table des matières
In Every Issue 6 Free-lancing
by trent angers
8 Nouvelles des Villes News Briefs From Around Acadiana
by lisa leblanc-berry
12 De la Cuisine Departure From Tradition
by marcelle bienvenu
16 Les Artistes Second Act
Sulphur artist Lerin Freyou reinvents old, discarted items into dazzling works of art reflective of her Acadiana roots. by will kalec
20 La Maison In the Spirit of Staycation
A total transformation results in an enduring tropical vacation zone by lisa leblanc-berry
68 Personnes d’Acadiana Small Performers, Big Talent
For Kerry Onxley, artistic director of the Children's Theatre Company of Lake Charles and Westlake High School, the show has gone on... and on, and on, and on. by will kalec
72 A la Mode Fall Fashions
by krystral cooper christen
74 Sur le Menu The Food of Love
38 68
by jan risher
78 Visiter The Best Things to See and Do
in Cajun Country compiled by judi russell
80 En Français, S’il Vous Plaît Les Allemands, ces Créoles oubliés
by david cheramie
Features 26 Unearthly Portals to the Past Exploring Louisiana's Haunted Plantations by lisa leblanc-berry
33 Tops of Acadiana Readers' survey results
writeups by will kalec
38 Best Chefs Regional excellence
by cheré coen
51 With Honors Surveys of some top area schools, plus
three teachers at the head of the class.
profiles by christopher jennings; staff survey
2
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
October/November 2014 Vol. 33 No. 6 Executive Editor Trent Angers Managing Editor Sarah Ravits Art Director Sarah George Associate Editor Melanie Warner Spencer Web Editor Kelly Massicot Editor in Chief Errol Laborde Sales Manager Rebecca Taylor (337) 298-4424 • (337) 235-7919 ext. 230 Rebecca@acadianaprofile.com Traffic Manager Erin Duhe Distribution/Newsstand Manager John Holzer Administrative Assistant Denise Dean Subscriptions Sara Kelemencky Production/Web Manager Staci McCarty Production Designers Ali Sullivan, Monique Di Pietro Director of Marketing & Events Cheryl Lemoine Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive Vice President Errol Laborde Vice President of Sales Colleen Monaghan
Renaissance Publishing LLC 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 • (877) 221-3512 128 Demanade, Suite 104, Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919 Acadiana Profile (ISSN 0001-4397) is published bimonthly by Renaissance Publishing LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 and 128 Demanade, Suite 104, Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919. Subscription rate: One year $10; Foreign Subscriptions vary. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Acadiana Profile, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2014 Renaissance Publishing LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Acadiana Profile is registered. Acadiana Profile is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Acadiana Profile are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner. www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
3
sur le web
If you can’t get enough Acadiana Profile, check out our redesigned website. With our new look, everything is easier to read on your smartphone or tablet. Flip through the issue archive, renew your subscription, or read the English translation of En Français, S’il Vous Plaît. You will also find content from all of Renaissance Publishing’s publications, including Louisiana Life and New Orleans Magazine. You can find it at AcadianaProfile.com.
For up-to-the-minute information about Acadiana events, recipes and fun photos, make sure to like Acadiana Profile on Facebook and follow @AcadianaProfile on Twitter.
Attention FestivalPlanners! Help Us Promote Your Event! Go online to AcadianaProfile. com, and click on “Submit an Event to Acadiana Profile” to let us know about festivals, shows or special events coming up in your town. Remember, the sooner we get the information, the better able we are to help you. Want to contact the Acadiana Profile staff by email? Want to see one of your events on Acadiana Profile’s Facebook page? Send feedback to Managing Editor Sarah Ravits at sarah@acadianaprofile.com.
4
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
5
freelancing
by bytrent trentangers angers
Fr. Eugene Hebert, S.J.
The Missing Missionary The disappearance of a Jesuit missionary, a South Louisiana native, remains a mystery today, nearly 25 years after he seems to have vanished from the face of the earth. Fr. Eugene John Hebert, S.J., was born in Jennings on Oct. 9, 1923, and educated in Lake Charles and Lafayette before entering the Jesuit novitiate at Grand Coteau in 1941. He was a missionary to Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka), an island-nation off the coast of India. He was assigned to one of the schools built there by the New Orleans Province of the Jesuit order. While in Ceylon he established a technical institute, a trade school, and taught what we Americans used to call “shop.” He also taught various other subjects in the classroom, coached basketball, and even established a performing band – which was quite a sensation in a place that had never before seen or heard such a thing. Fr. Hebert was well-liked by his students and by his fellow Jesuits. He was considered a peacemaker among the island’s various religious and ethnic factions – who were suspicious of and often hostile toward one another.
6
On Aug. 15, 1990, Fr. Hebert was informed of a conflict among the Tamils, Muslims, and Hindus in a village 25 miles from where he was stationed. He hopped on his motorcycle and drove to the village to try to make the peace. His efforts were fruitful and the potential violence was averted. But on his way back to his home base, he disappeared and has not been seen or heard from since. He is presumed dead and now viewed as a martyr for the cause of peace. A priest who worked with him, Fr. Claude Daly, S.J., wrote of Fr. Hebert: “He was a peacemaker. Gene never tired of telling the soldiers and police, many of whom were his good friends and who had played basketball in the schools, that only understanding and simple justice towards the families and the children not involved in the conflict could bring peace…. All three priests who died in the past two years were victims of their efforts to bring peace between all the groups.” Fr. Hebert’s story is one of about 220 brief biographies of Jesuits of the New Orleans Province that will appear in an intriguing, new book this fall. Tentatively titled Southern Jesuit Chronicles, it can be ordered in advance online at www. acadianhouse.com. By the way, Fr. Hebert’s sister, Gertrude and her husband “Red” Dumesnil, live in Lafayette. They remain very proud of Fr. Hebert’s peacemaking efforts while still missing this warm, benevolent man.
E.J.’s last act of courage In recent years we’ve heard that World War II veterans were dying at a rate of about 1,500 per day and that before too long that entire generation would be gone. The meaning of that statistic really hit home for me on August 9, when my father-in-law, E.J. Champagne Jr., passed away at age 90. As a young man, he was a soldier who fought in the Pacific Theater under Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
I’m going to miss talking with E.J. He had a great sense of humor, and we shared a strong interest in LSU sports and New Orleans Saints football. He was always there for me with understanding, empathy and even a little advice from time to time. E.J. was a welcoming father-figure and was a lot like my own father, whom I also miss being able to talk with. The notable difference between the two was that E.J. gave advice when asked, while my dad, who has been gone since 1988, gave frequent advice to me and my seven siblings whether we asked for it or not! Just a few weeks before E.J. died, I witnessed an act of courage and faith on his part that I won’t soon forget. It was a Sunday morning, and E.J. was bound and determined to go to Mass. Now, he had no business even leaving the house. He was so weak and sick that he could barely stand, even with the assistance of others. Old age, leukemia and COPD had ravaged his body and depleted his strength. Yet, there he was, seated on his walker as his grandson, Kaz Baczinskas, was buttoning his shirt, helping him to get dressed for Mass. I was afraid, as was his daughters – Cindi, Denise, Michelle and Jany – that E.J. would collapse while trying to walk to the car. But he did walk. He walked three or four steps, then he had to sit down on his walker to catch his breath. Then another three or four steps, and he sat. Finally, he got to the car, and we helped him in. We arrived at church, helped him out of the car and assisted him, a few steps at a time, as we made our way into the building. E.J. sat up straight, almost like a soldier at attention, followed the Mass closely and received Communion, as was his custom. Denise, his second-born, sat next to him and held his hand throughout the service, sensing the uniqueness of the moment: that this may be the last time her dad would be able to go to church.
E.J. Champagne Jr.
Turns out, that Mass was being celebrated for E.J.’s late wife, Paddy Richard Champagne, who had died four years earlier. The other special incentive for E.J. to make it to the church, I think, was that he saw the opportunity to set a good example, one last time, for his children and grandchildren. His heroic action spoke louder than any words could have: Going to church, spending time in a place of worship, regardless of adverse circumstances, is a good thing. It is more than worth the effort it sometimes takes to get there. E.J. always was a prayerful man, a leader and an upstanding citizen. He was a businessman who worked in real estate and insurance, a longtime city clerk of Franklin (1949-66), and for four years (1970-74) the mayor of Franklin. He was also kind and gentle and understanding, and many in the younger generations came to him for fatherly advice. He was, in every respect, a good man. And this world is a better place because he passed this way. ap
questions or comments about this column can be addressed to tcangers@cox.net
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
7
nouvelles des villes
by lisa leblanc-berry
New CD Debuts with first Symposium at Festivals Acadiens et Creole in lafayette Thanks to a $25,000 grant that was recently awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, UL at Lafayette is joining with officials of the 40th annual Festivals Acadiens et Créole (Oct. 9-12; festivalsacadiens.com) to present the first-ever symposium on Oct. 9, with a cultural conference, art exhibit and a commemorative CD featuring songs collected in 1934 during a recording trip through Acadiana by John Lomax and his son, Alan Lomax. The grant was pursued to honor the unique confluence of the 40th anniversary of the festival and the 80th anniversary
New Book in French and English Graced with a beautiful painting by the late George Rodrigue on the cover, the long-awaited Acadie Then and Now: A People’s History by Warren Perrin, Mary Broussard Perrin and Phil Comeau has arrived ($29.95 hardcover) as well as the French version, L’Acadie hier et aujourd’hui: L’histoire d’un People. The important new tome, an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Cajun roots and culture, features an international collection 8
of Alan Lomax’s visit to of 65 gripping articles on the Acadians written by 50 Cajuns living today in Louisiana, Texas, Maine, and in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec, plus the French regions of Poitou, Belle-Isle-en-Mer and St.-Pierre et Miquelon. The Louisiana launch was held at Vermilionville Sept. 28. The book lends new insights of the past, present and future of Acadian descendants from all of the Acadies of the world.
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
record Cajun musicians in south Louisiana. Seminars include "Themes of Cultural Conservation, Creolization and Modernization in the Work of Alan Lomax and Ralph Rinzler," "The History of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles" with UL professor and folklorist Barry Ancelet as keynote speaker; and “Musicians and Family Members Reflect on the Festival” with Christine Balfa, Michael Doucet, Lawrence Ardoin and Ann Savoy. The festival, featuring five live
music stages, kicks off the with the official “cutting of the boudin” during Friday night’s fais do-do. Check out the jam tent; anyone can join in the jam led by top musicians (bring your own instrument). The Visions of Tradition: 40 Years of Festivals Acadiens et Creoles exhibit at the Paul & Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum is on view until Oct. 12.
