more. “I love the Eat Fit apps. They really just remove the guesswork, so you can stop stressing or feeling shame, and just enjoy your meal,” Quantz said.

Nutrition

Louisiana culture is food culture, and Louisiana food isn’t exactly what you’d call “health food.” Thankfully, Yvette Quantz believes in finding manageable modifications that have big impacts, which means you can still enjoy your favorite regional cuisines.

Quantz is a registered dietitian with Eat Fit Acadiana and New Orleans native, and she knows how important food is to Louisiana life. With more than 20 years experience working in health and wellness, Quantz emphasizes the importance of balance.

“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” she said. “And really, I think having that mindset can be the downfall for a lot of people when they try to change their diet.”

Quantz recommends focusing on how you feel when you eat certain foods and to remember that “small choices and small changes matter.”

A good way to start is to slow down and savor the food you’re eating.

“If you’re eating too fast, or eating out of guilt, there’s a good chance you’re not really tasting it,” she said. “But, studies have found our pleasure actually goes down after the first few bites. So, what if you were really present during those first few, deeply satisfying bites to really enjoy them? Then, when the pleasure diminishes, you move on with no guilt.”

At its core, Quantz said eating healthy is rooted in removing shame from eating, and finding what works for you.

“If you don’t like your diet, you aren’t going to stick to it. It’s important that you’re enjoying the food you eat, while also hitting your nutrition marks,” she said.

In her opinion, the best way to do that is to work with a nutritionist, dietitian or food counselor.

“They will help you figure out what’s really in your food, teach you productive ways to measure your progress, and work with you to find a diet you love,” Quantz said.

Like Dolegowski, she cautions against focusing on results.

“The benefits beyond the numbers on the scale, are the ones that I think are the most important,” Quantz said. “Things like mental clarity, energy levels, anxiety and depression, brain function.”

Ultimately, perhaps the best way to keep a New Year’s resolution is not to make one at all. The concept itself invites pressure, guilt, and a deadline to an already complicated journey.

Instead, focus on finding positive elements to add into your life — a hobby that gets you up and moving on a regular basis, peaceful ways to destress, and delicious food that makes you feel good. After all, as Dolegowski says, “happiness and love are the real success measures,” to living a healthful life.

“If you don’t love what you’re doing, you’re not going to keep doing it,” he said.

Dr. Pillette recommends substituting foods with high calorie, high fat and high carbohydrate content with low calorie, low fat, and low carbohydrate content.

“In Louisiana, food is in the center of the culture, and much of it is not the healthiest. We can keep food in the center, but make it healthier, so that we can continue to do what we love, but healthily,” she said.

TOP DOCTORS

291 DOCTORS IN 42 SPECIALTIES

WITH OVER 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE researching, reviewing, and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible healthcare research and information company. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers.

Castle Connolly's physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Its online nomination process is open to all licensed physicians in America who are able to nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether the nominated physician(s) is, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medical specialty or among the best in the nation in their medical specialty. Then, Castle Connolly’s research team thoroughly vets each physician’s professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history and if available, outcomes data. Additionally, a physician’s interpersonal skills such as listening and communicating effectively, demonstrating empathy, and instilling trust and confidence, are also considered in the review process. The Castle Connolly Doctor Directory is the largest network of peer-nominated physicians in the nation.

Physicians selected for inclusion in this magazine's "Top Doctors" feature may also appear online at www.castleconnolly.com, or in in conjunction with other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online and/or in print.

Castle Connolly is part of Everyday Health Group, a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 74 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data, and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands.

For more information, please visit Castle Connolly or Everyday Health Group.

