BayouLife Magazine February 2014 by BayouLife Magazine

Features FEBRUARY 2014

24 P. Allen Smith Five Ways To Treat Spring Fever

36 People We Love Working Warriors Who Spread Happiness In Northeast Louisiana

62 Heart Healthy Ten Steps to Reduce Our Risk or Prevent Heart Disease

74 BayouIcons Drs. Thomas and LaTonya Williams Make An Impact

84 Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler The Krewe of Janus XXXI Taps Classic For 2014 Parade

94 BayouEats Your Guide to King Cakes That Challenge Traditions

109 Nell Rebowe The Model Citizen From Monroe 4 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

HIS ISSUE HAS DEFINITELY BEEN ONE

of the most challenging that I’ve had since starting the magazine. I’m pretty sure that a lot of it has to do with this swollen belly tapping the edge of my desk and the nervous excitement of a new baby right around the corner. Just two nights ago my staff was helping me time contractions – thankfully, just a case of Braxton Hicks – and then we were back at laying out pages! It was a good test run for everyone. I am in love with this month’s photo shoot. I cannot say enough about my beautiful and incredible gifted intern, Rheagan Sutton, who pulled the entire shoot together. Actually Rheagan is much more than an intern, she is more like our office manager, schedule keeper, fashion guru and overall sweetheart. I am not looking forward to her graduation! But, with that said, she and our other three gorgeous models: Ellie Jackson, Anna Kirksey and Kristen Reppond rocked in fashions from local boutiques. Speaking of sweethearts, if you haven’t had the chance to meet the girls at M Salon, you need to! Not only are they incredible talented, but they are genuinely nice, too. We are thankful for them doing hair and makeup for all four of our models. We have some very interesting articles this month and our incredible writer, Mary Napoli always impresses. I am obsessed with King Cakes, and our BayouEats column has a delectable breakdown of some of the best cakes around. I am a sucker for the King of King Cakes Thurman Dickey’s mouth-watering goodness, but also have a love for Kim’s mini-cakes at The Coffee Bean. And our office has been buzzing about our neighbor, Daq’s Wings and Grill’s King Cake daiquiri. After reading this article, don’t be surprised if you want to run a city-wide taste test for your own best King Cake awards.

PEOPLE WE LOVE, PAGE 36

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Also in this issue is one of my favorite articles on local people that we love. We polled our office staff and took names of some of the service people in our community who always bring a smile to our faces. If you don’t know the friendly voice that welcomes you with a “Hey, baby, what can I get you this morning?” then you haven’t been through the Starbucks on Forsythe and met Ms. Anne. If you’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Walter at Vee’s, Bruce at Trio’s, or Ms. Phyllis at Brookshire’s flower department, then you are missing out on knowing four of the most lovely people in our area. Take the time and get to know a little about this fabulous foursome on pages 36-39. February is dear to us for so many reasons: Valentine’s Day, Black History Month and Mardi Gras. And, in respect to Valentine’s Day, I must say that my heart is beyond filled. I have the greatest friends, family, husband, daughter, staff, advertisers and readers around. And unless things progress a little faster than expected, I will be welcoming a second precious angel to our family this month. Also, I want to send a special “I love you” out to Mrs. Martha Jane - we sure miss your sweet smile around the office. With all my love and thanks, I truly hope that you enjoy reading this month’s issue of BayouLife Magazine.

Cassie Livingston

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 7

New Year, New Beer

A Look at Some New Offerings from Louisiana’s Own Abita Brewing Company

BY DELIA SIMPSON, CRAFT, SPECIALTY & IMPORT MANAGER, CHOICE BRANDS, INC.

014 IS SHAPING UP TO BE AN exciting year for Abita Brewing Company. Louisiana’s #1 craft beer has some great things in store! They are in the process of an expansion, which will double the current brewing capacity. "We're very fortunate that the great people of Louisiana love our brand and that people around the country are learning more about it and liking it, too," says Abita's president, David Blossman. The project includes a new 11,200-square-foot brew house. "Basically, it's a 200-barrel brew house, which means every batch that comes out is 200 barrels," says Blossman. "And, it's capable of doing twelve batches, or brews, a day." He says that'll make Abita one of the most efficient brew house in all of North America. Blossman says Abita has pretty much reached capacity with its existing 100-barrel facility and needs to expand to meet the anticipated future demand. To fill all these barrels, they’ve got some pretty exciting new brews to tempt your palate!

Strawberry on Tap Abita Strawberry, which contains juice from real Louisiana strawberries, has long been the most popular in their Harvest Collection. As soon as the first six packs hit the shelves, social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram light up with excited posts. A 8 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

search of #abitastrawberry will quickly clue you in to this phenomenon. This year is sure to be even hotter with the introduction of Abita Strawberry kegs. That’s right. For the first time ever, the fruity brew will be available on tap. The kegs make their debut in the Spring and won’t last long, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

Seersucker Summer Pils Completely new to the scene this year will be Abita’s summer seasonal offering, Seersucker Pils. This brew will be made with pilsner and carapils malts and hopped with German Tradition and German Spalt hops. It is a straw-colored pilsner beer with a traditional full-bodied malt flavor and hop bitterness, making it perfect for those lazy, hot summer days. Select Draft Without question, some of the most exciting things happening in the craft beer scene for the past year have been Abita Selects. These limited release draft beers have had some truly fascinating flavor profiles and intriguing ingredients. Macchiato Espresso Milk Stout certainly didn’t disappoint with its use of PJ’s espresso dolce beans, which are added straight to the ageing tank. Upcoming selects include Hopgator (a hopped up ver-

sion of Andygator), Triple Haze (a triple malted Purple Haze), and Naughty Quaker (their first ever Oatmeal Stout), just to name a few.

Select 22oz One of the biggest sellers on draft last year was Straw-Gator. In 2014, this strong golden lager brewed with Louisiana strawberries will be sold in 22oz bottles. They will hit stores in July and will be available while supplies last. Also in 22oz bottles this year will be Imperator, a robust black IPA brewed with a combination of pale, caramel, chocolate and black malts. It is slated for an October launch and will also be a limited release.

Of course, all of your favorites will still be available as well. For a full listing of products and to find Abita near you, visit www.abita.com. There are also some great recipes, food pairings, and cool merchandise. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

For even more fun facts, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/choicebrands and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/choicebrandsinc. We will be posting weekly trivia questions and opportunities to win cool prizes!