Festivals abound throughout acadiana Aside from Festivals Acadiens et Créole, some of the best (and tastiest) of Louisiana’s 400 annual festivals are held in October and November. This includes Rouge et Blanc, Southwest Louisiana’s premier wine event and fest, held Oct. 11 under the stately oaks of downtown Lake Charles, featuring numerous wine dinners and seminars during the week preceding the big event. The inaugural La Fete des Vieux Temps (Festival of Old Times) in Raceland Oct. 3-5 brings back La Vie Lafourchaise and Sauce Piquante. New Iberia’s annual Shadows-onthe-Teche Arts and Crafts Festival Oct. 4 and the World Championship Gumbo CookOff with gobs of great gumbo enliven New Iberia Oct. 11-12. The Louisiana Cotton Festival in Ville Platte now runs in
nouvelles des villes
conjunction with the Tournoi Oct. 7-12. The Louisiana Cattle Festival in Abbeville Oct. 10-12 features two fais do-dos and dancing in the streets plus a beef cook-off. The 43rd Annual Louisiana Gumbo Festival Oct. 17-19 in Thibodaux features some of the best cooks in Louisiana. The Acadiana Center for the Arts presents Gulf Brew on Oct. 18 at Parc International in Lafayette. The International Rice Festival Oct. 16-19 in Crowley includes a classic car show and Creole cookery contest. Five-thousand eggs are cracked into a huge skillet in front of the courthouse at the Giant Omelette Celebration in Abbeville Nov. 1-2, while the Thibodauxville Fall Festival
10
Nov. 8 features a zany duck race along the bayou. The Bayou Beer Fest Nov. 15 at Southdown Plantation in Houma showcases numerous Louisiana breweries. The Cajun Christmas Bayou Parade Nov. 30 in the crawfish capital of Breaux Bridge kicks off Acadiana’s holiday season.
Buried Treasure in Jeanerette Something was buried on the grounds of the Jeanerette Museum 10 years ago, and the time capsule will be unearthed on Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. during “Yesterday’s Tomorrow’s: Uncovering the Past.” Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue will perform Western swing and rockability classics
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
for the occasion. The museum features an exhibition that showcases 200 years of the sugarcane industry, plus a swamp room with over 40 native specimens of natural wildlife. Information, jeanerettemuseum.com.
morgan city unveils new welcome center The new Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau Welcome and Interpretive Center recently opened in Morgan City. The $3.8 million, year-long project resulted in a 16,000-squarefoot facility with a picturesque view of the wetlands. It houses the new visitors’ center, in addition to new main offices for the Cajun Coast VCB. Information, cajuncoast.com.
Jobs Coming Enquero, Inc. selected Lafayette as the site for their first Agile Development Center. At least 350 new direct jobs and as many indirect jobs will be created, totaling 700 in the Acadiana region. It will network with Enquero's AgilityStudios in Silicon Valley to deliver high impact business solutions with software products and services. As tenants of the Opportunity Machine, a Lafayette business incubator, the center is able to connect with Computer Science and Informatics students of UL at Lafayette. The company announced plans to enhance programs in the curricula and recruit interns and apprentices from UL. Information, enquero.com. ap
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
11
OYSTERS MOSCA
de la cuisine
12
October/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
Departure From Tradition A seafood holiday menu By Marcelle Bienvenu | Photographed by eugenia uhl
My mother's holiday menu for both Thanksgiving and Christmas rarely varied. She ordered her hindquarter (the cut that is usually reserved for making ham or prosciutto) at least a week before each holiday. She was very specific (the shin/ leg bone was to be trimmed off) and made sure the butcher understood what she wanted. If my father and brothers brought home mallards or specklebellies during their Thanksgiving week hunt, the birds took the place of Tom Turkey. Sides included rice dressing to which she added oysters; chicken/oyster patties; rum-glazed sweet potatoes; broccoli au gratin; green bean bundles and spinach Madeleine. The dessert table was laden with Aunt Eva's mile-high coconut cake, Aunt Grace's apple cake and various fudges and pralines. The year after Mama passed away, my siblings and I made sure we followed her menu. But several years later, Baby Brother Bruce suggested that for Thanksgiving we have an all-seafood menu but keep the traditional Christmas dinner the same.
We went for it. The first year we ordered a sack of oysters. It was a cold, damp winter's day but we gathered on the covered patio at Baby Brother Bruce's. Freshly shucked oysters were washed down with cocktail sauce and ice-cold beer. Then we went on to fried oysters with tart tartar sauce. That was followed by oysters Rockefeller and Bienville and Mama's oyster soup. There was enough to make a batch of Mosca's oyster pan roast. Dessert? Papa's favorite after a seafood meal: lemon pie. The next year we planned a little better. We began hoarding summer-caught shrimp in our freezers to use for shrimp stew, ordered only a half-sack of oysters and added steamed lobsters to our menu. Each year, we try something different and now we have our very own Thanksgiving tradition. We laugh that we don't have to deal with leftovers – there is only so much one can do with leftover turkey, rice dressing and casseroles. Perhaps you might like a change of pace. Here are some of our recipes we have in our seafood-only repertoire.
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
13
de la cuisine
My Oysters Mosca
O YSTERS B I E N V I L L E
M A K ES 4 SERV I N G S
This is made in a small casserole pan but can be adapted to put in oyster shells or small ramekins. 2 dozen raw oysters, shucked ½ stick butter 4 chopped shallots 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 8 artichoke hearts; mashed Salt and cayenne to taste ½ cup Italian style bread crumbs Freshly grated Parmesan cheese Arrange oysters in a single layer in a baking dish. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until they are just soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and season with salt and cayenne. Spoon the mixture over the oysters and top with mashed artichokes. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees until the cheese melts, 10 to 15 minutes.
M A K ES 4 SERV I N G S
Rock salt 2 dozen oysters, shucked, with all their liquor and the deeper halves of their shells reserved 1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 ½ pounds fresh white mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and chopped 6 slices bacon, chopped ½ cup chopped green onions ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 4 tablespoons butter 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup white wine 2 cups milk ¼ cup fresh lemon juice 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne 1 teaspoon salt 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread rock salt to a depth of about ½ inch in four 9-inch pie pans. M A K ES 6 t o 8 SERV I N G S Arrange the pans on two large baking sheets and put 3 tablespoons vegetable oil them in the oven to heat the salt while you prepare 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour the oysters. Drain oysters and reserve 1½ cups of the 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onions liquor. If there is less than this amount, add enough 1 quart boiling water (if you prefer a water to make it that amount. Set the oysters and heartier soup, use 1 quart warm milk) liquor aside. Scrub oyster shells well with a brush 4 dozen freshly shucked oysters, and rinse in hot water. Dry and set aside. drained and oyster liquor reserved Put shrimp, mushrooms, bacon, green onions, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves parsley and garlic in a food processor and pulse once 3 tablespoons butter or twice to blend. Do not puree. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Heat butter in a large, heavy pot over medium Combine oil and flour in a large, heavy pot over heat. Add the shrimp mixture and stirring often, cook medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly, make until almost all the liquid in the pan evaporates, 4 a light brown roux. Add onions and cook, stirring, to 5 minutes. Add flour and mix well. Then, stirring until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Combine water (or milk) constantly, gradually pour in the wine, milk and the with the reserved oyster liquor and add slowly to the oyster liquor. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. roux mixture, stirring constantly. The mixture will Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. thicken slightly. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes. cayenne and salt. Beat in egg yolks, mixing well. Add oysters, parsley, and butter and simmer until the Arrange six oyster shells over the rock salt in edges of the oysters curl. Remove from heat. Serve each of the pans and place an oyster in each shell. warm with crackers or hot French bread. Spoon the sauce equally over the oysters. Bake until the sauce is bubbly and oysters begin to curl at the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot.
O YSTER S O U P
14
October/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
S H R I M P STE W M A K ES 6 t o 8 SERV I N G S
1 ½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (heads and shells reserved) ½ cup vegetable oil ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 ¼ cup chopped onions ½ cup chopped bell peppers ¾ cup chopped celery 2 bay leaves Salt and cayenne to taste 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage (optional) 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves Cooked rice for serving Put the heads and shells of shrimp in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine oil and flour in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly, make a medium-dark (color of peanut butter) roux. Add the onions, bell peppers and celery, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add bay leaves. Strain the shrimp stock. You should have 4 to 5 cups of stock. Add enough water to make 6 cups. Add to the roux mixture, and stir to blend. Season with salt and cayenne. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. Add lump crabmeat and shrimp, and gently stir so as not to break up the crabmeat. Cook for 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat, and add parsley. Serve hot with rice in bowls. ap
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
15
les artistes
Second Act Sulphur artist Lerin Freyou reinvents old, discarded items into dazzling works of art reflective of her Acadiana roots. BY WILL KALEC The artistic vision, at its genesis, isn’t so much a vision for Lerin Freyou as it is a scent. And sometimes, it stinks. For those who live or frequent Calcasieu Parish regularly, it’s likely you’ve seen Freyou’s magnificent, unmistakable pieces around the area. A redfish on pallet boards. A street scene capsulized on an old front door, 16
brass knob intact. Speckled trout swimming on the glass of an abandoned window pain. They’re scattered about Sulphur and Lake Charles, hanging in a multitude of storefronts or office waiting rooms – pristine conversation starters, unique in their application, relatable in their message and beautiful by their completion.
October/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
Getting to that point, though, is a tad messy. Freyou, like a lot of regional artists, leans heavily upon the crutch of local splendor when picking subject matter for her paintings. Where she separates herself from this crowded talent pool is the material she paints upon, and where she gets it – basically anywhere. “I can only imagine what people are thinking right now: 'Oh, my God! That’s so tacky!’ I hate to say it, but that’s what we do,” Freyou says. “We take stuff we find on the side of the road or stuck in the mud. I’m proud to say I’m always bringing home crap.