DOCTORS

TOP DOCTORS

ALLERGY &

IMMUNOLOGY

Jibran Atwi

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital

Lafayette (337) 330-0031

Andrew Collins

Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Center of SWLA Lafayette (337) 981-9495

Bernard Fruge

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital Lafayette (337) 981-9495

Bina Joseph

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital

Lafayette (337) 981-9495

James Kidd

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 769-4432

Prem Menon

Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200

Joseph Redhead

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044

CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

Freddy Abi-Samra Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200

Kenneth Civello

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900

C. Andrew Smith

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900

Wenjie Xu

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Bart Denys Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 446-2021

N. Joseph Deumite

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900

Michael Dibbs

Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital Lafayette (337) 984-9355

Daniel Fontenot

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-0933

Steven Gremillion

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900

Babu Jasti Lane Regional Medical Center

Zachary (225) 654-1559

Nakia Newsome

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-0933

Fernando Ruiz Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 289-8429

Christopher Thompson Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-3278

Kenneth Wong Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Raceland (985) 837-4000

Kevin Young Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-3278

CHILD NEUROLOGY

Kenneth Habetz

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital Lafayette (337) 470-5920

CLINICAL GENETICS

Duane Superneau

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-8988

COLON & RECTAL SURGERY

Louis Barfield

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-8997

Richard Byrd

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-8997

DERMATOLOGY

Tamela Charbonnet Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Houma (985) 876-5000

Mary Dickerson Louisiana Dermatology Associates

Baton Rouge (225) 927-5663

Jill Fruge

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 214-3199

Lee Grafton

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Houma (985) 876-5000

Nicole Harrell

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 416-5109

Laurie Harrington Lane Regional Medical Center

Zachary (225) 654-1124

Kristy Kennedy Dermatology Center of Acadiana Lafayette (337) 235-6886

Kristen Losavio The Dermatology Clinic & Cosmetic Center

Baton Rouge (225) 769-7546

W. Trent Massengale Atlas Dermatology

Baton Rouge (225) 313-4560

Ryan Matherne

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 446-5888

Ashley Record Lane Regional Medical Center

Zachary (225) 658-4065

Laci Theunissen Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 214-3199

Jordan Whatley The Dermatology Clinic & Cosmetic Center

Baton Rouge (225) 769-7546

Ann Zedlitz Z Aesthetic Dermatology

Baton Rouge (225) 778-7540

DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY

William Tiemann

Terrebonne General Health System

Houma (985) 873-4115

ENDOCRINOLOGY, DIABETES & METABOLISM

Sandra Dempsey Imperial Health Lake Charles (337) 310-3670

Gary Field The Baton Rouge Clinic

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

Lane Frey Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 493-3080

Robin Kilpatrick

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 300-1076

Joel Silverberg

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044

FAMILY MEDICINE

Danielle Angeron Terrebonne General Health System

Houma (985) 262-1639

Gary Birdsall 102 West 112th Street Cut Off (985) 632-5222

Donald Brignac Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 330-0480

Kelly Cahill Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 470-3370

TOP DOCTORS

Andree Caillet

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center -

Lafayette Lafayette (337) 470-2636

Indira Gautam

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Youngsville (337) 857-3512

Karrie Kilgore Ochsner Acadia General Hospital

Crowley (337) 783-7004

Sunshine Little

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center -

Lafayette Carencro (337) 470-3280

Elizabeth McLain Lafayette (337) 703-3330

Darrin Menard Scott Family Physicians

Lafayette (337) 232-1802

Cassandra Pillette Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 571-1111

Jarelle Scott St. James Parish Hospital

Vacherie (225) 265-3013

Paul Stringfellow Ochsner Acadia General Hospital Crowley (337) 783-7004

Kimberly Tran

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 470-7870

Brittany Wyger Assumption Community Hospital

Napoleonville (985) 369-1083

GASTROENTEROLOGY

Stephen Abshire Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center

Lafayette (337) 232-6697

Irfan Alam Gastroenterology Center of LA

Lafayette (337) 984-4350

James Balart The Baton Rouge Clinic

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

Charles Berggreen Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 927-1190

Richard Broussard Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 269-0963

Stephanie Cauble The Baton Rouge Clinic

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

David Pellegrin Terrebonne General Health System

Houma (985) 851-5206

Douglas Walsh Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 927-1190

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY

Anthony Evans Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 216-3006

HAND SURGERY

John Hildenbrand Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 625-2200

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Michael Alexander Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 289-8717