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 9

The Effects of Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss Affects Loved Ones in Addition to Those Who Have it

EARING LOSS DOESN’T JUST affect the person who has it. Their hearing loss actually has a large effect on their loved ones as well. Family members and spouses are often negatively impacted with frustrations from the communication challenges posed by the hearing loss. In fact, untreated hearing loss is an enormous contributor to tensions and displeasure among middle-aged couples today. Rather than enjoying their time together, many of these couples spend time arguing through simple conversations and isolating themselves from each other from mere exhaustion of trying to communicate. One such example was recently shared in an online Huffington Post editorial. Senior writer Ann Brenoff wrote a personal column depicting her own struggles with her husband’s hearing loss. This article, titled “How My Husband’s Hearing Loss Has Affected Our Social Life” provides commentary on the barriers that have been created between her husband and her due to his hearing loss. In the article Brenoff says, “For the record, my husband and I aren't old. His hearing loss has been gradual and only recently reached the point where we know it has to be dealt with. How big a deal is it? With the exception of a heart attack he suffered six years ago, I can't think of a bigger life-altering health issue that we've faced than his hearing loss.” She also 10 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

gives this statistic, “Only 1 out of 5 people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually wears one," according to The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders ("NIDCD"). Statistics from NIDCD also reflect an increase in the rate of hearing impairment in Americans as they age: 18 percent of 45- to 64-year-olds, 30 percent of 65to 74-year-olds and 47 percent of 75-year-olds and older experience hearing problems.” We encourage you to read the article by visiting our blog and clicking on the link posted in the content. And if you or a loved one is suffering from untreated hearing loss, please let us know. Our professional and friendly staff is eager to help. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to whisper sweet nothings to your loved one this coming Valentine’s Day. WE CAN HELP! A simple hearing test and video otoscopy can answer a lot of questions about your hearing. We will have a consultation about options to get you on the right track to improve your speech understanding and to make listening in group situations less fatiguing and more enjoyable. We will discuss technologies and fitting options to best fit your lifestyle and budget. The sooner we can get you started with your Aural Rehab, the sooner you will start enjoying those soft sounds.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE Our mission is to bring understanding among people through hearing care by focusing on awareness, education, protection and treatment, So the World May Hear! At Audibel The Hearing Center, we care about your well-being and the lives of the less fortunate around the world. As a proud supporter of The Starkey Hearing Foundation’s “So The World May Hear” program, we are changing lives through the gift of hearing. Your support through the purchase of Audibel Instruments and your donation and trade in of any model hearing aids goes to the foundation’s programs to provide hearing instruments to children in the most remote and poverty stricken regions of the world.

ABOUT US Audibel The Hearing Center is Northeast Louisiana’s Audibel dispenser. Cherry Phillips, “The Hearing Lady,” has been serving this area for over 25 years. We offer free hearing screenings, free second opinions, extended warranties and repairs on all makes and brands of hearing aids. You can find out more by visiting our website www.AudibelMonroe.com and you can see more and like us on Facebook.com/AudibelMonroe.

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 11

A Special Valentine

Hopkins Dermatology Can Help You Achieve Natural, Kissable, Youthful – Fabu-Lips!

EW RESOLUTIONS. NEW IDEAS. Noticing small lines. Change it. Make it better. Even small things make a difference in your appearance. One of the things that can be enhanced quickly and easily is the lip area.

FABU-LIPS The subtle feature of the border of your lips diminishes as you age causing that annoying lipstick “bleed.” Now that can easily be replenished with Belotero™ – the new generation hyaluvronic gel indicated to smooth away fine lines and wrinkles. The muscle that encircles the lip, is responsible for lip animation. Expression during speaking, eating and lip puckering contribute to the onset and deepening of the vertical lines produced by this muscle as it contracts. The appearance of these vertical lines as we get older is worsened when combined with a history of sun exposure, smoking and the thinning of the skin that occurs with aging. When choosing to add more definition to the lips or the lip line it is important that the choices for the tailoring of size, shape and definition be done with the correct symmetry for each individual. Dr. Janine Hopkins has the training and experience to create the perfect pout. Facial shape, product selec12 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

tion and proper placement all play a part in determining how to enhance without getting the “overfilled” and unwanted “duck bill” lip. As demonstrated by the three untouched photos of Dr. Hopkins’ actual patients shown above, women of all ages can have a beautiful, natural, youthful lip. Lasers for fine lines around the mouth can also be used in conjunction with filler to smooth and rejuvenate. Correct consultation is vital for this treatment. Laser treatments, along with attention to detail, settings and accuracy, make this an effective safe option. NEW PRODUCTS Two new products by Skin Medica are being introduced at Hopkins Dermatology this month. The Lip Renewal System incorporates two products that can give your lips a definite head start. 1. Apply the Lip Renewal Cream around the perimeter of the lips and onto the lip itself three times per day. 2. Apply the Lip Plumper just to the lips morning and night. This is a clinically proven two-step lip treatment that works to decrease the look of fine lines, improve contour and increase lip volume. The Lip Renewal Cream coupled with the Lip Plumper from Skin Medica are sure to be two of your new “go to” product favorites. A quick stop in the MD Minerals Studio

for mineral lip crayons, vitamin enriched lipsticks and natural infused organic lip veils and glosses will protect and refresh your lips. Can’t decide on a stain, lipstick or gloss? Also available are the NEW Liquid Flash Lip Lacquers. Try them all. Advice on creating the perfect day or evening look is always helpful and fun. TIP: Using a soft toothbrush and a bit of baking soda softly massage the lips every morning. Rinse with cool water. Natural. Kissable. Youthful. Correction for lips and lip lines. FABU-LIPS. FEBRUARY SPECIALS • Buy one syringe of Belotero™ and receive $100 off second syringe • Botox and Xeomin Special - $250 for glabella frown lines (one area) Book your appointment today!

Hopkins Dermatology Janine Hopkins, MD 2509 Boradmoor Blvd Ste A Monroe, LA 71201 (318) 325-0600 www.hopkinsdermatology.com

Ugly Divorce?

Melissa Sanderlin Discusses Divorce Mediation

BY MELISSA TATUM SANDERLIN, LPC-S NCC

T’S ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT HALF OF ALL MARRIAGES end in divorce. Sometimes, a marriage is just not salvageable, no matter how hard the couple tries. But like a lot of things in life, circumstances tend to get worse before they get better. When the decision is made by one or both parties to divorce, life gets more complicated before the moving-on process begins. Many couples try to handle a divorce between them, with no lawyers or judges. This sometimes can be successful, especially if there are few assets or debts and no children. It helps if there is little to no tension or ill feelings between parties as well. These divorces are rare. It is hard to expect two people that have shared a life together to go their separate ways with no arguments or disputes. If they get along that well, then it is doubtful they would divorce at all. Most divorces involve attorneys and judges. Settling a divorce through litigation can be extraordinarily painful and time consuming. One or both parties may experience extreme anger, hurt, resentment, and fear. We all know someone who has gone through a nasty divorce. A lot of people lose all perspective and rationale. It becomes about payback and winning rather than what is best for everyone. Even if the divorce is completed in the normal 365 days, a custody battle or property dispute can carry on for years. The parties can spend more money in legal fees than they are fighting over! It can become very petty and bring out the worst in people. It can also distract the parties from moving on and parenting their children appropriately. It is easy to get so emotionally involved in attacking someone, or defending yourself, that the welfare of the children is completely forgotten. Remember that children experience what parents experience. Even parents that try to hide anger and hate, children still sense it. This affects the relationship the children have with both parents. As if it wasn’t hard enough for them to adjust to the divorce itself, now they have to worry about their parents’ emotional wellbeing. There is another alternative to the litigated divorce. A lot of people are using mediation services to handle their divorce. A certified mediator

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can help parties settle distribution of property (including assets and debts), custody/parenting plans, child support, spousal support and other issues that arise during a divorce. This can be accomplished with or without the assistance of attorneys. Sometimes, mediation can even be court ordered if the issues are not resolved in a hearing. There are many benefits to using mediation: • Mediation is effective in settling disputes 80 percent of the time. • It is much quicker than litigation. Agreements are usually made in 2-4 sessions. • It costs a fraction of a long litigated divorce. • Parties have decision-making power rather than having a stranger decide on their fates. • Everyone has the opportunity to be heard. In court, the judges and attorneys choose what is shared. • It is confidential, unlike the public record of the legal system. • People are much more likely to adhere to mutually agreed upon terms, rather than court ordered decisions. • It can be more creative than the cookie cutter solutions used by the court system. • It can help both parties learn to communicate more appropriately. So what is the role of the mediator? The mediator is a neutral third party that helps the people involved reach agreements that are fair for both, and best for the children. The mediator does not make decisions or pass judgment. She helps both parties understand the issues, communicate appropriately and assist in resolutions. Melissa Sanderlin is a certified Louisiana Family and Divorce mediator. If you are facing a divorce or custody issue, and are considering mediation, contact Melissa and her staff at 318.323.7575 or info@sanderlincounselingservices.com.