photographs by romero & romero
“My dad always said we were born with the scavenger gene,” Freyou continues. “It’s not like I’m making it an extreme sport or anything. But I’ll pick up stuff until I don’t have space anymore. One man’s trash can be my treasure.” So Freyou rummages through flea markets, garage sales, recycling bins, places like that? “Yeah, and I’ve been known to dumpster dive now and then,” Freyou says with a laugh. “You try and have a little pride about it, so you wait when there aren’t a lot of people around. But giving things a second life, it just brings out so much more character.” She’s known as “The Fish Lady,” in art circles for the preponderance of fish that
appear in her paintings. It’s a fitting moniker, Freyou says, one she takes pride in, just like the adventurous mediums she paints upon. Anyone can pretty-up a blank canvas, she reasons. White. Smooth. Even. Where’s the challenge in that? Try a dented garbage can lid, or plaster slabs, or misshapen slices of scrap metal. For Freyou, the “process” begins will before she lifts a brush. “There’s always been some creativeness flowing through my blood since I was born,” “My father was a construction worker, so building and assembling is a part of me. It’s a creative spirit. We didn’t have a whole lot growing up, so we were always trying to make normal things into more than what
they were. A lot of refurbishing, sewing, crafts – making something old new again. “I think people who grew up with that mindset appreciate that rustic feel, the mentality of being fortunate for what you got.” Art – while always a part of her life – was never Freyou’s focus until recently. When she was younger, Freyou painted hearts, unicorns and whatever else young girls doodle onto miscellaneous items her father brought home from the job site. Her dream was to be a dietician, not a painter. Once Freyou had kids, she reconnected with art, setting up a Spartan art studio in the nursery. That’s where she spends her few unspoken for moments, playing with colors on differ-
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
17
les artistes
ent surfaces. In 2009, Freyou completed what she calls her first “real” piece – a redfish painted upon old pallet boards arranged to look like a shutter. “It was always an outlet – a stress relief, nothing more,” she says. “But people kept commenting on it. ‘Hey, you should get this on a wall somewhere. It’s high-quality.’ And so I sold a couple pieces to local businesses, and it kind of just took off from there like, Wow, I guess you can make a little business out of something like this.’” Part of Freyou’s appeal is the shared experiences both she and her audience share. Her paintings aren’t abstract. There’s no mystery in the subject matter, no puzzle to solve, no underlying message. It’s just snapshots of a typical childhood – weekend family trips to New Orleans, fishing on Bundicks Lake in DeRidder, begging your parents to keep a stray for a pet – captured on once-unwanted throw-away items. “I was that squirmy little kid in the fishing boat not wanting to sit still,” Freyou says. “Your parents drag you out there – it’s a part of growing up. It’s a rite of passage down here. Everyone has a little-kid fishing memory. It seems terrible at the moment, but you looked back and it’s the best time ever. So that’s motivation to paint. “There’s inspiration everywhere around here, so you don’t have to look far,” she continues. “You got swamps, animals, bayous, festivals. It doesn’t always have to be complicated. It can be as simple as painting stuff that I like to look at.” ap 18
October/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
la maison
In the Spirit of Staycation A total transformation results in an enduring tropical vacation zone By Lisa leblanc–berry | Photographed by chad chenier
This page The casually appointed party house, located across from the guest house and the main house, is one large room
with antique cypress beams, travertine flooring and sliding doors overlooking the pool. It is connected to a full kitchen with a bar area and a separate entertainment nook for children. Facing page, Left A custom antique leaded glass transom frames the doorway from the butler’s pantry to the dining room in the main house, appointed with draperies by Window Impressions, a hand-knotted rug from Cyrus Oriental Rugs and décor from Albarado’s Fine Furnishings. Right The airy sun room (the owner’s favorite place to relax) overlooks the pool and shares a two-sided fireplace with the living room.
20
October/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
When acclaimed Lafayette architect Allen Bacqué was asked to update a modest home situated on several acres in St. Landry Parish, the project took on a life of its own. “We were designing the house as we built it,” he says. “The couple wanted me to create a tropical retreat in the backyard at a beautiful property that slopes down from high ground on the Couteau Ridge to the woods. The plan was to tackle the back yard before re-doing the house. But as the design and construction moved along, we found out that the slab for the house was crooked; the foundation was substandard. So we had to tear the house down. The original house was a rather non-descript, little 1950s place with 8-foot ceilings.” The total transformation during the tropically inspired metamorphosis resulted in the owners embracing new concepts, which included the construction of a stunning new 10,400-square-foot home with 14-foot ceilings and several
outbuildings that emulate a five-star Caribbean resort. This included a new 1,040 square-foot guest house with an inviting screened porch and a 1,070 square-foot pool house with a covered porch known as the “party house,” plus a copper-roof tiki bar, complete with a full kitchen, ceiling fans, a flat screen and a gas grill. “They are very busy, and they don’t get much time off. So the idea was to create a true resort experience that the whole family, including their children and grandchildren, could enjoy,” Bacqué says. The multi-million dollar project also included replacing the old pool with a far better one flanked by two hot tubs and a custom fire pit. Other additions included installing a cutting-edge audio-video system throughout the complex, two game rooms, a home gym, media room and a state-of-the-art home theatre. “They have a six-foot-tall rack of equipment you could probably run a
business out of,” Bacqué notes. “There are cameras all around the place. Each person in the house has their own TV box for their own channels. You can sit at your TV and have six views of the swimming pool. There’s a carousel that holds over 300 movies and it’s all linked to the Internet. “The movie room has a giant highdefinition monitor and sound system that will rock the nails out of the wall boards. They wanted it to be a true movie experience, and it is. It’s very sophisticated, from Audio Video Innovators in Lafayette. There’s a little bar area and nine gigantic leather recliner seats. Several of them are double so you can snuggle.” Always on-call, the owners were seeking a reprieve from their continually busy daily routines, as well as the logistical toll of travel that involves gathering around the calendar to block out family vacation time with the new house and pool area they asked Bacqué to create for them.
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
21
la maison
“As the design and construction moved along, we built the party house and pool with all sandstone decks. When the land slopes down further, we used Ipe, an untreated Brazilian hardwood that lasts. We put it around as the deck for the tiki bar. It allowed us to work around an existing live oak tree.” Three times harder than cedar, Ipe has the same fire rating as concrete and steel. “They came to me with only two pictures. Both were of the back of a house overlooking a swimming pool with a view of a house, with a bar right by the pool, that’s all they brought, nothing else. But these pictures look nothing like what we ended up building.” Bacqué and his team, including Opelousas builder Easton Stelly of BoMac Builders, interior designer Michelle Dupree (Associate IIDA) of MSBS in Lafayette, Muller Lighting in Opelousas, sculptor Russell Whiting of Breaux Bridge, Whoojoo Glass, Evangeline Galleries, Window Impressions and Randy LeBlanc of Metal Head in Lafay22
ette installed custom flourishes throughout including intricate moldings measuring 18 X 12-inches, stained glass transoms, fanciful railings and skylights that Bacqué designed. A courtyard was created to feature an elaborate bronze fountain the owners purchased while traveling. It is located near the new two-story, three-car garage that contains a home gym with vaulted ceilings on the second floor. A stairwell leads from the main house to the second floor of the garage and plush home theatre. Bacqué designed the Art Deco wall sconces with wrought iron frames in the theater and installed a stained-glass side door with a Lord of the Rings window above. The team used polished travertine flooring and Venetian plaster throughout the main house and party house, installed intricate original stained-glass creations
and fashioned original metal designs from the front door to the stair railings. Renowned sculptor Russell Whiting was commissioned to create a newel post to support the entrance stairway. “I was very impressed by how Russell carved a standing female figure out of a solid block of 8-foot by 12-foot iron. He carved it with a metal torch that carves with a curved flame. He’s probably the only person in the world who does this,” Bacqué says. “We took the unit he built over to Metal Head where Randy was working on the custom railing.” “The owner wanted an LSU logo on the bottom of the pool,” says Dupree, so we accomplished this with mosaic tiles. “We had the contractor make a cover for the fire pit, so it can be used as a table when it’s not cold outside. Allen
Left Bacqué designed a skylight above the granite-topped kitchen peninsula, and installed warm lighting for evenings. “I always try to bring in natural light from three sides, but since the kitchen is located in the middle of the house, I brought in the third light element with a skylight.” Right Bacqué created the filigree iron design for front door and transom, which was then fashioned by Metal Head.
October/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
23
la maison
designed the beautiful iron and glass entry door and transoms. The owner really wanted a stunning entry, so we installed a medallion in the travertine floor.” The outdoor foyer features antique wooden beams and an intricate ceramic tile ceiling. “It has kind of a Central American feel to the entry,” Bacqué says. “The idea was to create a home to fit they way they wanted to live, rather than follow any particular architectural style,” says Bacqué. “My favorite part of the house is that there are beautiful finishes everywhere. The main thing is that they love their house. Not much else matters to me when I design something. My job is to fulfill the owners’ wants and dreams to the best of my ability. I think I hit this one out of the park.” ap
Top Because the owners are big fans, an LSU logo in mosaic tile was installed at the bottom of the pool. The backyard contains several outbuildings including a party/pool house and a two-bedroom guest house, sloping down to a tropical tiki bar with a flat-screen TV, full kitchen and gas grill. Bottom The courtyard features an intricate bronze fountain near a three-car garage with a home gym and theater on the second floor.
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
25
Unearthly Portals to the Past Exploring the haunting beauty, spectral shadows and wandering souls of Louisiana’s storied plantations By Lisa LeBlanc-Berry | Photographs by Sara Essex Bradley 26
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
Thunderclouds raging through a starless black sky cloaked the full corn moon as we approached St. Francisville. The two-mile-long town of 1,800 residents in West Feliciana Parish lies on a narrow, loessal ridge created by the dust storms of the last glacial period. It began as a cemetery for a nearby monastery in the 1700s and claims to have more ghost-ridden plantations than any other Southern city. Seven plantations are located within 12 miles of town. Oakley (oakleyplantation.com) is famed for naturalist John James Audubon’s prolific yet brief sojourn while illustrating 32 of his Birds of America works in 1821. The 374-acre, circa 1835 Rosedown (rosedownplantationhomee.com), flanked by a 660-foot-long allée of live oaks and latticed summer houses, has 28 acres of formal gardens. Young William Turnbull, who drowned in the Mississippi in 1856, was the eldest son of owners Martha and Daniel Turnbull (one of the richest men in America and the owner of 445 slaves). Docents say Williams’ pranks from beyond the grave include turning lights on and moving furniture. Spirits are largely reported in the historic mansions, rather than in the newly constructed guesthouses and outbuildings that have come along. Paranormal experts suggest touring the plantations in the fall to observe optimal activity, especially around All Saints Day.
The 218-year-old Myrtles Plantation (myrtlesplantation.com) is an outstanding example of the expanded raised cottage and is adorned with a 120-foot-long gallery supported by cast-iron railings of elaborate grape-cluster design. However, few visit the Myrtles to observe its architecture. We searched for the mysterious Myrtles Plantation, where at least 10 homicides have occurred, in the dark, shadowy outskirts of town as the sky unleashed its hammering rain. Our alarming overnight stay in a room with a view at “one of America’s most haunted houses” preceded the plantation’s devastating twilight fire in mid-August, when hell was unleashed.
Up In Smoke The sudden blaze that blew up a hot water heater rapidly ravaged the oldest building on the plantation, which housed a gift shop, breakfast quarters, laundry and offices with decades of historic files, including thousands of postcards of a slave who died there and haunts the place. Remarkably, the Myrtles mansion, located just 7 feet and 10 inches away from the 220-year-old original structure where owner “Whiskey Dave” lived while building the big house, remained unscathed. The two buildings are connected by an old wooden breezeway.