Leo Blaize

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-8829

Ashley Bordelon Pointe Coupee General Hospital New Roads (225) 638-4585

Chester Boudreaux Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 446-2131

Wartelle Castille

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 470-3100

Brian Clements Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-6800

C. Ray Halliburton

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-8829

Susan Ieyoub Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-6800

Mark LaFuria Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-6800

Bryan LeBean Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 261-0559

Bradley Meek

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 214-3638

Katherine Pearce

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 374-0220

Karen Smith MDVIP Lafayette (337) 504-7979

James Soignet Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 446-2131

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY

Chad Dugas

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 446-2021

Peter Fail

Terrebonne General Health System

Houma (985) 876-0300

Pradeep Nair Terrebonne General Health System

Houma (985) 876-0300

Christopher Paris St. Charles Parish Hospital

Luling (985) 308-1604

Andrew Rees

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900

MATERNAL & FETAL MEDICINE

Paul Dibbs Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center

Lafayette (337) 593-9099

Robert Moore

Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 924-8338

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

Bryan Bienvenu

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-1311

B.J. Brooks

Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200

Vince Cataldo

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 757-0343

David Hanson

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-1311

Steven Saccaro Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center

Lafayette (337) 289-8400

Derrick Spell

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-1311

Ashish Udhrain Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 493-4346

NEPHROLOGY

Raynold Corona

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893

Mitchell Hebert

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893

Ahad Lodhi CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-7090

Michael Roppolo

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893

Allen Vander Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 446-0871

James Yegge

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893

NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY

Alan Appley Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center

Lafayette (337) 235-7743

Charles Bowie The Spine Hospital of Louisiana

Baton Rouge (225) 769-2200

Jason Cormier

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette

Lafayette (337) 534-8680

NEUROLOGY

Kevin Callerame

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 215-2193

Gerard Dynes

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044

Edward Haight Southeast Neuroscience Center Gray (985) 917-3007

Jamie Huddleston Ochsner St. Anne General Hospital

Raceland (985) 537-2666

Pedro Oliveira

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

James Barrow CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Lake Charles (337) 656-7876

Rachel Bezdek East Jefferson General Hospital LaPlace (985) 652-2441

Rebecca Boudreaux Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000

Randall Brown Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000

Francis Cardinale

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital Lafayette (337) 984-1050

Robert Cazayoux Terrebonne General Health System

Houma (985) 851-6800

TOP DOCTORS

Nicole Chauvin

Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000

Rachel Chua

CHRISTUS Ochsner

Lake Area Hospital Lake Charles (337) 419-0900

Richard Clement Terrebonne General Health System

Houma (985) 851-6800

David Darbonne Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 474-3883

Ryan Dickerson

Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000

Bradley Forsyth Lake Charles Memorial Hospital

Lake Charles (337) 480-5570

J. William Groves

Lake Charles Memorial Hospital

Lake Charles (337) 480-5530

Renee Harris

Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 201-0505

Kaitlin Hoover

Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 201-0505

Ann Marie Lafranca

Woman's Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 928-5951

Opal LeBlanc

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital Lafayette (337) 769-3444

Charles Padgett Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-7524

Anne Rodrigue Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 448-1216

Christopher Rodrigue Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 448-1216

Michelle Stutes

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital Lafayette (337) 769-3489

Kirk LeBlanc Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center

Lafayette (337) 234-8533

Celeste Luke Avoyelles Hospital

Marksville (318) 253-9766

Jane Olson

Baton Rouge (225) 766-0005

Allen Pearce

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 766-7441

Nano Zeringue

Southern Eye Institute

Thibodaux (985) 448-3353

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

Rasheed Ahmad

Thibodeaux

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital

Lafayette (337) 981-6100

Terrie Thomas Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 201-0505

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Frank Culotta Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 232-2710

Donald Falgoust CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital Lake Charles (337) 477-0963