DO’S AND DONT’S ON VALENTINE’S DAY BY RHEAGAN SUTTON

Don’t expect your man to love February 14th as much as you do Make Valentine’s Day last all day Don’t let what happens on Valentine's Day define your relationship Snuggle and have a Rom-Com movie marathon Don’t feel like you have to spend a ton of money For the singles, spend the day with your best girl/guy friends Don’t think that the day is all about the women If you’re single, change the meaning of Valentine’s Day Grab a cute stuffed animal for the kids Women, don’t expect your man to read your mind Make reservations well in advance Don’t do the same thing you did last year Find a creative way to say “I love you!” Plan a date that is outside of the box Be a homebody and cook his favorite meal Don’t break up with your significant other (At least wait until the 15th) Make small, thoughtful gestures throughout the day Put your phone away at dinner Make your significant other feel extra special all day Dress up for the occasion, whether it’s staying in or going out Don’t think that V-day is just for couples, it’s for everyone Send a bouquet of her favorite flowers Men, don’t forget the date Write a sweet love note Enjoy lots of chocolate

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FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 17

Balloon Sinuplasty Technological Advancements in Sinus Treatment

S IT ALLERGIES, A COLD OR SINUSITIS? Your nose is congested, and it’s hard to breathe. Thick mucus irritates the back of your throat. Your face, head and even your teeth hurt from the pressure. You’re losing your sense of smell and taste. You’re incredibly tired and irritable. You think that it must be yet another cold or allergy attack again this year. You take allergy or cold medicines to relieve your symptoms, but they don’t help. Finally, you see your physician. After listening to your history of symptoms and conducting an exam, the doctor says you have acute sinusitis, which is temporary inflammation of the sinus lining that is cause by a bacterial infection and commonly called a sinus infection. Your doctor may recommend saline nasal spray, antibiotics, nasal steroid sprays, decongestants and over the counter pain relievers to help the condition. However, if you experience symptoms for longer than 12 weeks you could have a chronic sinus infection. When you have acute or chronic sinusitis, the mucous membranes of your nose, sinuses and throat become inflamed, possibly from a pre-existing cold or allergies. Swelling obstructs the sinus openings and prevents normal mucus drainage, causing mucus and pressure to build up. Symptoms include: drainage of a thick, yellow or greenish discharge from the nose or down the back of the throat; nasal obstruction or congestion; tenderness and swelling around the 18 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

eyes, cheeks, nose and forehead; and/or a reduced sense of smell and taste. The impact of chronic sinusitis on a person’s quality of life could include: throbbing facial pain or headaches, congestion, bad breath, irritability, fatigue or nausea. Patients who do not respond well to medications become candidates for conventional sinus surgery, which is known as functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Conventional surgery is no longer the only option. Balloon Sinuplasty is a breakthrough procedure that relieves the pain and pressure associated with chronic sinusitis. With Balloon Sinuplasty, a specially designed catheter is inserted into the nose to reach the inflamed sinus. A small balloon is slowly inflated, which widens and restructures the walls of the sinus passage without cutting and with minimal bleeding, helping to drain mucus from the blocked sinus and restore normal mucus flow. The balloon is then removed, leaving the sinus open. Balloon Sinuplasty can be safely performed in the physician’s office under a local anesthetic. This procedure can also be performed in the operating room under a general anesthetic, in conjunction with other more invasive procedures such as a nasal septal reconstruction. Ninety-five percent of patients who have had Balloon Sinuplasty in an office setting say they would have it again. Many patients when presented with sinus surgery using traditional methods decide to

delay or forego surgery. Surgery with the Balloon Sinuplasty devices now provides a minimally invasive option for these patients who want safe and effective, clinically proven relief from their symptoms and the ability to return to their normal activities sooner. Sinusitis patients require nearly 30 million prescriptions each year. While the medical management of sinusitis is designed to reduce the severity and duration of symptoms, some patients become disappointed when their symptoms recur or are persistent. When patient response to medical management fails, referral to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist is appropriate. It is estimated that up to 60 percent of chronic sinusitis sufferers do not respond to medications. Some of these patients, but not all, can be made better with procedural intervention such as sinus surgery. A specialist has more diagnostic tools with which to assess the sinus patient. An endoscopic exam using a sinus telescope is one such tool. Allergy evaluation is often indicated. CT scan of the sinuses will delineate the sinus anatomy and look for occult polyps or growths causing sinus symptoms. When symptoms have been present because of anatomical obstruction to the sinus, drainage procedural intervention can be of benefit. If you would like additional information about the office performed Balloon Sinuplasty, please call Dr. Lauren J. Mickey’s office at 318322-9882 or visit our website at www.laurenjmickeymd.com.

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 19

Choose Colors With Confidence by Kenny Covington

n all aspects of fishing,

one of the most debated aspects, if not the most debated, is of lure colors. Crappie fishermen are notorious about the importance of specific colors and deep sea or off shore fisherman have specific color schemes they always rely on. As bass anglers, we are just as particular. Probably the number one question in local tackle stores has always been, “What color were you using?” But actually more importantly the question should be, “Is color really that important?” And if it is, what is the best way to narrow down the choices to make my fishing easier and thus more enjoyable. Let’s see what we can come up with. In bass fishing, I have always believed that the less complicated I can make things; the better my chances are for success. Lure choices and colors are my first step in this process. While there are certain colors that work better on certain bodies of water, I want to list for you some proven color schemes that are productive no matter where you fish for bass. For my soft plastics, which include lizards, worms, creature baits, I have five colors that I

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know will work regardless of the body of water I am fishing. These colors are: black/blue, watermelon/red, green pumpkin, black neon (black with a red flake), and junebug (dark purple with a green flake). These color choices or variations of them will cover the water clarity spectrum, from clear to muddy. Most of our local lakes and rivers are stained. In this type of water as well as a murky or muddy water situation, I prefer the darker hues in my soft plastics. Black neon is a very good choice for these situations as well as junebug. The darker the water situations, the darker soft plastic lure I will use. I use black/blue whenever I have a good stained water situation with visibility in the one to two foot range. This is also an excellent color on cypress tree based lakes like Chenier Lake or Black Lake. Caney Lake and Lake Claiborne are our exceptions to the stained/muddy water clarity we usually encounter. In these clear water lakes I prefer more natural colors like shades of watermelon or green pumpkin. On the pro tours, green pumpkin has always been one of the favorite choices among anglers. It is a good all round choice and I have seen it produce in all water situations. But the color conversations don’t just end