“The fire was licking out of the windows,” says owner Teeta Moss, who purchased the Myrtles with her husband, John, in 1992. “Of course, I didn’t believe in ghosts when we bought it. We thought it was just an advertising gimmick.” But all of that changed within the first few weeks. Teeta began to hear voices. One saved the life of her youngest child. “I was folding napkins in the restaurant. The baby was taking his morning nap in the big house. A raspy voice sounding like Lauren Bacall whispered, ‘Watch the baby. Watch the baby.’ And then a howling, ‘WATCH THE BABY. WATCH THE BABY!’ “Terribly shaken, I jumped up, started walking to the house and couldn’t believe what I saw. My 10-month-old baby was toddling really fast, a few feet toward the pond. He had somehow gotten out of the tall iron bars surrounding the master bedroom, opened the very heavy locked front door and raced through the field. Walking? As I ran to pick him up, I felt something like a fuzzy blanket
Left Josephine Roman’s haunting entity appears on Oak Alley’s widow’s walk, where she searched for her husband’s boat in the 1830s. Top left The Myrtles’ 1790s mirror (with reappearing handprints) is believed to hold the trapped, angry spirit of Sarah Woodruff (Mrs. Clarke). She was poisoned by slave Chloe, Clarke’s reluctant mistress. Top right The disturbing thuds of William Winter occur at night on the porch where he was killed in 1871.
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
27
or cloth wrap around my shoulders. The same raspy voice whispered, ‘I won’t let your children be harmed here.’ That’s how it all started.” John and Teeta eventually moved out of the mansion and built a house nearby. After the August gift shop fire, Teeta says, “The state inspector, fire marshal and insurance inspector said it was literally impossible that the mansion didn’t catch fire. It would have all gone down in flames in an hour. It was filled with overnight guests! I don’t know if it was a ghost or a guardian angel. Strangely, the front of the gift shop facing the courtyard was untouched. That’s where Chloe appears in photos, standing right there in the breezeway.”
Some say that the plantations along the Mississippi River, built on the backs of thousands of slaves who suffered and toiled to provide sugar for the white landowners, are haunted with their restless spirits. Others assert that the ghosts of fallen Confederate soldiers, brutal slave masters, genteel planters and spectral children roam the mansions. Name a plantation in Louisiana, and you can be sure there are ghosts involved. Before the Civil War, some 350 mansions lined the 100-mile stretch of the mighty river between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, considered the wealthiest area in America. Many fortunes were made in sugarcane first brought from St. Domingue to
I always thought ghost stories were utter nonsense. It was only after we moved into our 19th-century house in Uptown New Orleans that I developed an interest. The former owner warned me of “two active spirits, a lady who cries on the upstairs balcony and an angry spirit in the basement.” She, too, was a non-believer until things got to the point, and with such frequency, that she hired paranormal investigators who documented profound activity. Shortly after we moved in, bedroom door handles jiggled, then turned and the doors opened slowly by themselves, lights shone underneath the floorboard cracks from a darkened basement, and traveled just under our bare feet, as we walked
Shortly after we moved in, bedroom door handles jiggled, then turned and the doors opened slowly by themselves... The spectral slave girl, Chloe, whose image has repeatedly been captured on film, was hanged from a tree as punishment for making a poison birthday cake after the master cut off one of her ears for eavesdropping. The cake killed two of his children, who are said to also roam the grounds. “Lloyds of London asked that I take pictures after we bought the property,” Teeta explains. “So I got a disposable camera. Of course, I didn’t see anyone there when I snapped the breezeway shot. They contacted me after they developed the film, and asked about the girl in the picture, a shadowy figure. Not long after that, National Geographic came to investigate.” The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, an Oprah crew and dozens of other media followed. During the Myrtles Halloween tours each weekend in October, chilling stories of wandering spirits always attract big crowds. Visitors are also drawn to a nearby prison rodeo each Sunday in October that includes wild horse riding and convict poker with bulls chasing inmates. Twenty-two miles down the road from St. Francisville is Angola, the nation’s largest maximum-security prison, built on the site of a slave plantation and named for the homeland of the slaves who used to work its fields. Between 1719 and 1732, nearly 6,000 men, women and children were carried into slavery from Africa to Louisiana. As the slave trade expanded, fortunes were made in cotton and sugarcane.
28
south Louisiana in 1751 by French Jesuits. Of the surviving mansions, what remains is one of the largest concentrations of antebellum plantations in the U.S. Two of these architectural gems were investigated by the International Society for Paranormal research. The ISPR teams recorded footsteps and captured several adult and children entities on their thermal cams at Oak Alley (oakalleyplantation.com), which is unsurpassed for its breath-taking double row of live oaks, and San Francisco (sanfranciscoplantation.org), known for its six different architectural styles. After an extensive renovation, it reopened for tours in September..
The Spirits Unleashed When we finally arrived at the Myrtles mansion, long branches were snapping in the swirling wind at the close of the storm. We were led up to the Fannie Williams room on the second floor. At 10 p.m., it was dead quiet – until we locked our door. From a spectral howling cat scratching at our door all night (it was never there each time we opened it, until 4 a.m.) to the shadowy, opaque female figure running to and fro under our window and the muffled voices of a man and woman arguing and throwing things in the guest room adjoined to ours (the room was empty, the door, open), we didn’t get much sleep that night. My daughter wanted to leave before breakfast.
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
down the hall at night when the lights were off (something we didn’t admit to each other until months later), objects flying off shelves and my young daughter taking me by the hand and pointing to the “nice lady” in her empty room finally convinced me to pay attention.
Slaves and Baby Dolls It’s been said that wandering spirits actively roam Evergreen in Edgard (evergreenplantation.org), where the chilling sight of 22 virtually intact slave cabins rising from the morning mist face each other on a dirt road near the “big house.” Spectral beings are also reported at the nearby 2,500-acre St. Joseph and its sister plantation, Felicity in Vacherie (stjosephplantation.com) which is one of the few fully operating sugar plantations in Louisiana. Activity has also been seen around Magnolia Lane Plantation (search for Magnolia Lane Plantation on Facebook) in Nine Mile Point in Westwego.
Top left and right The double row of original slave cabins shaded by an alley of oaks at Evergreen plantation (with 37 buildings on the National Historic Register) stands as a chilling monument to the hardships endured. The Old South was brought back to life during the filming of Django Unchained (2012) which depicts the brutality of slavery. Bottom left and right The house built in 1832-1836 by Jacques and Josephine Roman would later become known as Oak Alley for its canopy of 28 oak trees planted in the 1690s, a theme repeated in the home’s 28 Doric columns. Interview with the Vampire (1994; Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise) and the plantation’s notorious ghosts personify its other-worldly intrigue.
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
29
Scenes from 12 Years a Slave, the historical drama produced by Brad Pitt that won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Picture were filmed at these plantations. A jarring scene was shot in the shadow of a huge 350-year-old “hanging tree” at Magnolia, which towers over the unmarked graves of slaves who were hanged from its branches in the 19th century. “Just out of respect, we said a few words before we started shooting here,” director Steve McQueen told the Los Angeles Times. Jane Landry, house manager of Oak Alley since 1996, has seen numerous spirits at the plantation. “The latest thing just happened. I went upstairs to reset the alarm in the master bedroom, because it was showing motion,” she says. “I was with my assistant, Beth. I went to close the French doors. At the same time, a gentleman wearing a khaki jacket went to turn the knob. At the other end of the room near the other door, Beth saw a man dressed in a black jacket, leaning on a cane. And then, we hear them calling our names. They all know our names. Beth whispered, ‘Jane, let’s go!!’ We called the security company to reset the system. But it continued to show motion for four days.” Landry experienced modest paranormal activities while working at Shadows-on-the-Teche (shadowsontheteche.org) in New Iberia and also at the Joseph Jefferson Mansion (ripvanwinklegardens.com), near Rip Van Winkle Gardens at Jefferson Island. “I would hear a woman weeping upstairs after closing up. It grew louder and louder until I just left.” At Houmas House (houmashouse.com), known as the “Crown Jewel of River Road,” ghost hunters are among the many who have reported active spirits at the stunning Greek Revival mansion situated on 38 lush acres of gardens with more than 1 million plants in Darrow. Several elaborate outbuildings, including the luxury overnight accommodations and the stunning new Carriage House, attract at least two bridal parties each week. “We have a huge wedding in November with a seated dinner for 420,” says owner/preservationist Kevin Kelly, who lives in the mansion. Shortly after he bought the plantation in 2003, construction workers claim they spotted – on mul-
30
tiple occasions – a small phantom girl with dark eyes, clad in a blue dress, on a staircase. Another spectral petite fille has recently surfaced due to the return of some old doll cloths. In 1810, Gen. Wade Hampton purchased the property and began construction of the mansion. “We had a little doll in
the children’s bedroom at Houmas House,” says Kelly. “The Hampton family had just sent us some items including Wade Hampton’s granddaughter’s doll clothes, for the collection. The package had arrived just that day. “A paranormal expert came to interview us for a story,” he continues. “She made contact with a little girl ghost, who told the woman that these were her doll’s clothes that had arrived and asked her to thank me for them. The child also said that she’d like to ask me to play hide-and-seek but she was kind of afraid of me.” After communicating with the child, the paranormal investigator looked inside the pocket of the doll’s clothing. There was a handkerchief inside. It
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
had the girl’s birthday sewn on. “It was the right date,” Kelly remarks. “May 20, 1850.” “I never see the ghosts,” he says. “But Jim Blanchard, who lives on the third floor, sees it all. One night, he awoke when something grabbed him by the throat and was strangling him. The woman in the next room reported seeing a pale lady lying in the bed next to her. Before I go to bed, I always put out three drinks, one for me, and two for the ghosts. But I end up drinking all three!” When visiting Houmas House, instead of supernatural encounters, I’ve had culinary encounters of the gourmet kind, particularly at Latil’s Landing, nestled in the original French house built in 1773. Last time, we began at dusk with refreshing juleps at the breezy Turtle Bar inside one of the twin garconierres. While taking a stroll under wisps of Spanish moss, I imagined all the forgotten faces that experienced grand wealth and poverty, war and brutality, romance and lost love 150 years ago. Some of them aren’t leaving, for whatever reason, preferring to wander in the mist, in the shadows. A woman in antebellum dress with a booming, soulful voice began singing a cappella as the fire cast a glow on our clinking wine glasses and Limoges china. Stories about wrathful spirits beyond the grave faded away under the spell of rabbit gumbo, night-blooming jasmine, sweet magnolias and the ceaseless songs of the Old South. Left Young female spirits have appeared on the free-standing, three-story helix staircase that follows the curvature of an adjacent wall in Houmas House, known as the “Sugar Palace.” It was once the largest sugar producer in America with over 300,000 acres. (Top): Films and TV productions have included Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964; Bette Davis depicting an aging Southern belle descending into madness), Mandingo (1975; based on an abused male slave used for breeding and prize-fighting); A Woman Called Moses (1978; Cicely Tyson, portraying an escaped slave) and Revenge of the Bridesmaids (2010; Raven-Symoné); appropriate, since elaborate weddings are held here. The restored belvedere that crowns the luxurious eight-bedroom house complements the mansion’s faux marble exterior. Bottom left Kevin Kelly purchased many antiques related to the mansion’s history and created an ethereal infant’s nook. Bottom right Ghostly grande dames are often seen wandering around the mansion in the golden late-afternoon sunlight.