Scott Gauthreaux Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 232-2710

Thomas Heigle

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 766-7441

Keith Kellum Physicians Medical Center

Houma (985) 872-5577

Patrick Ellender

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 625-2200

Harold Granger Hamilton Medical Group

Lafayette (337) 988-8855

Craig Greene

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424

R. Bryan Griffith

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424

Michael Robichaux

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424

Seth Rosenzweig Iberia Medical Center New Iberia (337) 235-8007

Malcolm Stubbs

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 234-5234

Meredith Warner Warner Orthopedics & Wellness Baton Rouge (225) 754-8888

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424

Joseph Broyles

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 766-0050

Christopher Cenac Terrebonne General Health System

Houma (985) 868-1540

Geoffrey Collins West Calcasieu

Cameron Hospital Lake Charles (337) 905-7100

Gabriel Dersam

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital

Lafayette (337) 470-5920

Robert Easton

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424

Henry Eiserloh

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424

Michael Alan Hinton Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 477-5252

Thomas Montgomery Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 235-8007

David Muldowny

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 234-5234

Julie Neumann

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 766-0050

John Noble CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital Lake Charles (337) 721-7236

David Pope

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 766-0050

Catherine Riche

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424

Adam Whatley Lane Regional Medical Center

Zachary (225) 658-1808

Matthew Williams

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 235-8007

OTOLARYNGOLOGY

John Alldredge

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 232-2330

Moises Arriaga

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-7735

James Broussard

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 446-5079

Lisa David Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 266-9820

Maria Doucet

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 989-4453

A. Collins

TOP DOCTORS

Jason Durel

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette

Lafayette (337) 232-2330

Brytton Eldredge

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 266-9820

Michael Goodier

Our Lady of the Lake

Ascension

Gonzales (225) 765-5500

Phillip Noel Abbeville General Hospital

Abbeville (337) 898-3700

Daniel Nuss

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-1765

Patricia Scallan

Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 767-7200

Chad Simon

Houma (985) 872-0423

Collin Sutton

Louisiana Ear Nose

Throat & Sinus

Baton Rouge (225) 769-2222

Justin Tenney

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 446-5079

James White

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lafayette (337) 993-1335

Guy Zeringue

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 446-5079

OTOLARYNGOLOGY/FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY

J. Kevin Duplechain

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 456-3282

Laura Hetzler

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-1982

Jeffrey Joseph Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 237-0650

Lisa Morris

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-1982

PAIN MEDICINE

Sean Graham Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 769-5554

Jimmy Ponder Headache & Pain Center

Gray (985) 580-1200

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

Sandhya Mani

Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 765-5500

Theron McCormick

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-6834

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY

Michael Crapanzano

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-6700

Rufus Hixon

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 767-6700

Mudar Kattash Lake Charles Memorial Hospital

Lake Charles (337) 562-2293

Katherine Lindle Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics Lafayette (337) 443-6100

PEDIATRIC

ENDOCRINOLOGY

Janna Flint Wilson

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital Lafayette (337) 470-5920

James Gardner

Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 765-5500

Chantal Lutfallah

Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 765-5500

PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Michael Bolton

Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 765-5500

PEDIATRIC SURGERY

Deiadra Garrett

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital Lafayette (337) 470-5920

PEDIATRICS

Brian Bailey

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital Lafayette (337) 989-5061

Anne Boudreaux Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 449-7529

Jennifer Boustany

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital

Lafayette (337) 989-2322

Danielle Calix

Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner

Destrehan (985) 764-6036

Courtney Campbell

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-8013

Robert Drumm

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044

Bernard Ferrer Bayou Pediatric Associates

Houma (985) 872-6405

Jennifer Hogan Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200

Michael Judice

Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital

Lafayette (337) 989-2322

Jamar Melton

Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 763-4888

Hina Patel

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-8013

Henry Peltier

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 448-3700

Alycia Rodgers CHRISTUS Ochsner

Lake Area Hospital

Lake Charles (337) 477-0935

Edward Sledge Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200

Sylvia Sutton

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-8013

Jenny Thomas Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Sulphur (337) 527-6371

Deepa Vasireddy Woman's Hospital Lafayette (337) 210-5043

Mark Waggenspack

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044

Eric Weil

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-8013

PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION

Mary Nell Anderson Warner Orthopedics & Wellness

Baton Rouge (225) 754-8888

Todd Cowen Cowen Clinic

Thibodaux (985) 447-9922

Craig Morton CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital

Lake Charles (337) 721-7236

PLASTIC SURGERY

Stephen Antrobus

Baton Rouge (225) 763-9611

Stephen Delatte Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lafayette (337) 269-4949