with soft plastics. The debate will rage when it comes to crankbaits, topwaters and even spinnerbaits. Each lure has a specific job to do and I have always believed it is the action of the bait that catches the fish but the color of the lure catches the fisherperson. When choosing a color for crankbaits, I will pick between three different color schemes: shad, crawfish and bream. Those are the forage you are trying to duplicate so don’t get overwhelmed with all the choices that are at your disposal. Here are some colors that I consider to be constant producers: chartreuse/black back, firetiger, Tennessee shad, and a brown/orange crawfish color. Focus on crawfish patterns in winter and early spring, use bream colors through the springtime and shad patterns in summer through the fall. When it comes to spinnerbait fishing, I tend to stick with my basic colors. White, chartreuse, and chartreuse/white will pretty much cover the bases. I always let water color dictate my choice. To keep it basic I use white in clearer water, chartreuse in muddier situations with chartreuse/white being a good alternative between the two. When I throw a buzzbait, it will be white or black. On occasion I will use chartreuse but that is rare. Topwater lures have always caused a great debate when it comes to colors that will or won’t work. Even though it has been proven that a fish sitting underneath a lure looking up at it has no idea what color it is, everyone has their favorite color topwaters they will throw because “that was the only thing I could get them to hit.” Personally, I stick with bream and shad patterns on my topwaters and while my types of lures may be numerous, the color schemes are very few. In closing, if you are throwing a lure that you have great confidence in, regardless of the color, you are going to catch fish on it. You are going to work it more effectively, be more in tuned to what it is doing, and you are going to pay more attention to the whole scenario when it comes to that particular lure. Why? The answer is simply because you have caught them on it before, it just so happens to be your favorite color as well. Be careful on the water and catch one for me! See you next month.

I Love Me

The Joy and Power of Love for Self... The Greatest Love of All

BY BEATRICE A. TATEM, PH.D., LPC-S, NCC, ACS

LOVE ME.THAT’S RIGHT, I SAID IT... I LOVE ME! THREE SMALL words can mean so much. Do you love you? Do you love yourself truly and completely? When was the last time you said to yourself, “I love me” inside and out, unconditionally? Do you love your strengths as well as your weaknesses, your assets and your deficits? It will soon be Valentine’s Day and love is expected to be in the air. Candy will be purchased, flowers will be delivered, cards will be sent and gifts will be exchanged as gestures of love and appreciation. Some expressions of love will be promoted by commercial entities others motivated by the affection one has for one another. What do we mean when we talk about self-love? What are the feelings and expectations we associate with self-love? Often we define love, ways to love, how to love, being in love, what can be loved, who to love without considering how to love ourselves. I find that many people are unsure how to have love and appreciation for self. Everyone sees, emotes and experiences love in his or her own way. For some people, declaring self-love comes with the fear of being considered as narcissistic, arrogant, or selfish. For some, self-love is met with purchases and outward experiences shaped by money spent. For others, professing self-love comes with feelings of self-confidence, security and pride. As a therapist, I am aware of the special ways people experience love. Recently, I was invited to consult with a group of young women to talk about self-esteem. I asked them if they had ever been in love. Smiling with quick side glances at one another, they indicated yes, they had been in love. The group was then asked, had they ever been in love with self. They were encouraged to consider being in love with self first and to learn from within what they needed, wanted and expected when experiencing love. I suggested to them to try falling in love with life and with themselves in life. To surround themselves with people, places and things that support the life they seek. I encouraged them to expose themselves to people who will support their vision, hope for positive opportunities and desire for them to feel good. Self-love is key to overall success, physically, emotionally and mentally. A lack of self-love has been linked to poor decision-making and fail-

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ure in life and a host of imaginary and real diseases. When one does not love oneself, it can be problematic resulting in a sense of unworthiness and self esteem issues. The better we love ourselves, the better we can love others and the more we can accept others’ love. If we deem ourselves unworthy, we will do little to please ourselves. This can result in poor selfcare, toxic situations, strained interactions and our being our greatest critic. Loving you means self-care, setting boundaries, loving the person you are and the person you are becoming. Love for self means setting limits, getting proper rest and taking the time to be well emotionally, physically and spiritually. Focus on being centered. It is being mindful of what you want, think and feel. Self-love means loving yourself while loving the world. It does not indicate selfishness, it is a prerequisite to loving everyone else. It means being intimately acquainted with yourself, knowing your expectations for love before attempting to become intimately acquainted with others. Self-love means loving yourself so well that you can receive the love others have for you. It means asking the question, “What does love have to do with it?” and being able to answer sincerely, “Love is everything the good and bad, the laughter and the tears.” Self-love means being proud of your self and all that you have accomplished. Self-loving is recognizing your needs outside of others needs and defining what love means to you. Celebrate this Valentine’s Day by being the person you want to love. Perhaps Whitney Houston sang it best in the chorus of “Greatest Love of All”- “I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone’s shadows. If I fail, if I succeed – at least I’ll live as I believe. No matter what they take from me, they can’t take away my dignity... because the greatest love of all is happening to me. I found the greatest love of all inside of me. The greatest love of all is easy to achieve. Learning to love yourself...it is the greatest Love of All.” Overwhelm yourself with love, openly, freely, fully, purposefully and intentionally. Allow self-love…and spread it. Happy Valentine’s Day! For more information about counseling and outreach services contact Dr. Tatem at Wellness Initiatives, LLC, 318-410-1555 or at btatem.bt@gmail.com.

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P. Allen Smith

In the Mood for Spring Five Ways to Treat Spring Fever PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY QUINN AND HORTUS LTD. 24 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

If you’re anything like me, you’re itching to get your hands back in the dirt by the end of winter. You’ve had a rest, enjoyed the holidays and want to get outside already. You’re eagerly examining your garden for any sign of spring, and when you see those early flowering daffodils and crocus, you’ll struggle to maintain your composure and try to stop yourself from squealing with excitement. That’s where I am at right now. At the farm I’m beginning to see signs of Spring — old-fashioned shrubs like quince, winter jasmine and Camellia japonica are in bloom and leaf buds on my fruit trees are plumping up — and we’ve been keeping close watch on the sheep in anticipation of the lambs to be born. Self-diagnosis confirmed: I have a serious case of spring fever. Even though we can’t rush spring, there are a few ways I’ve found to shake off winter’s chill. SOW SEEDS INDOORS You can get your hands dirty without venturing out into the cold by starting plants from seeds indoors. This activity will also give you a jump start on the growing season. When it’s time to do your spring planting your seedlings will be ready to go. To get started first find out the last typical frost date in your area and then count back 6-8 weeks to give yourself a date to plant the seeds. Tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and melons are all good choices to start inside. Cauliflower,

cabbage, broccoli, basil and chard also thrive when started indoors. FORCE FLOWERING SHRUBS INTO BLOOMS Early flowering shrubs such as quince, spirea and forsythia can be forced into bloom indoors. The delicate branches covered in blooms instantly add a distinct sophistication to a room. To force flowering shrubs, first select branches from trees or shrubs with flower buds and cut a branch off (about 2-3 feet in length). Be sure to select a branch with flower buds, not just leaf buds, which are slightly smaller than flower buds. Next, take the branch inside and make an inch-long slit in the base to help the branch absorb water. Place in a container with water. A few inches of the branch should be submerged. The container should be placed in a cool part of the house. After the blooms emerge, you can move the branches and pail to a normally heated part of the house, but keep the flowers away from drafts from heating vents. You can continue to make fresh cuts at the bottom of the branches every few days to extend the life of the blooms.