32
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
33
Work in the culinary arts sometimes requires extensive traveling to perfect a craft or to move up in the kitchen hierarchy. Many of Acadiana’s chefs, for instance, hail from other regions of the country, sometimes other parts of the world. The following are several chefs who now call Acadiana home, bringing new culinary trends into the region, or incorporating Louisiana ingredients and culinary styles into their expertise. by CherÊ Coen | photos by Romero & Romero
38
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
food shown by chef minh lee of spahrs seafood p. 48 www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
39
chef william foltz The son of a military man, Chef William Foltz lived in five different states by the time he turned 5. Even though his parents settled down in his youth, he eventually joined the “culinary military” and began moving again, mostly around the South. He landed at L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles five years ago and oversees a staff of 15 as executive pastry chef. The challenge of multiple culinary venues and a family-friendly town appealed to Foltz. “I checked it out and thought this would be a great place to raise a family,” Foltz says of the area. Last summer Foltz and L’Auberge Baton Rouge pastry chef Arlety Estévez won three categories at Pastry Live’s 2013 National Showpiece Championship in Atlanta, taking home the top awards for Best Artistry, Best Sugar Showpiece and Competitor’s Choice Award. But Foltz is no stranger to competition. He participated in the U.S. Pastry Competition for seven years, earning Pastry Chef of the Year in 2006. He also competed in team championships in Las Vegas in 2003 and 2009. His finest hour was being named “Best Sugar in the World” at the 2011 World Pastry Cup in Lyon, France, competing against 24 countries. To compete takes tremendous preparation, including taking classes in color, shapes and special ingredients such as ice. For the Atlanta contest, both chefs had seven hours to create their entries – on the spot. “There’s so much to get you there,” he says. “You’re so immersed in it, for like a year and a half. You almost need counseling when you’re done.”
40 october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com 40
Foltz oversees a team of bakers and pastry
“I’m a peanut butter and jelly guy,” he says,
keeps his brain fresh, he says. At Christmastime,
cooks who provide desserts for L’Auberge’s eight
adding that his customers love the look of fancy
for instance, Foltz builds a massive gingerbread
restaurants, room service, conferences and spe-
pastries but want flavors they knew in their youth.
house that’s nine feet high with 36 square feet
cial events. Some of his creations are intricately
“[My creations] are simple pastries that look really
inside. Because he loves the challenge of sugar
designed, but Foltz insists he’s a simple guy
nice – colorful little soldiers lined up in the case.”
creation, Foltz insists he will be doing the house
underneath.
Creating new items for different customers
again this year, but “taking it up a notch.”
L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. Lauberge, Lake Charles llakecharles.com
chef zee baloch Chef Zee Baloch is the great American success story. He and his family left Pakistan in the 1970s for New York City, where Baloch studied criminal justice during the day while working in restaurants and as a DJ at night. His jobs ranged from dishwater to maitre’d and cook, even spinning turntables at Michael Jordan’s club. He was introduced to Louisiana food and culture while visiting a brother in Lafayette, and appreciated the South Louisiana lifestyle where good food was essential to life and large families gathered for meals. He moved to Cajun Country and opened Hot Food Express in 2002, a small restaurant and takeout business on Cameron Street that specializes in lightly seasoned and fried Louisiana seafood – he adamantly buys local seafood – and dishes Baloch calls “Southasian” with a Cajun touch. Word quickly got around about Hot Food Express, and the business took off. Baloch moved the establishment into a 5,500-square-foot building next door, complete with massive cold storage for daily seafood shipments. Last year, Baloch opened a second location in downtown Lafayette, renovating the old Ballroom event space that seats 1,000 and creating a “Club Z” that serves his trademark dishes while offering a music and event venue. In both locations, Baloch says he hopes to build bridges, whether by incorporating international foods with Cajun and Creole flair, such as curry fried rice and Southeast ginger chicken, or providing a concert venue where “people from different walks of life find
42 october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com 42
grilled chicken over shrimpfried rice
grilled crawfish tails over garden vegetables
common ground and establish friendships, a
For a newcomer to both America and
come true, if we only wish hard enough. You
place where we can find inspiration, solace
Louisiana, Baloch has followed the dream and
can have anything in life if you will sacrifice
and a renewed expression of the unique and
joined the joie de vivre and done good by it.
everything else for it.”
joyous nature of The Party,” he says.
He recently posted on Facebook, “Dreams do
For Baloch, the dream has arrived.
Hot Food Express 3013 Cameron St., Lafayette hotfoodexpress.com
chef scott mccue The display cases at Cypress Bayou Casino in Charenton are filled with culinary accolades, awards collected throughout South Louisiana by executive chef Scott McCue. The Tucson, Arizona native arrived in the Bayou State 18 years ago to helm the casino’s fine dining restaurant, Mr. Lester’s Steakhouse, after working in various upscale restaurants and resorts. He spent 12 years heading up the award-winning restaurant’s kitchen and now oversees the casino’s entire culinary operations which consist of six restaurants, a banquet kitchen, butcher shop, bread bakery and pastry creations –eight kitchens in all. This past year, McCue was the only Acadiana chef featured at the Louisiana Seafood Cook-off held in May in New Orleans. He didn’t win the annual event where competing chefs have only an hour to cook one dish where the primary ingredients must be seafood, but was thrilled to be able to serve up a special entree. McCue pan-seared Gulf grouper and topped the fish with a lemon and caper sauce, then garnished the dish with rare pan-seared softshell crawfish. Even though McCue hails from a landlocked state, he’s a master with seafood, loving the abundant wetlands he now calls home along with his wife and three children. “I love Louisiana – the hunting and fishing,” he says. “And it’s a great place to raise children.” His repertoire, however, includes many cuisines. He cut his teeth in a Mexican restaurant in Arizona, which came in handy when the casino opened Loco, its new Mexican restaurant. Other cuisines at
44 october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com 44
grilled duck breast topped with a balsamic pomegranate glaze
southwestern seafood pasta
Cypress Bayou include Asian fusion and CafĂŠ
Culinary Federation since 1996 and is a
competitions in Louisiana, including 47 gold,
Bayou, a family-friendly joint that serves up
founding member of the Atchafalaya Basin
39 silver and 29 bronze and was a Best of
South Louisiana favorites.
Chapter of The American Culinary Federation.
Show winner in Culinary Classic competitions in
He has earned 115 medals in culinary
Shreveport, Lafayette and Baton Rouge.
McCue has been a member of the American
Cypress Bayou 832 Martin Luther King Road, Charenton cypressbayou.com www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
45
chef david sorrells We got lost trying to locate one of Lake Charles’ latest restaurants, which opened June 3 in the traditional neighborhood development known as Walnut Grove. Restaurant Calla is so new, Google Maps and our GPS failed to locate the address. Once inside the tony new eatery helmed by chef David Sorrells, it’s easy to see what the buzz is all about; it’s a hip but simple space serving up seasonal small plates, cocktails and wine. Sorrells began his career working for Brennan’s Houston, then Commander’s Palace in Las Vegas. Once in Vegas, he realized the vast culinary possibilities, so he worked at Julian Serrano’s Picasso and with chef Alessandro Stratta to gain new experience. “I was getting my feet wet, doing what they wanted me to do,” Sorrells explains. “I was a young chef, wanted to do it all, soaking it all in.” He later worked at the French Laundry in California, then Le Reve in San Antonio and The Houstonian Hotel and Spa in Houston, the latter where he met his wife, a physician. The couple decided to move to Lake Charles where his wife has a practice, a city ripe for growth and new culinary experiences, he said. “It was culture shock at first,” Sorrells said. “But there’s a young professional population hungry for something new.” Restaurant Calla “gives people a new idea on food,” Sorrells explained, serving up small sophisticated plates with fresh ingredients combined in interesting ways, plus innovative
46 october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com 46
crab beignets
grilled crawfish tails over garden vegetables
cocktails and four to five big plates because Sorrells learned quickly that “people still want
“We’re trying to break the rules,” he says. “You can still eat foie gras in shorts.”
“We’re definitely different for Lake Charles,” he says. “I hope to continue, and I believe what we’re
steaks.” The food is high-end, but the décor
For now, Restaurant Calla is only open for
remains comfortable, with leather couches,
dinner, but Sorrells’ plans may change as the
outdoor seating and family-style tables.
neighborhood grows.
doing is some of the best food in the state.”
Restaurant Calla 1400 Market St., Lake Charles restaurantcalla.com www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
47
chef minh le Chef Minh Le left Vietnam at age 7, living in refugee camps for two years until he was able to enter New Orleans with cousins. Because of immigration complications, he was placed with an American foster family by Catholic Charities, attending St. Paul’s School in Covington while he worked part-time in a Northshore seafood restaurant. “I pretty much grew up over there,” Le says of his time on the Northshore. Le attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now University of Louisiana at Lafayette, but his parents dissuaded him from culinary studies. At first he chose marine biology, then he chose to be a dietician, but preparing bland food for hospital patients changed his mind. He transferred to Nicholls State University when the culinary program was in its infancy, and the rest is history. “That’s where I felt comfortable and I was good at it, almost a natural feel for being in the kitchen,” he explains. “I picked things up fast. Most of all, I enjoyed it.” Le worked at Baton Rouge restaurants, then helped open a steakhouse in Houma that later closed. He spent time in the kitchens at Le Meridien and Windsor Court hotels in New Orleans, where he gained more experience working with top chefs and diverse food. When the landmark Des Allemands restaurant Spahr’s decided to expand its business, Le helped opened its second location in Thibodaux and later a larger
48 october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com 48
soft shell crab pasta spahr's seafood gumbo with potato salad and fried catfish side
spahr's famous bloody mary
bayou blazin' shrimp
venue in Houma. Today, the company runs all
says. “It’s not heavy. It’s the right proportions of
salads, tacos, boiled appetizers and barbecue
three locations under Le’s command with the
batter and seasoning.”
lunch specials.
original Highway 90 restaurant still serving up its trademark catfish dinners. “We have one of the best fish batters,” he
In December, Le is opening his own
“It’s more of a neighborhood-type grill,”
restaurant, Alumni Grill, near his alma mater in
he says. “Keeping it affordable is my main
Thibodaux. The restaurant will serve burgers,
objective.”