Michael Hanemann

Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 766-2166

M'liss Hogan St. Tammany Parish Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 399-0001

Kenneth Odinet Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lafayette (337) 234-8648

Ernest Clyde Smoot CHRISTUS Ochsner

Lake Area Hospital

Lake Charles (337) 478-5577

Taylor Theunissen

Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 218-6108

PSYCHIATRY

Renee Bruno

Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge (225) 615-8102

Larry Warner

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 456-2884

PULMONARY DISEASE

Glenn Gomes Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200

Mark Hodges Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044

Gary Kohler Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-2750

Michael McCarthy Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

Kevin Reed Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 381-2755

RADIATION ONCOLOGY

Andrew Lauve Baton Rouge General Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 387-7280

James Maze Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-2121

Perri Prellop

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lafayette (337) 769-8660

Stephen Wilt Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lafayette (337) 769-8660

Charles Wood

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 271-5269

REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY/INFERTILITY

John Storment Fertility Answers

Lafayette (337) 989-8795

RHEUMATOLOGY

Angele Bourg

The Baton Rouge Clinic

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

Ronald Ceruti

The Baton Rouge Clinic

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

Elena Cucurull

The Baton Rouge Clinic

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

Bobby Dupre

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-6505

Harmanjot Grewal

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-6505

Khanh Ho

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-6505

James Lipstate Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 237-7801

Jennifer Malin Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 237-7801

Joseph Nesheiwat

The Baton Rouge Clinic

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

Sean Shannon

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 765-6505

SLEEP MEDICINE

Matthew Abraham Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (866) 337-2536

Phillip Conner

The Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana Lake Charles (337) 310-7378

Dwayne Henry

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-3456

SURGERY

William Bisland Ochsner St. Anne General Hospital Thibodaux (985) 446-1763

Jason Breaux Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 703-6390

Michael Hailey Woman's Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 751-2778

Mark Hausmann

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-5656

Mark Hebert Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Thibodaux (985) 446-1763

Henry Kaufman

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 470-4881

William Moss CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Lake Charles (337) 656-7873

Philip Schauer

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 330-0497

Richard Shimer Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-4868

Jonathan Taylor The Baton Rouge Clinic

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

James Williams

Our Lady of the Lake Ascension Gonzales (225) 743-2455

THORACIC & CARDIAC SURGERY

Amit Patel Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 308-0247

C. Swayze Rigby

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 490-7224

UROGYNECOLOGY/FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

William Kubricht Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 766-8100

UROLOGY

Angelo Annaloro

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-2500

Kenneth Blue Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 766-8100

Thad Bourque

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665

Christopher Fontenot

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665

Marcellus LaHaye

Mercy Regional Medical CenterVille Platte, LA Ville Platte (337) 506-3540

Scott Neusetzer

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665

Mark Posner

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-2500

William Roth Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665

Ayme Schmeeckle

The Baton Rouge Clinic

Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

Farjaad Siddiq

Lake Charles Memorial Hospital

Lake Charles (337) 480-7499

Walter Simoneaux

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux (985) 447-5667

Jeremy Speeg Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665

VASCULAR SURGERY

Michael Conners

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 766-0416

P. Michael Davis

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge (225) 766-0416

Racheed Ghanami

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 534-4444

Christopher LaGraize

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 289-9700

John Luke Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 289-9700

Andrew Olinde Baton Rouge General Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-4493

Steven Pike

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical CenterLafayette Lafayette (337) 289-9700

Palmyre’s Forbidden Fruit

A novel lounge with European sensibilities entices sober-curious patrons with a masterful mocktail by a consummate cocktail doyen

BY LISA LEBLANC-BERRY

Launched in River Ranch last year, Palmyre is Stuart and Colleen Ottinger’s latest design triumph for Lafayette’s craft cocktail connoisseurs. The lounge is an escape into Old World opulence. Colleen's great grandmother and the namesake for the restaurant, Palmyre Billeaud, left behind a legacy that is central to Palmyre's style, along with collections gleaned during European adventures. Patrons enjoy cocktails served in Billeaud’s personal etched glassware.