LOOK FOR SEASONAL PRODUCE To beat the winter blues, amp up your green at the grocery store with seasonal produce. Leafy greens like arugula, spinach and kale are thriving in early spring. Pick up a few Brussels sprouts, leeks and heads of cabbage. And thanks to Valentine’s Day, chocolate might also be considered a seasonal food this month. SOUTHEASTERN FLOWER SHOW The South boasts and array of great shows to check out. If you’re in Georgia, stop by the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta April 25-27. It’s one of the biggest and best flower shows in the nation and the displays look fantastic, like something Willy Wonka would have created if he switched over to the garden business. www.sehort.org/flower-show/ P. Allen Smith P. Allen Smith is an award-winning designer, gardening and lifestyle expert and host of two public television programs, Garden Home and Garden to Table, and the syndicated 30-minute show P. Allen Smith’s Garden Style. Smith is one of America's most recognized and respected design experts, providing ideas and inspiration through multiple media venues. He is the author of the best-selling Garden Home series of books. Allen is also very active on social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Learn more at www.pallensmith.com.

GO TO FLOWER SHOWS Plan a “daycation” and go to a flower show. There is nothing like a room filled with blooms and the scent of hardwood mulch to transport a person to a warmer season for a day. We have some pretty impressive flower shows in the U.S. including the Philadelphia Flower Show, Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Washington State and the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta. PLANT FROST-TOLERANT VEGGIES Impatient and resourceful gardeners have long concerned themselves with extending the growing season to increase their harvest. One of my favorite ways to start plants is to use a cloche, a clear bellshaped glass cover. It looks equal parts terrarium and decorative cake cover and helps starting plants by keeping them warmer and protecting their tender shoots from pests. Plus the delicate-looking domes really add a touch of sophistication to the garden. Frost-resistant plants, such as English peas, lettuce, broccoli and cabbage, are all excellent choices to plant early outside. FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 25

Glenwood Heart and Vascular Institute Fighting Heart Disease in Women...One Patient at a Time

LTHOUGH MANY PEOPLE THINK of heart disease as a man's problem, it is actually the number #1 killer of women in the U.S. Because women’s heart related symptoms are different from men’s, they are often overlooked. It’s important for women to know their bodies and listen to their hearts. And most importantly, they should learn to recognize the symptoms and know where to go for emergency heart treatment.

GLENWOOD HEART AND VASCULAR INSTITUTE From cardiologists, surgeons, operating room technicians and more, our team offers you the quality of care you deserve, in the modern surroundings you need. Our non-invasive cardiology labs, cath labs, surgical suite, 64-slice CT Scanner, hybrid OR, telemetry unit, CV-ICU and surgeon's clinic are all located under one roof, on one floor within the hospital. The proximity and comprehensiveness of these services ensures a high quality of care. DIAGNOSTIC CARDIOLOGY • EKG – (Echocardiogram) • Stress Tests • Heartview Scans • Holter Monitoring • Nuclear Cardiology • Cardiac Catheterization • Rhythm Disorders

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• Pacemakers and Defribillators

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY • Carotid Stenting • Coronary Angioplasty and Stenting • Coronary Angioscopy • Clot removal of heart and vascular blockages • Peripheral Arterial Angioplasty and Stenting • Renal Artery Stenting CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY

CHEST PAIN CENTER – The only fully accredited Chest Pain Center in NE Louisiana. Full accreditation is the highest level rating a Chest Pain Care facility can earn. Glenwood earned it by demonstrating expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria. Through a partnership with Pafford Air One, Glenwood’s door to balloon times for transported STEMI patients is significantly reduced to give them the best chance of survival.

GLENWOOD SPONSORED EVENTS – AMERICAN HEART MONTH WOMEN’S MOVE & GROOVE FITNESS FAIR – Tuesday, February 4th from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Glenwood Medical Mall. Hosted by the NE Louisiana Chapter of the American Heart Association and Go Red for Women. Area women are invited to come out and participate in this “all things heart healthy” event.

Features will include workout demonstrations, fit friendly snacks, healthy eating tips along with women and heart disease related information. CARDIAC AND PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE IN WOMEN. A Go Red for Women Live and Learn Event. Friday, February 7th at 11:30 a.m. Optional heart healthy lunch $5.00. Seminar is free. Featured Speaker: Claude Minor, M.D., General Surgeon. Participants who wear red will be registered to win special door prizes. Seating is limited. To register call 877-726-WELL. NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY – Friday, February 7th. Wear red and save lives. Glenwood is taking an active role in fighting and beating heart disease in women as the local cause sponsor of Go Red for Women. Funds raised help to support medical research, awareness, education and community programs to help women live longer heart healthy lives. LOVE YOUR HEART…IN STYLE! GALA AND RED DRESS RUNWAY SHOW Thursday, February 13th – 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – West Monroe Convention Center. Red wine, heart healthy hors d’oeuvres, fabulous packages raffle. For more information, call 601321-1210. For more information about Glenwood’s comprehensive heart services, call 877-726-WELL or visit www.grmc.com.

photograph by Mike Healey

A Growing Community

Holyfield Construction Continues to Develop Upscale Business Community in Midtown Monroe

EN YEARS AGO THERE WAS A VISION for a destination in midtown Monroe, where you could stroll from a doctor's office to a retail shop then dine at a selection of restaurants. A multi-use community that would bring important synergies to local businesses and the Monroe community. Today, Holyfield Inc. has transformed the stretch of Tower Drive between Oliver Road and Lamy Lane into one of the most popular commercial areas in the Twin Cities, with restaurants, retail establishments, and fitness companies alongside insurers, bankers, lawyers and management companies— all within walking distance on meandering, landscaped sidewalks. “What we have created is a thriving business corridor on Tower Drive and a family and community destination. We’re continuing to build, based on the success and growth achieved by businesses in the first phase of development,” Holyfield says. The first phase included the construction of Portico, a free-standing restaurant, and The Shoppes on Tower, which is home to now-established businesses like PieWorks, River Outfitters, Fitness Together and many more. Development is continuing, consistent with the overall plan for an upscale destination in Monroe’s midtown business district, a location that is convenient for retail, medical, restaurants and professional offices. To that end, construction was just completed on Tower Village Office Park, which features eleven office suites for lease or purchase. Reception has been positive and, as construction

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comes to an end, only four units remain available. Tower Village Office Park offers small businesses and upstarts an important key to success: the ability to invest in their own real estate rather than paying rent, which builds long term value in their company. Across the street, development is nearing completion on Phase II of the Shoppes On Tower, a six-unit mixed use retail facility aimed at increasing the draw of the upscale shopping area found in the successful Shoppes On Tower. Holyfield says the Phase II expansion has proven incredibly popular with businesses like health insurance company Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Hemline, an upscale retail store. Already, two restaurant concepts are looking at spaces in the new development, and while it's still too early to reveal who the potential tenants are, Holyfield is optimistic. "Both concepts are like nothing else available in Monroe. They meld well together, and that will provide synergy and energy to the development," Holyfield says. Future plans for the Shoppes On Tower II include bringing in a national or regional upscale coffee shop. Overall, the company is so pleased with the success of Phase II, that planning is underway for Phase III of the Shoppes. "It's on the drafting table. We hope to have the building full and open by the end of this year," Holyfield says. While these kinds of developments are common in larger cities, they're still relatively new to Louisiana. Holyfield's development of the Tower Drive corridor is a first for Monroe. All of

the development completed along Tower Drive has one driving impulse behind it: to create a shopping and business destination unlike anything else in the market. By focusing on selective developments, Holyfield has been able to increase demand and traffic to the area, and by exercising architectural controls, create a pleasing aesthetic. With the strategically selected positions of businesses and structures, the development begins to feel organic, not planned. "What results is a community that feels like it grew spontaneously—not by a master plan," Holyfield says. "Yet it's organized, visually stunning, and flows naturally from function to function" From beginning to completion, the Tower Drive corridor project creates synergy between businesses and functions, which increases business values and is good for the bottom line. "Because of that synergy, we've created an added value for the existing businesses in our corridor—and also future value for them and future tenants as well." It doesn't stop with mixed use commercial projects. The Tower Drive corridor is strategically positioned near Midtown, with nearby upscale housing developments in Louisianne, Briarcliff, and more. Eventually, Holyfield envisions adding an upscale apartment development to the mix. "What we set out to do has worked," Holyfield says. "You can see that by the growing and successful companies that have chosen the Tower Drive corridor as their home to do business."