Spahr’s 3682 U.S. 90, Des Allemands; 601 W 4th St., Thibodaux; and 1400 W Tunnel Blvd., Houma; spahrsseafood.com www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
49
50
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
Three Teachers at the Head of the Class + Some of Acadiana’s Top Area Schools. Profiles by Chris Jennings www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
51
alicia fortenberry Alicia Fortenberry knows that part of her passion for teaching comes from Our Lady of Fatima School itself. “That school is in my heart and the blood that flows through it,” she says. Fortenberry knew she wanted to be a teacher because she’d “always loved school.” She grew up in Catholic family Plaquemines Parish, but because there were no Catholic schools there in her childhood, she and her siblings were students at Catholic boarding schools. She finished her secondary education at St. Joseph’s Academy and earned a degree in education at Louisiana State University in 1971. She taught for 12 years at various schools after that, before finding her true home at Our Lady of Fatima, where she has taught for the last 29 years. Her approach to education is simple. “Although I feel that I am a strong disciplinarian, I spend a lot of energy having fun with kids,” she says. “I try very hard to build a relationship with them. Hopefully, they all know that I love them even when I am spending my energy to teach them right from wrong. More than content, I try to teach them life skills, work ethic and a love for God.” In the 41 years that she has been teaching, Fortenberry has noticed some changes in the way education works, particularly in the culture of the students in her care. “Teaching responsibility to the children
52
is tough for parents and educators,” she says. She has two pieces of advice for people considering
“Although I feel that I am a strong disciplinarian, I spend a lot of energy having fun with kids. I try very had to build a relationship with them. Hopefully, they all know that I love them even when I am spending my energy to teach them right from wrong.” education as a career. “Get in classrooms early in their education to observe and
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
determine if they like being there,” she says. “The other advice I give to them is to try to have fun while demonstrating strong and confident leadership to children. If you, the college student, can show children love and boundaries, you can be a successful teacher. It is a fine line, but if they can find that fine line, their career can be very rewarding.” Of the things Fortenberry finds rewarding in her career, her winning the 2001 Louisiana Education Foundation Educator of the Year award stands out. “But, I have other moments that are of equal value,” she says. “When I have adults who I taught come back and tell me what they have accomplished in life since they were in my class, I have a sense of pride that I may have played a small part in their successes in life.” In her personal life, Fortenberry has been married for 43 years. She has two grown children and two grandchildren, both of whom will be students at Our Lady of Fatima. “My family is my life,” she says. “I spend most of my physical, emotional and spiritual energy being the best I can be as a wife, mother, and grandmother. My grandchildren are the gifts of my life. Spending quality time with them at the beach, taking them to museums, going to the zoo, and teaching them that they are gifts from God takes up most of my leisure time.”
Our Lady of Fatima School (Lafayette) Specialty: 5th Grade LSU (1971)
Cathedral-Carmel School (337) 235-5577 cathedralcarmel.com Grades: Pre-K through 8th Affiliations: Catholic Enrollment Size: 800 Faculty Size: 85
Epiphany day school 120 Jefferson St., New Iberia (337) 364-6841 eds-ni.com Grades: pre-K through 5th Affiliations: Independent Episcopal Enrollment Size: 110 Faculty Size: 15
Episcopal School of Acadiana 721 E. Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette (337) 993-2263 1557 Smede Road, Broussard (337) 365-1416 ESAcadiana.com Grades: Pre-K-3 through 12th Affiliations: Episcopal School Enrollment Size: 500 Faculty Size: 86
First Baptist Christian 201 W. Convent St. Lafayette (337) 237-1546 fbcslafayette.com Grades: Pre-K through 8th Affiliations: Baptist Enrollment Size: 220 Faculty Size: 18
Our Lady of Fatima School 2315 Johnston St., Lafayette, (337) 235-2464 fatimawarrior.com Grades: Pre-K through 8th and Department of Exceptional Children Affilitions: Catholic School in the Diocese of Lafayette Enrollment Size: 926 Faculty Size: 105
Academy of the Sacred Heart (Grand Coteau)
mary clack In the process of this interview, Mark Clack found herself juggling “theater rehearsals, our fundraiser, the arrival of our new robots, oh, and teaching. It’s an exciting year at Schools of the Sacred Heart.” An alumna of Sacred Heart herself, Clack has been teaching there for 20 years. Clack, who grew up in Youngsville, has known she wanted to be a teacher since fourth grade. “Being an educator for me was less of a choice than a calling,” she says. “I never wanted to be anything else.” However, finding herself as a teacher of math and science was not anything she ever expected. “In fact, these are two subjects in which I had the most trouble,” she says. “When I was offered a job at ASH, it was as if the Holy Spirit said to me ‘you’re going to teach your most challenging subjects.’ Because of my love of learning and a stubbornness that wouldn’t let me give up, I have thrived in this position.” Clack says that teaching these subjects to young women is rewarding as it helps them develop interest in the field. “As I tell my girls every year, ‘We don’t just study science — we DO science. We are all scientists in my classroom,’” she says. Her favorite thing about being a teacher is the “light bulb” moment. “When a student has been struggling with a concept or particular skill, frustrated to the point of quitting, then they get that moment when it all becomes clear,” she says. “The smile on their face is why I am still a teacher after all this time.” Her approach to education is holistic. “You must teach a
54
young person how to respect others and themselves in order to have a successful student,” Clack says. “Also, that success looks different for each student. Each and every girl I teach is unique with God-given gifts. Our challenge to find those gifts and celebrate them.” As for the future of education, Clack says it’s both challenging and exciting how tech-savvy students are becoming. “Our challenge is to channel that enthusiasm for social media and
“Being an educator for me was less of a choice than a calling. I never wanted to be anything else.” devices into an educational and safe setting,” she says. “Young people are exposed to so much at such a young age. Education isn’t just about teaching facts but about guiding students to be better people and make a difference.” Clack is a member of the National Science Teachers Association, the International Society for Technology in Education and the Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators. Through NSTA, she
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
made contact with Dr. Pam Blanchard of LSU Coastal Roots and began the robotics program at Sacred Heart. Through parent and alumni donations, the school was able to purchase two NAO robots and begin a robotics program this year, which Clack believes is the only such program in Acadiana and possibly Louisiana. “Robotics is the fastest-growing industry and most advanced technology used in education and research,” she says. “The NAO humanoid robot is the ideal platform for teaching or researching in science and technology.” As for her family, Clack’s daughter is a 10th grade student at Sacred Heart and has attended the school since infancy. They enjoy traveling, including taking mission trips and trips to New York, where Clack attended the Broadway Teachers Workshop. “I help with our all-school musical each year by handling the sound and lighting for the production, so this workshop was a wonderful way to spend our vacation and learn about producing musicals,” she says. “My daughter and I love the theater and try to attend as many shows as possible.” In her personal time, Clack enjoys road skydiving, road cycling and running. She was one of 50 teachers in Louisiana chosen to participate in a Zero G flight, has completed a two-day 150-mile bike ride from Hammond to McComb, Mississippi, and regularly runs 5K’s with her daughter.
Specialty: Prep Science, Math and Religion University of Louisiana at Lafayette (1993)
Our Lady immaculate catholic school 600 Roberts Ave., Jennings (337) 824-1743 olischool.org Grades: Pre-K 3 through 8th Affilitions: Members of the National Catholic Educational Association and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Enrollment Size: 237 Faculty Size: 32
Opelousas Catholic School 428 East Prudhomme St., Opelousas (337) 942-5404 ocsvikings.com Grades: Preschool-12 Affilitions: Private nonsectarian Catholic Enrollment Size: 725 Faculty Size: 55
Maria immacolata catholic school 324 Estate Drive, Houma (985) 876-1631 micsbluejays.org Grades: Pre-k through 7th Affilitions: Catholic schoo Enrollment Size: 196 Faculty Size: 20
Schools of the Sacred Heart Grand Coteau (337) 662-5275 sshcoteau.org Grades: Pre-K3 through12th for girls, Pre-K3 through12th for boys Affilitions: Independent Catholic, ISAS and AdvancEd Accredited Enrollment Size: 495 Faculty Size: 5
St. Genevieve Catholic School Elementary Campus 201 Elizabeth Ave., Lafayette, (337) 234-5257 Middle Campus 91 Teurlings Drive, Lafayette, (337) 266-5553 stgen.net Grades: Pre-K4 through 8th
Woodvale Elementary School (Lafayette)
susan yerino Susan Yerino began her professional life working as a geologist for four years. “I love science and always have. I’m happy outside, so geology was a good fit,” she says. However, upon starting a family, she felt that the schedule of teaching would be a better fit, since fieldwork as a geologist took her away from home for up to six weeks at a time. However, she feels “it was the best decision” she ever made. Yerino was born in Massachusetts. Her father was in the Air Force, so she moved frequently and didn’t have what is usually thought of as a hometown. However, she has lived in Lafayette for 28 years and feels it is her home. She and her husband have three grown children, two of whom are students at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In her spare time, she is involved with her church, as a Red Cross CPR trainer, an adult literacy educator, canoeing, traveling, and being a “judo mom.” She has been teaching for 20 years, 15 of them at Woodvale Elementary. Before joining the faculty at Woodvale, she taught junior high in Kentucky, where one particular student stands out in her memory as cementing her love of teaching. He had challenges with reading, but, with Yerino’s dedication, attention, and assistance on his final paper, he managed to earn an A-. “He told his mom that was the first paper he was really proud of, because he felt smart for the first time in his life,” she says. “He wrote to me when he graduated, sending a
56
picture in his cap and gown. He said whenever school got hard he’d think about his great work in my class and keep trying. He went on to certify to repair air conditioners and heat pumps. In what other profession could I get such a rich reward?” Upon settling in Lafayette, she turned to elementary education, which she found she truly enjoyed. “I love turning
“I love turning them onto new ideas. I love seeing that interest and spark when they discover something.” them onto new ideas. I love seeing that interest and spark when they discover something. I really love when a child who struggles with reading finds out he is great at science: building and designing things, experimenting and graphing his data on computer, or figuring out circuits,” she says. However, she feels the future of education holds certain obstacles. In addition to difficult home lives for students, student behavior, and a lack of
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
resources in schools, Yerino feels that “we seem to be missing the point — teach the children. In today’s classroom, we pretest in every subject, teach, then posttest in every subject. It becomes a race to assess at every stage, leaving smaller and smaller chunks of time to teach and smaller amounts of time to inspire students and show them the joy of lifelong learning.” Yerino also feels that there is a “lack of respect” for career teachers – those who spend their educations and daily lives working with children. “Instead we’re making changes because a college professor who never taught a 6-year-old thinks this is better,” she says. She is optimistic about the future, however. “I hope teachers will have a little more input into what works well and what does not. I hope teachers can be given enough freedom and flexibility to adjust their teaching to their own students. I hope we can stop treating our students as statistics in rating a school and be more concerned about our students gaining the skills, knowledge and curiosity that makes learning possible,” she says. When it comes to paperwork and educational fads, Yerino hopes to stress to prospective teachers that “this too shall pass.” In addition, she advises that new teachers “be flexible. Special events pop up constantly, so adjust. And remember: they’re kids. They won’t ever be perfect – neither are you – but sometimes they can achieve great things, and fill your heart to overflowing.”