Libations wizard Ray Ward attracts both mocktail and sober-curious followers with his invigorating (non-alcoholic) Forbidden Fruit Fizz.

“The Giffard aperitif syrup is rich with the flavors of bitter oranges, gentian root, quinquina and spice,” Ward says. “To give our fizz another fruit dimension while also adding acidity, we made an orange shrub using the zest of oranges, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and apple cider for added depth and complexity.”

Whipped egg whites lend a frothy, airy texture and sparkling water produces a refreshing “head” atop the fanciful mocktail adorned with edible flowers.“[It] was designed to bring you on a dynamic cocktail journey without the headache,” Ward says. “We wanted to give our guests who are mindful of sobriety the same creative craft cocktail experience.” 

Forbidden Fruit Fizz

Combine ¾ ounce pineapple juice, ½ ounce honey, ½ ounce orange shrub, 2⁄ 3 ounce aperitif syrup and ½ ounce egg white into a

cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Pour chilled cocktail into another shaker and shake again. Pour the cocktail

into a chilled Collins glass and set in the freezer for 5 minutes. Remove from freezer and carefully pour 3 ounces sparkling

water into the glass using a barspoon until the head rises above the glass. Garnish with edible flowers.

TO SEE A VIDEO OF THE COCKTAIL CREATION VISIT ACADIANAPROFILE.COM

PALMYRE 201 SETTLERS TRACE BLVD. AT RIVER RANCH IN LAFAYETTE; THEPALMYRE.COM

PHOTO BY ROMERO & ROMERO

It’s important to shake as long as you can, until your arms feel as though they will fall off. This ensures the airy, frothy texture.

CAJUN DONE RIGHT

Boutin's in Carencro continues the legacy of Cajun cuisine in Acadiana

BY ERIC CORMIER PHOTOS BY JOSEPH VIDRINE

Food lovers interested in traditional South Louisiana culinary flavors and stories of the Cajun food renaissance rooted in the 1970s must add a visit to Boutin’s in Carencro to their dining destinations list.

Owner Lynn Boutin, 60, has spent most of his adult life working in Louisiana’s restaurant scene. Along the way, he learned recipes and developed relationships with the owners, cooks, waitstaff and bartenders representing the fabric of the region’s foodways.

While growing up St. Martin Parish, Boutin had a bird’s-eye view of the meteoric rise of the original Pat’s of Henderson and other eateries featuring Cajun dishes.

“As a young kid I was fascinated with how well those restaurants near the Atchafalaya did back then,” he said. “People still love going to eat near the Atchafalaya because the water and the view detoxes you. It sucks the poison out of you and you walk away happy.”

When he was a teenager, Boutin started working at the original Mulate's in Breaux Bridge eventually becoming a general manager. The Mulate's ownership opened restaurants in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. At each place, Boutin was part of the executive management team.

Boutin was involved in other restaurant ventures, but opened Boutin’s on Oct. 1, 2001 in Baton Rouge. Over a decade later, he closed the eatery.

Boutin’s Old Fashioned made with Woodford Reserve or Maker’s Mark, muddled maraschino cherry and orange, simple syrup, a dash of Angostura and Peychaud's bitters, served with a sugar stick.

Options at the oyster bar include "Traditional" (garlic butter and cheese), "Jacked Up" (pepper jack cheese, bacon and jalapeno), "Diablo" (mild chow chow with a fresh slice of blackened jalapenos dusted in Romano cheese) and "Rockafeller Bake" (spinach, artichoke, and Parmesan cheese).

TRY THIS!

1

Boudin Queso

Boutin gets excited talking about queso cheese mixed with boudin, cream and spices, topped with shredded pepper jack cheese. Who can blame him? 2

Shrimp or Crawfish and Tasso Alfredo They are both delicious. Pick one and return to Boutin’s to try the other. You will not be disappointed. 3

T-Boutin Filet Special

Sometimes a great piece of beef is what the body craves. This dinner can be described with one word — astounding.