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5 6 7

13 14

1) Red Shirt–A Kid’s Closet 2) Infinity Scarf–Bayou Gypsy 3) Headband–If the Crown Fits 4) Little Black Dress–K-Sera 5) Sunglasses–Haik Humble Eye Center 6) Leather Cuff–Salt & Pepper 7) Pandora Charm–Serendipity 8) Martini Glass–Debbie’s Hallmark 9) Organic Intimates–Fiesta Nutrition Center 10) Jean Baptiste Candle–The Muffin Tin 11) Rubelite & Diamond Ring–Flair’s Fine Jewelry 12) Cocktail Dress–The Bridal Shop 13) John Hardy Garnett Bracelet–Hollis & Co. Jewelers 14) Rose Gold & Diamond Ring–Diamond Vault 15) Skull Sweater–Pearl Pumphrey’s 16) Zutano Gown–The Spotted Giraffe 17) Traviata Candle–Material Things 18) Bracelet–Thurman’s Food Factory

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Wig and Stache Bash

Geneva Academy’s Second Annual Event to be Held February 28th

ELEBRATING 13 YEARS SERVING the Twin Cties, the faculty and parents of Geneva Academy welcome you to join us for the Second Annual Wig and Stache Bash. This year’s bash will feature a formal supper catered by Waterfront Grill, live entertainment provided by Code Blue & the Flatliners, and the excitement of live and silent auctions spotlighting Louisiana artisans and more. Come out to the Monroe Civic Center on Friday, February 28th, at 6:30 p.m. for an evening of dressing up and boogying down. Proceeds from the evening will go to benefit Geneva Academy, a classical Christian school. The live auction features Louisiana artists, SEC and NFL memorabilia, a Disney vacation, a tour of downtown restaurants, and a piece by “live action artist” Libby Gifford that is to be created during the event and auctioned at the end of the evening. The silent auction will also have many amazing items from great local businesses and artists that are guaranteed to tickle your fancy! It will be a night to remember for sure. Tickets are $25 in advance and can be purchased through the school at 318.805.0116 or online at www.genevaclassical.org/auction. Tickets will be $30 at the door. Geneva Academy Director of Development Aleta Horton Eley encourages everyone to come be a part of this special event. “You are welcome to come and join our families for a great time and bid on some truly amazing auction items! By participating in this event, you are supporting 32 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

quality education that seeks to instill values that your children will rely on for the rest of their lives. Our goal is to raise up future leaders who have a heart for serving their communities. Your participation is crucial to reaching this goal,” Eley said.

ABOUT GENEVA ACADEMY Is Geneva right for your family? • Do you believe that education should be entertaining, OR that true learning and academic accomplishment bring deep joy and satisfaction? • Do you believe that schools should teach “skill sets” for the job market, OR that the art of learning, the training of the mind, and the building of an autodidact, are the true goals of learning?

“Is not the great defect of our education today… that although we often succeed in teaching our pupils “subjects,” we fail lamentably on the whole in teaching them how to think: they learn everything, except the art of learning.” - Dorothy Sayers

• Do you believe that education can be valueneutral, OR do you think that all schools inescapably teach values, that it is simply a matter of which values they teach?

“Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.” - C. S. Lewis

• Do you believe that success in college and the job market are the primary reasons to go to school, OR that an education for wisdom and service will result in a happy and productive life? • Do you believe that an education for the future means being tied to the current technological zeitgeist, OR that teaching the tools of learning will prepare them for broad-based knowledge for uncertain times? • Lastly, do you believe that standardization promotes excellence in teachers and students, OR that a community of learning inspires a love of wisdom? These are not meant to be false dichotomies, but rather to point to the primary goals of education. If you agree that the latter of these goals are primary, then Geneva is the school for you. A classical Christian education at Geneva Academy is grounded in the true purpose of learning, in the tried and true methods of teaching, and in the source of all wisdom, Jesus Christ. From the Book of Common Prayer: For Religious Education ALMIGHTY God, our Heavenly Father, who hast committed to thy Holy Church the care and nurture of thy children; Enlighten with thy wisdom those who teach and those who learn; that, rejoicing in the knowledge of thy truth, they may worship thee and serve thee from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Spring Market

Save the Date for the Junior League of Monroe’s Spring Market March 21-23

PRING IS ON IT’S WAY AND WITH it comes the Junior League of Monroe’s Spring Market, sponsored by Community Trust Bank. The 16th annual Spring Market will open to the public on Friday, March 21, 2014. The Market opens Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. with the classic event, “Shop ‘Til You Drop!”, brought to you by The Mulhearn Corporation. This event features a champagne brunch catered by The Coffee Bean, entertainment by Rod Allen Payne, and extended shopping until 11:00 a.m. Tickets for this event are $30. General shopping is open to the public on Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. That evening, Spring Market’s signature event, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun!”, brought to you courtesy of Progressive Bank, commences at 6:00 p.m., and includes catering by Thurman’s Food Factory with four buffet stations – that means more time for Shopping! The evening also includes entertainment by Mike McKenzie, door prizes, preferred shopping, and of course, everyone’s favorite “Market-ritas.” Tickets for Girls Just Want to Have Fun are $40. Following Friday’s big kick-off, the Market opens for general shopping Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. General shopping tickets are $6 in advance, and $8 at the door. No Strollers allowed, please. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Terri Arthur at the League House at (318) 322-3236. You may also 34 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

stop by the League House, located at 2811 Cameron Street in Monroe at any time between 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. This year the Junior League of Monroe is thrilled to announce a new event focused on family fun. Breakfast with the Bunnies will make its debut on Saturday, March 22, 2014. This event will feature a light breakfast, a photo shoot with live bunnies by an area photographer with portrait packages available, a visit from Peter Cottontail himself, a book reading, balloons, children’s activities and more! The ticket cost for “Breakfast with the Bunnies” is $15 per family and will include one general admission re-admittance ticket, to be used on Saturday or Sunday. The Provisional Member class of 2013 -2014 is taking pride in handling this event as part of their Spring Market project. The thoughts of shopping with merchants from all over the country and all of Spring Market’s special events are enough to make anyone wish it were already March! If that doesn’t grab your attention, perhaps you would be interested in a raffle ticket for either a 7 night, Maui Vacation Giveaway or $5,000 cash, your choice! The drawing for this raffle will be on Sunday, March 23rd. Tickets for a Preferred Shopping Event Raffle that no woman can refuse will also be sold at “Shop til you Drop!” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun!”, with the winner chosen at the Friday

night festivities. Spring Market serves as one of the major fund raisers for the Junior League of Monroe. The profits from Spring Market and associated raffles will help fund and support community impacting programs such as ‘Kids in the Kitchen’, which serves to educate children between the ages of 9-12 years old on how to eat healthy and prevent childhood obesity. ‘Families Can’t Wait’, a program which provides a hospital based primary prevention plan for atrisk mothers and has a positive impact on the health of infants, will also benefit from funds raised. ‘Tools and Literacy for Children (T.L.C.)’ is a community outreach program which was developed to address the overall needs of at-risk children and families. TLC focuses on the physical, emotional, and educational needs of a selected area elementary school with a high number of free and/or reduced lunches. This is only to name a few of the outreach programs that are operated through the JLM, giving purpose to the purchase of a ticket to a weekend of events and shopping. Please join us and experience Spring Market’s Gathering of Gifts and Gardening at the Monroe Civic Center from March 21 – 23, 2014. We look forward to seeing you at the Market!