Specialty: Science Lab University of Cincinnati (1978) University of Louisiana at Lafayette (1988)
Affilitions: Catholic Enrollment Size: 540 Faculty Size: 48 members
St. Edward School 175 Porter St. New Iberia (337) 369-6764 SaintEdwardPandas.com Grades: Pre-K3 through 3rd Affiliations: Catholic Enrollment Size: 364 Faculty Size: 46
St. Ignatius School Grand Coteau (337) 662-3325 stignatiusschool.us Grades: Pre-K–8th Affilitions: Catholic Enrollment Size: 391 Faculty Size: 34
St. matthews episcopal school (985) 872-5573 stmattsschool.com Grades: Pre-K through 7th Affiliations: Episcopal Enrollment Size: 166 Faculty Size: 20
St. pius elementary school 205 E. Bayou Parkway, Lafayette stpiuselementary.org Grades: Pre-K 3 through 8th Affiliations: Catholic Enrollment Size: 730 Faculty Size: 90
St. thomas more catholic high school 450 E. Farrel Road, Lafayette (337) 988-3700 stmcougars.net Grades: 9th through 12th Affilitions: Catholic Enrollment Size: 1077 Faculty Size: 125 TEURLINGS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 139 Teurlings Drive, Lafayette (337) 235-5711 tchs.net Grades: 9th through 12th Affilitions: Catholic Enrollment size: 735 Faculty size: 45
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
57
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
59
advertising section
Spend a Day in the Oil Center
2
1
3
1. Little Town. Women’s Apparel & Accessories (sizes 0 thru 1x). 1116 Coolidge St. 337.268.9499 2. Pieces of Eight. Fine Gifts, stationery & tabletop since 1971. Time to prepare for fall and holiday entertaining with Woodland by Spode. 902 Coolidge Blvd. 337-232-8827 3. The Frame shoppe. Gallery 912. Framing and Fine Art Since 1973. 912 Coolidge Blvd. 337-235-2915 60
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
61
62
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
63
64
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
65
66
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
67
personnes d’acadiana
Small Perfomers, Big Talent For Kerry Onxley, Artistic Director of The Children’s Theatre Company of Lake Charles and Westlake High School, the show has gone on… and on, and on, and on. by wilL kalec
68
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
In showbiz, it’s called “a twist.” To the rest of us whose lives aren’t illuminated beneath bright stage lights, it’s just kind of ironic. Either way you tag it, Kerry Onxley finds can’t help but laugh now that he thinks about it. We he first got into the game, Onxley spent hours mastering the science of ventriloquism – keeping his lips closed the entire performance, diverting attention away from his mouth and unto the animated hunk of wood jabbering nearby. Now, well, it’s impossible to shut Onxley up. This is a good thing. The performing arts – often the first chop when tightening alreadytight budgets – need loud guys like Onxley. guys who “hustle for the cause” as he puts it. “For me it’s a passion,” Onxley says. “So it’s just speak from the heart, which isn’t hard.” Already the artistic director for both Westlake High School and The Children’s Theatre Company of Lake Charles, Onxley spends much of his little free time waving the banner for the performing arts on any and every platform available. For more than two decades, he’s molded stars who went onto the shine in various industries. Some like 2012 American Idol finalist Joshua Ledet told a packed Hollywood audience and millions at home of Onxley’s inspirational teaching. But so many others – lawyers, engineers, doctors, oilfield workers – apply Onxley’s fundamental principles daily, even though they’ll never receive a round of applause. “There are so many studies showing the positive effects theatre has on young people in the classroom,” Onxley says. “Yes, it teaches you many of the things athletics does – execution, teamwork, strategy. What doesn’t get talked about are the tools it teaches beyond that – making a schedule, sticking to deadlines, paying attention to detail, working with a set budget. “Smart advocacy is so important,” Onxley continues. “As much as we need athletics, we need the arts. I can appreciate the athletics side as well, but coaches also come to our productions. We have to stay in the ear of the state legislature and the congressmen and tell them, ‘This is too important.’” With two decades-plus developing talents in Southwest Louisiana, Onxley received
photographs by romero & romero
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
69
personnes d’acadiana
the 2009 Lake Charles Citizen of Arts Award and more recently was inducted in the Educational Theatre Association’s Hall of Fame at their annual convention in July 2014. Not bad for a guy who had no desire to direct educational theater until a McNeese State professor suggested it to Onxley while he chased his own acting dreams. “I don’t know if that was supposed to be a compliment or a hint,” Onxley says. “Maybe it was well-intended. Or maybe they knew my acting wasn’t up to par. I don’t know. But it sure is two different worlds, and I found I really liked the business aspect of directing. We had a family business, so business has always been around me, and gave me a little advantage. “But I didn’t know what our objective should be in each production. What are our goals? What are our top three goals for the company to survive and move onto the next production?” Onxley eventually found out the answers to those questions, questions he never 70
thought he’d ask himself. Because this wasn’t the plan. The dream was to be a star, to build on the success of his ‘Kay-Kay and Oscar’ ventriloquism show that played to library crowds throughout Louisiana and appeared in local supermarket commercials. Onxley still performed during and after college, moonlighting as an associate at The Children’s Theatre for steady work and experience. One day, the then-director informed Onxley that she’d be leaving. Her husband’s job was transferring to New Orleans. “So she told me, ‘Just keep it afloat until we find someone,’” Onxley recalls. “I never left.” Onxley simultaneously figured out the ins-and-outs of everyday operations while forging his instructional persona, a healthy dose of discipline chased by a steady stream of reinforcement. Though they put on three seasonal shows a year, dress rehearsals and opening nights don’t fuel Onxley’s unwavering enthusiasm after all these years. They’re necessary.
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
Like he says, “You don’t wanna practice football and never play a game.” The real joy, though, is in the process. Day in. Day out. Pulling out a great performance when no one is around to see. There’s no glamour to the grind. There’s no applause, no bow or curtain call. There’s only growth. “There are some kids who just have that Triple Threat: act, sing and dance,” Onxley says. “It catches your eye the moment you see them. You can’t learn it in a book. Talent doesn’t know GPA. It’s an instinctual gift. When you combine that with work ethic and focus and dedication, then you got something special. You can come to rehearsal and acting class and be on time, but that’s not being dedicated. You’re supposed to do that. “It’s the afterhours,” he says. “What contribution do you give to your craft afterward? Are you constantly working on your craft and developing your gift? That’s crucial.” ap
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
71
Ă€ la mode
2 1
4
3
5 6
72
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
photographs by romero & romero
Fall Fashions by krystral cooper christen As temperatures drop in Acadiana, it’s time to get cozy-chic. 1. Accent your attire with this bracelet by designer Eddie Borgo. Kiki, 1910 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette, (337) 406-0904, shopkikionline.com 2. Protect you hair from the elements with this tan suede hat with a cute, subtle bow. Maven Womenswear, 201 Settlers Trace Blvd., Lafayette, (337) 704-2668, themavenstore.com 3. Greet fall in style with this sleek snakeskinprint clutch. It is the perfect assessory to a casual, business-chic or after-5 outfit. Little Town, 1116 Coolidge St., Lafayette, (337) 268-9499, little-town.com 4. Turn heads and stay warm in this extraordinary vest made from combination of fur and feathers. Little Town 5. These rustic brown ankle boots, accentuated with bold studs, are a perfect way to ease into fall. Shoe Lala, 201 Settlers Trace, Lafayette, (337) 984-8618, shoelala.net 6. Platforms add playfulness to these combat boots. Shoe Lala ap
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
73
sur le menu
The Food of Love Places to hear music while you dine By Jan Risher Acadiana is known for its great food and great music. Finding local spots that serve up delicious fare and have a live band in the corner or on stage down front is a win-win.
Artmosphere 902 Johnston St., Lafayette (337) 233-3331 Back in 2003, when Beryl Kemp first opened Artmosphere, she was hoping to create a cool place for creative expression. Artmosphere has become that and so much more. With a commitment to “very intentionally diverse” music, as Kemp describes it, she’s also focused on delivering excellent food choices. Lately, she’s put even more attention on the food in order to keep her license as a restaurant. In Louisiana, restaurants must prove that at least 51 percent of their sales are food related, and no more than 49 percent are alcohol. Artmosphere’s commitment to good music and its relaxed environment that feels more like a living room makes it conducive to staying a while and having a drink or two. 74
So, Kemp has ratcheted up the energy on the menu and started a public relations campaign to keep the community aware that Artmosphere starts serving food every day at 11 a.m. She’s also launched a line of healthy juicer drinks and a calendar full of daily specials, including an impressive Sunday brunch option. “Tuesday, build your own burger,” she says. “Also, our pizza is really popular. Traditionally, for years and years, the up in smoke wrap was our most popular item. We have a grilled vegetable mix with caramelized onions, zucchini, carrots and more. We cook it twice and put it on a pizza, sandwich on pita or in a salad.” Combined with a variety of fresh herbs, the grilled vegetables in a variety of forms have turned out to be one of the most popular things Artmosphere has done lately. She says Artmosphere is doing a lot more vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes.
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
“I’m personally attuned to that kind of food and have learned that you can eat really delicious food – that’s also good for you,” she said. “When we first opened, we did food that was kind of radical that doesn’t sound radical now, but I don’t think people were ready for it. We’re adding more unusual food combinations and trying to buy more and more local produce. It’s easier to do now with more local meat and produce people officially approved vendors.” With live music ranging from Americana, classic rock, Cajun, zydeco and its legendary Tuesday open mic night, Artmosphere has a loyal music following. “We’ve been hosting open mic night for 11 years,” Kemp says. “Every Tuesday night, it starts about 9 p.m. and is now hosted by Andrew Toups.” Kemp says the restaurant is also doing its best to encourage people to come earlier on weekdays. “We’re starting music earlier,” she says. “Every day, I get here thinking I’ll go home earlier and stay because the music is so good. In my own heart, I hope people feel like Artmosphere is a place where people can feel at home when they go out. It’s kind of a funky, relaxed atmosphere full of positive energy. When people come here, they’re here to hang out and enjoy the art.”
D.I.’s Cajun Restaurant 6533 Evangeline Hwy., Basile (337) 432-5141 D.I.’s Cajun Restaurant is Acadiana’s Rice Field of Dreams, proving that, “If you build it, they will come.” Situated between the bayous Des Canes and Nezpique, getting to D.I.’s is an adventure all within itself. Even its owner, Sherry Fruge, acknowledges that the restaurant is truly “in the middle of nowhere.” But for nearly three decades, people looking for the real Cajun experience – in food and music, have made the pilgrimage to D.I.’s Cajun Restaurant, located in out from Basile.
photograph by Mixie Photography
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
75
sur le menu
“We’ve been open 28 years in February – and I’ve been here every night,” says Fruge. “It’s crazy sometimes.” Beyond the good Cajun food and music, D.I.’s is a family friendly restaurant. “In that many years, we’ve seen children come with their parents, now married and coming with their kids,” Fruge says. “We have a very friendly atmosphere. My hostess hugs just about everybody who comes through the door.” With live music three nights a week, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays, Fruge doesn’t hold back her grandmotherly pride when showcasing her grandchildren’s music. Her grandson Briggs Brown’s CD (Briggs Brown and the Bayou Cajuns) is available for sale. He performs at the restaurant often. Her granddaughter, Megan Brown, has a band, T-Monde and Les Bissettes and two radio programs on KRVS. “We invite parents to show their children Cajun dancing. Sometimes we have three or four generations dancing on the floor at time,” Fruge says. “I used love to dance. Would rather dance than eat. With my grandkids making so much music, we’ve kind of kept the Cajun way going in my family.” Fruge, at 70, still plays the organ at church. “My husband was one of the first ones in this area to start crawfish farming,” she says. “We were rice and soybean farmers. The year the soybeans were very, very bad, he went to the County Agent. They told him to try crawfish. We started crawfishing. I was a hairdresser, and he was a rice farmer. Everybody jumped on the bandwagon. The price of crawfish went down. We started boiling crawfish three nights a week – a bring-your-ownbottle kind of thing. People started saying, ‘you need to get a place.’” Finally, they found a building and moved it to the location where the restaurant still stands. “We were supposed to be open just for crawfish season. When crawfish was over, the customers were lined up to the sign and said, ‘Y’all can’t close,’” she says. “We’ve added on four times, and we started with the music from day one.”