BOUTIN’S SEAFOOD, STEAKHOUSE AND OYSTER BAR

114 DEREK PLAZA CARENCRO 337-886-6888

BOUTINSCAJUN.COM

While leading successful food businesses, Boutin realized it was imperative to pay homage to the kitchen personalities he worked with and taught him how good food tasted like Garland “Junior” Savoie who worked at Don’s Seafood in downtown Lafayette.

In 2019, Boutin decided to get back into the food world and opened Boutin’s in Carencro.

“I want people to know a great meal is right here north of Interstate 10,” he said. “I strive to make sure to always cook food that Cajuns love to eat when dining out.”

The seafood platter — inspired by the offering at Mulate's — is the foundation of Boutin’s menu

and features stuffed crab, stuffed bell pepper, fried shrimp, fried oysters, fried catfish and fried crawfish.

The Pepper Jack shrimp is one of the entrées that Boutin is passionate about. Reading the menu description is enough to make a foodie crave this deliciously decadent dish consisting of a “large bacon-wrapped shrimp, stuffed with tasso and pepper jack cheese, lightly battered in breadcrumbs, fried to golden perfection and served on a bed of crawfish cream sauce.”

Boutin said patrons also get giddy about the Bayou Rouge which is catfish stuffed with crab meat stuffing and topped with crawfish étouffée.

There is one offering on the Boutin’s menu that will grab an epicurean’s attention — the crawfish enchiladas. Basically, this dish is a spicy blend of cheeses, crawfish, onions and peppers which are topped with a cumin mornay sauce.

“I watched a chef prepare that dish years ago and wanted to make sure it was our menu,” Boutin said. Such is the way Boutin works. He is a master at melding cooking traditions with stories which make eating at his restaurant a satisfying experience. 

Of his offerings, Boutin said, "I strive to make sure to always cook food that Cajuns love to eat when dining out."

FRESH FOOD TO EAT RIGHT NOW

Recipes for when hearty, cold-weather fare finally gives way to lighter, early spring dishes

BY MARCELLE BIENVENU

PHOTO & STYLING BY EUGENIA UHL

Come February, I make a yard tour to see any sign of new growth.

I poke and dig around my fern bed looking for tender tendrils in the damp earth. Another sign that spring may just be around the corner is my neighbor getting his vegetable garden plot ready for spring vegetables. I also check out the local farmers’ markets to see what they might have to offer.

Ah, some nice sweet, bright green peas, or pencil-thin asparagus will be a nice addition to my dinner table. I admit that I’m getting a bit tired of cold-weather soups, gumbos and stews. 

I like serving this dish with angel hair pasta tossed with olive oil and Parmesan cheese, but you can serve it with buttered noodles or risotto.

Spring Peas

Spring peas hardly need any adornment, but simple ingredients, like mint and shredded lettuce, can enhance their flavor.

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh leeks (white part only)

1½ cups shelled English peas

½ cup chicken stock

¾ pound sugar snap peas , trimmed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

½ head Bibb lettuce , rinsed and shredded salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring, until tender, about two minutes. Add English peas and stock. Cover and simmer gently until the peas are just tender, three to five minutes.

2. Add sugar snaps and mint. Cover and cook until the snaps are crisp-tender, about three minutes. Add lettuce and cook until it just wilts. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm. Makes about 8 servings

for about two minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add wine to skillet. Stir, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen any brown particles. Cook until the sauce is bubbly. Pour over the veal and serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Risotto With Four Cheeses

To check the doneness of the Arborio rice, I usually use the “pinch” test. Take a grain out of the pan and pinch it with your fingernail. If it’s rough and chunky, with a large white center, it’s undercooked.