Going Green in 2014

Fiesta’s Top 10 Healthy Picks for the New Year 1. GREEN FOOD POWDERS Contrary to what Kermit the Frog believes –“it’s easy to be green.” New technology has made getting your daily greens so easy. Fiesta stocks organic wheat grass powder as well as blends of greens that are harvested from the land and the ocean. The powders can be added to smoothies or plain water in a shaker. The benefits received for our bodies are alkalizing, cleansing and energizing. Not bad on taste. We promise.

2. PROBIOTICS AND FERMENTED FOODS Good health begins in the digestive tract. Multi-strained supplements can be found that are condition, age and gender specific. Foods containing active cultures are good yogurts, kefir, kimchi and kombucha drinks.

3. PLANT-BASED PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS Powders made derived from rice, pea, hemp, and various sprouted grains are a fit for vegans and anyone else seeking an easily digested and satisfying meal substitute. 4. GREEN COFFEE BEAN EXTRACT Low-caffeine and energizing effect make this a popular herbal for maintaining blood sugar, blood pressure and taking the edge off a sweet tooth!

5. BCM-95 CURCUMIN Not all turmeric is the same. This patented formula is the most potent and absorbable natural anti-inflammatory herbal on the market. 6. NORDIC NATURALS OMEGA LDL Enough can’t be said about this product.

7. HONEY So delicious to eat and cook with. Its anti-bacterial properties for both internal and external healing are being appreciated again. 8. HEALING CLAY Create your own spa treatments with clay for removing toxins and healing the skin.

9. ZYLITOL-SWEETENED FOODS We stock USA- produced birch-derived zylitol (natural sweetener) products. Perfect for diabetics and Paleo followers. 10. CAULIFLOWER Robin, our grocery buyer, tells us that cauliflower is the vegetable to watch in 2014, as kale was in 2013.

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B Y M A R E‘ B R E N N A N

or about a year, the BayouLife staff has diligently and thoughtfully been “keeping score” on the people in Northeast Louisiana’s service industries who bring joy with each encounter. We hope that you, too, will agree with our 2014 People We Love picks! Whether we are on a coffee run or at a charity event, there are a handful of people that make our day every single time we see their smiling faces. BayouLife went behind the counter, so to speak, to get to know more about these fascinating people whose inner light shines so brightly. Overwhelmingly, their managers are not surprised by our requests for interview as they often receive letters from customers outlining the specific good deeds and kind words that are part of the everyday fabric these “caregivers” weave. So to these working warriors who spread happiness and impart words of wisdom and peace, we salute you.

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Phyllis Rambo Gordon Brookshire’s, Licensed Florist Manager Phyllis Rambo Gordon has been working her magic with flowers and winning the hearts of customers since 1978, when she first went to work for Elaine Caldwell in Twin City Mall’s Elaine’s Plants and Flowers, located next to the Tonga Island. With Brookshire’s over the past 15 years, Phyllis is north Monroe’s go-to-gal for a quick floral fix! Her coolers are well-stocked with pre-made bouquets (to get you out of the doghouse), and nicely presented houseplants (for new neighbors or sick friends). And Phyllis can whip up a boutonniere in a land-speed record (for when you’ve forgotten to get one for your teenager’s date to Prom. Trust me; I’ve been there). But the best part about interacting with Phyllis is her never ending ability to ask the right questions and happily get you from Point A (what kind of flowers should I get for this dinner party?) to Point B (the perfect bouquet!) to Point C (checking out in with a huge smile on your face knowing you are about to make someone really happy). I tell Phyllis that it’s not a party unless she and her best friend Sylvia Masur Thompson are there, and everyone would agree. These two ladies are ambassadors for all things positive,

hitting the town for literally every art gallery show, ballet and theatre performance and charity event.

On Her Positive Outlook: “That’s just who I am, and it’s part of the job to be helpful and courteous to customers.” The Favorite Part of Her Job: Says Phyllis, “Meeting the needs of my customers has got to be the best part of my job. But to do that, you have to take time to get to know your customers and find out what they need.” Ideal Valentines’ Day Gift: Brookshire’s on 18th Street in Monroe is known for its giant parking lot tent sale on Valentine’s Day, and Phyllis says it’s always a whirlwind of a day. “We’ll work 20 hour days to make sure everyone gets the perfect gift for their loved one. So my favorite Valentine’s Day gift is a spa day for when Valentine’s is over,” laughs Phyllis. “My daughter gave me one last year. It felt so good after working so hard on Valentine’s Day to get my feet and hands rubbed. Then we had dinner together.” Most Overused Phrase: “‘Can I help you?’ I must say that at least 100 times a day!” grins Phyllis. How She’d Like to Be Remembered: When Phyllis’ daughter Christina Elahi was a teen, she wrote a story about her mom. “She said that I am funny and that I can always find the humor in the situation,” says Phyllis with an impish grin. “My devoted husband, James, thinks I’m so talented and that I never come home on time. We worked together at the Super K-Mart years ago, so he knew what he was getting.” But she turns serious when she says that she will do anything to help churches with their flowers within her power as she tries to give back for the many blessings God has bestowed on her. Family: Although her family can trace its roots back 200 years in Grant Parish, Phyllis was raised in Jacksonville, Florida. “I came to Monroe when I divorced my first husband,” she grins. “‘Cause my daddy wanted me to marry a Louisiana man!” She has two children, daughter Christina, who works for Judge Sharp, and son Robert Easley, an insurance adjuster in Dallas. Shelby and Jarratt Rambo make her smile as do her beloved, four-legged granddogs, Chester and Teddy.

Bruce McKoin Trio’s and private Estate Sales With 29 years in the service industry, it is no wonder that Bruce McKoin is so highly regarded by his loyal clientele. While he was still in college, Bruce and his good buddy, Brad Holloway, opened the highly successful and legendary Sixth Street Bar and Grille. It was his first job. “We went through a lot to even get it open. Luckily as a Delta Sig at Northeast, we had a built-in customer base from the get-go,” he says of the groundbreaking location that integrated live music into Monroe’s Garden District. Originally from Oak Grove, Bruce now splits his time between Monroe and New Orleans. “I do estate sales and that usually dictates when I am here [at Trio’s in Monroe].” On this day, Bruce and his signature blond hair are zipping behind the Trio’s bar, seeing to every customer’s need--filling a tea glass here, creating a bourbon drink in a flash and bringing out plates loaded with a delicious foods cooked to order. On His Positive Outlook: “I don’t know any other way. When the unexpected happens, I try to remember that problem isn’t going to last forever and to move on. There are always at least two sides to everything. You have to just smile on the outside and then handle the situation behind the scenes,” says Bruce of his time managing Trio’s bar and restaurant. “In Monroe, you get to know your customers. I can almost read their minds.” Doesn’t it make you feel loved and appreciated when your server comes out with your favorite beverage--before you even order it? That’s why people love Bruce; he has that uncanny ability to anticipate your needs and fill them, like a clairvoyant with a crystal ball.