76
The restaurant seats 275 people, and if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, you’ll want to get in line early. “We moved the tables around and people would actually dance,” Fruge says. “We’ve been very blessed. It’s been a very long journey. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people from all over the world. People ask, ‘How do they find y’all?’ and I say, ‘I have no idea.’” Fruge still manages the kitchen and tried to get around to the tables to say hello to diners. “I do a lot of the cooking. I have stayed in the kitchen. My food has to be a certain way before I let it go out,” she says. “Our boiled crawfish is special. My husband, D.I., had discovered a real unique way of boiling and preparing them. We make our own seasoning.” They also move a large volume of crabs. Her etoufee is made from old recipes. She uses D.I.’s grandmother’s bread pudding recipe. “All of our food is battered as it’s ordered. It’s like having a gathering at your home. We prefer food that way. You can identify each piece of seafood because it’s not battered like the other pieces,” she says. “I make my own batter. We do an onion blossom. I make sauce.” She says she’s tired but still enjoys working 12 hours a day. “My workers can’t keep up with me,” Fruge says.
Foundry on the Bayou 715 W. 1st St., Thibodaux (985) 387-4070 Folks in Thibodaux know where to go when they want good music and fried pickle spears – and maybe a libation or two. It’s The Foundry on the Bayou. Granted, the emphasis at The Foundry may be more on the music that the food, but their strong appetizer menu, including duck fat fries – and the famed fried pickle spears, with a side of Creole Ranch, keep folks coming back for more. The full menu goes way beyond appetizers and includes an array of burgers, poor boys and seafood platters.
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
Luna Bar and Grill 719 Ryan St., Lake Charles (337) 494-5862 The Luna Bar and Grill in Lake Charles offers an impressive menu, eclectic atmosphere and lots of great live music. With seating in an outdoor garden, a beautiful bar that serves a variety of beers and a vibe that regulars describe as “funky” and “hippie,” it’s still not so far out there that retired school teachers stop considering going for lunch on a regular basis! Their Sunday brunch is popular, as are their salads and sandwiches – particularly the grilled shrimp on a jalapeno cheese bun. ap
Extras Any article on Acadiana places that serve good food and feature great live music would be incomplete without mentioning, Prejean’s, Café des Amis and Randol’s. They are institutions. They’re the kind of places tourists have heard of and want to visit; they have loyal local followings, as well. Cafe des Amis 140 E Bridge St. Breaux Bridge (337) 332-5273 Prejean’s 3480 N.E. Evangeline Throughway Lafayette (337) 896-3247 Randol’s 2320 Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette (337) 981-7080
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
77
visiter
Around Acadiana: Gatherings, carnivals and activities around Acadiana. Compiled by judi russell
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
1-5. Jefferson Davis Parish Fair. Jefferson Davis Parish Fairgrounds, Jennings. (337) 824-1173.
1. Southdown Marketplace Fall Arts & Crafts Festival. Southdown Plantation Home, Houma. (985) 851-0154.
2-5. Tour du Teche Canoe Race. Port Barre to Berwick. tourduteche.com 3-5. Lecompte Pie Festival. Grounds behind the Old Lecompte High School, Lecompte. (318) 776-5488. 4. Latin Music Festival. Parc International, Lafayette. (337) 944-0011. 4. Shadows Arts & Crafts Fair. Shadows-on-theTeche, New Iberia. (337)369-6446. 4-5. Roberts Cove Germanfest. Roberts Cove, Rayne, (337) 334-8354. 7-12. Cotton Festival. North Side Civic Center, Ville Platte. (337) 831-3340. 9-11. Atchafalaya Catfish Festival. Melville Civic Center, Melville. (337) 623-4226. 10-12. World Championship Gumbo Cook-Off. Main Street, New Iberia. (337) 364-1836. 10-12. Festivals Acadiens & Creoles. Girard Park, Lafayette. festivalsacadiens.com 21-2. 21st Annual Holy Ghost Creole Bazaar. Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Opelousas. (337) 942-2732. 25. New Iberia Beneath the Balconies. 317 E. Main St. to 102 W. Main St., New Iberia. (337) 364-1603. 25. 3rd Annual Sweet Dough Pie Festival. 174 Church St., Grand Couteau. (337) 662-3058.
6-9. Rayne Frog Festival. Fairgrounds, Rayne. (337) 334-2332. 6-9. 29th Annual Port Barre Cracklin Festival. Veterans Park, Port Barre. (337) 585-6673. 7. “If Headstones Could Talk.” St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, Abbeville. (337) 740-2112. 8. Steampunk & Maker’s Fair. Downtown Lafayette. 8. Atchafalaya Basin Festival. Henry Guidry Memorial Park, Henderson. (337) 257-2444. 8. Thibodaux Fall Festival. Downtown Thibodaux. (985) 446-1187. 8. Jeanerette Holiday Festival Market. Jeanerette City Park, Jeanerette. 15. 4th Annual Beef Tongue Cook-Off. 1717 Veterans Memorial Hwy., Eunice. (337) 457-2881. 22 – Jan. 6. 2015 Festival of Lights. Historic Landmark District, Natchitoches. (800) 259-1714. 27. Rhythms on the River. River Branch Town Square, Lafayette. (337) 216-6566. 29. Fleur de Lis Arts & Crafts Show. Natchitoches Events Center, Natchitoches. (318) 238-7500. ap
25. Rougarou Fest. Downtown Houma. (985) 580-7289.
don’t see your event? go to acadianaprofile.com to submit.
78
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
www.acadianaprofile.com | october/november 2014
79
en français, s’il vous plaît
Les Allemands, ces Créoles oubliés
Par David Cheramie
Les experts s’accordent sur une définition de Créole qui reconnaît, entre autres, une origine européenne. Comme le drapeau d’Acadiana le montre, on met l’emphase sur deux pays exclusivement : la France et l’Espagne. Notre statut d’ancienne colonie de ces deux anciens empires, ainsi que la prépondérance de patronymes français et espagnols, contribue à une sursimplification d’une situation qui est loin d’être simple. Dès les années 1720, bien avant le Grand Dérangement et d’autres vagues d’immigration dues aux révolutions en France et en Haïti, des gens originaires de l’Alsace-Lorraine étaient parmi les premiers colons européens. Aujourd’hui, les Alsaciens et les Lorrains vous corrigeront vite si vous confondez les deux. Au fait, le terme Alsace-Lorraine n’est en général utilisé que pour désigner le territoire perdu à l’Empire allemand en 1871 et sa reconquête était un facteur majeur de la participation de la France à la Première guerre mondiale. Quoi qu’il en soit, en 1716 quand John Law a repris le monopole du commerce en Louisiane, il a fait appel aux Alsaciens de venir s’y installer. Ils y arrivent et fondent 80
en 1721 la ville de Des Allemands. D’autres germanophones de la Vallée du Rhin, de la Suisse et de la Belgique ont également suivi ce même chemin pour former la Côte des Allemands, aujourd’hui les paroisses de Saint-Charles, Saint-Jean-Baptiste et SaintJacques. Sans les produits fournis par leurs fermes dans les années 1730, la NouvelleOrléans aurait sans doute périclité de famine. Il nous est difficile d’imaginer qu’on pourrait crever de faim en Louisiane, mais la menace était toujours là au début. Malgré plusieurs familles qui se disent cadiennes avec des noms comme Waguespack, Zaunbrecher, Schexnayder ou Zeringue, on ne tient pas souvent compte de l’importance de l’immigration allemande à notre histoire et leur contribution à notre gombo culturel. La région autour de la Nouvelle-Orléans n’était pas le seul endroit qui a accueilli des Allemands. Chaque octobre, l’Anse Robert, établi en 1881 par le frère du Père Peter Thevis, un prêtre allemand que l’Archevêque Odin a recruté pour servir les germanophones de la Nouvelle-Orléans, honore son héritage avec la Germanfest. Mervine Kahn, immigrant allemand francophone, a joué un rôle déter-
october/november 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com
minant dans la musique cadienne et créole. En 1884, il a ouvert un magasin à Rayne. On ne sait pas exactement comment, mais Kahn a commencé à importer et vendre des accordéons de l’Allemagne. L’instrument est vite devenu populaire avant l’avènement de l’amplification de son. La guerre a arrêté son importation, créant la pénurie d’un instrument qu’on appréciait beaucoup. Les Louisianais, débrouillards comme toujours, les ont défaits pour apprendre à les réparer et les construire eux-mêmes. Cette tradition, devenue une petite industrie, dure encore aussi. La guerre avait des conséquences négatives pour la langue allemande aussi. L’Acte 114 de 1918 interdisait expressément la langue allemande dans toutes les écoles publiques, à tous les niveaux, sous peine d’une amende allant de vingt-cinq à cent piastres et/ou une incarcération d’entre dix et quatre-vingt-dix jours. Les petits francophones n’étaient pas les seuls à se faire punir parce qu’ils ne parlaient pas l’anglais à la maison. Auparavant, l’allemand était si bien répandu qu’en plus des prêtres germanophones, il y avait une gazette, le « Louisiana Staats-Zeitung », publiée à la Nouvelle-Orléans entre 1850 et 1866. « Die Geheimnisse von New-Orleans » ou « Les Secrets de la Nouvelle-Orléans » apparaissait d’abord en feuilleton dans ces pages. C’est un long roman en allemand décrivant en détail la vie de cette époque réédité aux Éditions Tintamarre à Shreveport, mieux connues pour ces publications en français. Mon arrière-grand-père maternel Rebstock est arrivé très jeune en Louisiane de la Prusse avant la Guerre des Confédérés. Son fils, un soldat américain, est parti se battre dans la Grande Guerre. Une de mes possessions les plus précieuses est une carte postale qu’il a envoyée à sa mère avant son départ de New York. Il lui a écrit en français cadien. À ma connaissance, il n’a jamais parlé l’allemand, mais ma mère disait que dès fois il y avait des hommes qui venaient le voir de la Nouvelle-Orléans et ils se parlaient dans une langue qu’elle ne connaissait pas. Était-ce de l’allemand? Si l’histoire de la Louisiane m’a appris une chose, c’est que tout est possible. ap
for an english translation , visit www . acadianaprofile . com .
illustration by nicholas little