1 quart chicken stock

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced onions

6 ounces Arborio rice

2 ounces dry white wine

1½ ounces grated Parmesan cheese

½ ounce crumbled Gorgonzola

½ ounce grated fontina

½ ounce grated mozzarella cheese

1. Bring stock to a simmer in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat.

To get the recipe for Garlic Asparagus, visit AcadianaProfile.com

MAIN DISH

Veal Marsala

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon cayenne

⅛ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

1¼ pounds thin veal cutlets

½ cup butter

1¼ cups Marsala wine

1. Combine flour, salt, cayenne and black pepper in a shallow dish. Mix well. Dredge veal in flour mixture, tapping off any excess. Heat butter or margarine in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry veal, two or three at a time,

2. In another saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add rice to onions and stir to coat the grains evenly. Do NOT brown. Add the wine and stir until it is completely absorbed.

4. Add the simmering stock, about 4 ounces at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until stock is absorbed before adding the next 4 ounces. Repeat until all the stock is used.

5. After 18 to 20 minutes, all the stock should be incorporated and the rice tender. Remove from heat and add remaining butter and grated cheeses. Stir until all the cheeses are completely melted. Serve immediately. Makes about 4 servings

Lafayette, nous voilà

Le bicentenaire de la paroisse de Lafayette

PAR DAVID CHERAMIE ILLUSTRATION PAR SARA WILLIA

les contributions du Français que George Washington regardait comme un fils. Âgé de seulement 19 ans au début de la Guerre d’indépendance américaine, pendant laquelle le futur premier président l’avait nommé général, Lafayette était l’héritier d’une des plus grandes fortunes de France. Il aurait pu choisir de passer ses jours tranquillement, mais il ne pouvait ignorer les cris de liberté émanant de l’autre bord de l’Atlantique, allant jusqu’à passer l’hiver glacial à Valley Forge avec ses soldats. Ses contributions étaient cruciales, surtout à la Bataille de Yorktown, considérée comme le moment où la guerre a tourné en faveur des Américains. Poussé par ce nouveau vent, Lafayette est de retour en France où il envisage d’appliquer ces nouvelles idées d’indépendance.

Un des premiers contributeurs à la Déclaration des droits de l’homme et du citoyen en 1789, malgré son titre de noblesse, Lafayette, inspiré par la lutte victorieuse des Américains face à la monarchie anglaise, œuvre pour une réforme du pouvoir politique centralisé autour du roi de France. Au moment de la Prise de la Bastille qui déclenchait la Révolution française le 14 juillet, Lafayette est commandant de la Garde nationale. Deux jours après, son premier acte officiel est d’ordonner la destruction de cette prison, symbole du despotisme. Le lendemain, il remet lui-même le nouveau symbole de la France, la cocarde tricolore bleu, blanc, rouge au roi Louis XVI, un des symboles officiels de la République encore aujourd’hui.

Alors même que les vicissitudes de la Révolution française ne lui ont pas toujours été favorables, on ne peut pas exagérer la popularité de Lafayette en Amérique. L’année suivant la création de la paroisse qui porte son nom, le Président Monroe l’a officiellement invité en tant que dernier général vivant de l’Armée continentale, alors âgé de 67 ans. Dire que son retour fut triomphant n’est guère une exagération. Quand il a débarqué à New York, 80 000 habitants l’attendaient au quai, soit 65% de la population. Pendant un peu plus d’un an, il a fait un grand tour du pays qu’il a largement contribué à fonder. Il a séjourné plusieurs jours à la Nouvelle-Orléans en avril 1825, mais il n’est malheureusement jamais venu dans la paroisse qui porte son nom illustre.

Le 17 janvier 1823, en la séparant de la paroisse de Saint-Martin, la législature louisianaise a créé la paroisse de Lafayette. Nommée en honneur de Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, « le héros des deux mondes », la paroisse célèbrera toute l’année 2023 son bicentenaire avec une série d’événements qui mettra en lumière son histoire à travers les ans et élucidera

For an English translation visit AcadianaProfile.com

La fameuse phrase, « Lafayette, nous voilà », prononcée par le Colonel Charles E. Stanton le 4 juillet 1917 devant sa tombe au cimetière Picpus, signalant l’arrivée de l’armée américaine pour aider les forces françaises dans Première guerre mondiale, rendait hommage à la particpation du Marquis à la Révolution américaine. Évoquer sa mémoire fait aussi honneur à notre dévouement à l'indépendance et à notre héritage à la fois américain et français. ■