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The Favorite Part of His Job(s): “There is nothing that goes on in this business that can’t be corrected,” explains Bruce. “Plus I have been bless with some of the best friends anyone in the world could have. I’ve been fortunate, and I’ve reciprocated.” Ideal Valentines’ Day Gift: “I haven’t always been big on Valentine’s Day for myself, because for me it was about making other peoples’ day special. But the best gift I gave was to my mom. She didn’t expect anything and I brought her a dozen roses. Most Overused Phrase: “Are you kidding me?” or “Hee-Haw!” are classic Bruce phrases that friends like Ann Burgoyne will remember. How He’d Like to Be Remembered: “When you reach a certain age,” says Bruce, “you realize that the quality of friendships mean more than ever...Monroe is good. No, Monroe is great. I’ve been lucky that I fit in with a lot of different groups, which is not always easy to do. I always say, ‘I might not be your best friend, but I can be the best friend you’ve got.’”

Walter Houston Ledent Vee’s Flowers deliveryman, private bartender and chauffeur Like Monroe’s own Cher or Madonna, merely mention the name, “Walter” and anyone who’s been to a wedding or charity event in northeast Louisiana or has had the privilege of being on the receiving end of a bouquet from Vee’s Flowers knows exactly the Walter you are talking about. Says Walter shyly, “I didn’t realize how many people know me.” But being a service industry veteran for over 30 years at establishments, like The Pillars, Bayou DeSiard Country Club, The Chateau, Holidome and Vee’s Flowers, has made Ledent one of the most recognized men in Monroe. Walter’s first job was at the legendary Chateau, working alongside his dad, Houston Ledent, who was one of the head chefs. “I would cut potatoes for my dad. That’s how I learned how to work,” says the impeccably dressed Walter. He’s ready for his slate of deliveries on a blustery January day, beautiful arrangements of lilies and tulips in

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hand and on a course to brighten someone’s afternoon. Born and raised in Monroe, he only spent a few years out of the area, working in Dallas with his father at the Fairmont Hotel.

On His Positive Outlook: “I was just raised to be positive and just be myself. I miss my father. He told me to just keep on doing what I’m doing and get blessed. My positive attitude definitely comes from my dad. Daddy was very positive, and he did for everybody. He was my biggest role model. I tend not to think about myself that much. All that comes from my upbringing.” The Favorite Part of His Job(s): Walter loves tending bar at wedding receptions and dinner parties, but he can often be seen chauffeuring clients around town or delivering flowers. “I have to keep moving or else I’ll get bored. I have a need to keep working. I love it

when people are happy to see me,” he says. Ideal Valentines’ Day Gift: “I gave my wife a basket filled with all the things she likes! She loved it!” Most Overused Phrase: When he’s tending bar, you’ll hear Walter say, “Do you want ‘The Special?’” How He’d Like to Be Remembered: “For being good to people and taking care of them. That I put a smile on their face and a drink in their hand.” Family: Walter has been married to Shirley for 20 years and has two daughters who served in the U.S. Air Force.

Annette “Ms. Anne” Young Starbucks

Sometimes just hearing this person we love’s voice is enough to snap us out of a bad day! And we’re sure that others feel exactly the same way. If you’ve ever driven through Starbucks then you know exactly who we’re talking about. Ms. Anne has been at Monroe’s Starbucks on Forsythe Avenue since its opening in 2008, belting out her signature, “Hey, Baby! What can I get for you this morning?” along with some words of wisdom and peace for the day ahead. It’s hard to imagine Ms. Anne doing anything that didn’t require much human interaction, but for years she worked in hotel housekeeping, working crazy hours. Lucky for us, a Starbucks manager recognized a good thing when he saw her and hired Annette for the Forsythe location. Petite and youthful, Ms. Anne has four daughters, one son and eleven grandkids with one on the way. I ask her secret to staying young. She laughs and says, “Oil of Olay and staying busy to keep fit.” She has just gotten out of church to meet me at Starbucks and talk about what motivates her to be so positive.

On Her Positive Outlook: “This world is so cruel, and it’s nice to show someone a smile on your face and give one to somebody else.” The Favorite Part of Her Job: The best part of her job at Starbucks she says with no hesitation is greeting people. “I love to talk and listen to people. And I love to joke around and try to make people happy. One day, this lady came through the drive-through, and she looked so sad and had tears in her eyes. I just reached out to hold her hand and told her, ‘Ain’t nothing but the devil when you are having a bad day. Just shake that off.’”

Ideal Valentines’ Day Gift: The best Valentine’s Day gift she’s received came from her daughters. “My girls pulled together a big basket with all of the Oil of Olay products that I love, a pair of pajamas and topped it off with my favorite chocolates. The favorite Valentine’s gift I ever gave, though, was to my mom -- an outfit, with a pair of shoes to match, a dozen roses and a card with $50 that was completely unexpected.” Most Overused Phrase: “Good Morning! Welcome to Starbucks! What can I get you?” Ms. Anne laughs and says she dreams about it in her sleep and has even answered her own phone with the phrase. How She’d Like to Be Remembered: “I’d like to be remembered as a peacemaker,” says Annette, whose time at church is precious to her. “I have an overwhelming love for people, to help people or lend an ear. There is nothing within my reach that I wouldn’t do for someone.”

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 39

Escape to the Alps

The Cancer Foundation League Presents “Evening Accents in the Swiss Alps”

HE CANCER FOUNDATION LEAGUE (CFL) would like to whisk you away to the Swiss Alps without ever leaving Monroe! You will feel like you have entered a winter wonderland when you enter the West Monroe Civic Center. On Saturday, February 8, 2014, it will be the premier event in town and a fabulous way to spend an early Valentine’s Day. Your ticket to excitement also includes fabulous food, drinks and the chance to dance the night away to the exciting sounds of Almost Famous. Almost Famous is a band out of Memphis, TN and is guaranteed to get everyone up and moving. Almost Famous showcases three lead singers and members of the band are credited with performing for 2 former US Presidents, 2 Superbowl performances, national television appearances, movie sound tracks, touring with top Grammy Award winners and have their own recording contracts. Bottom line, you will not want to miss out! There will be an opportunity to place your bids in both our live and silent auctions. And back by popular demand is the ability to purchase a ticket to win a Benelli shot gun. Tickets for the Benelli are only $20 but you have to attend to purchase one as tickets will only be sold at the gala! The Cancer Foundation League’s famous Champagne and Diamonds Raffle will also be 40 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

featured. A glass of champagne may be purchased for a chance of going home with a sparkling treasure. If that’s not your style, try your luck in winning a mystery gift box, with each box containing a fabulous surprise item. Also, don’t forget to stop by our “Wine Pull” and pull out a wine cork to win a corresponding bottle of fine wine! For a unique experience that you can’t find elsewhere, come out and join us and help us meet our mission of offering financial assistance to Northeast Louisiana cancer patients undergoing treatment. Escape to the Alps on February 8, 2014, starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased from the Cancer Foundation League office or by calling 9661953. Tickets will also be available from Albritton Photography, The Coffee Bean and Vieux Carré Gourmet. The Cancer Foundation League was founded in 2002 by two Northeast Louisiana women, Dee Dee Cook and Virginia Knickerbocker, who saw the need to address the immediate concerns for cancer patients. The two women collaborated about offering financial assistance to those impacted by the cancer diagnosis. The Cancer Foundation League was initially formed with a $25,000 donation from philanthropist Kitty DeGree and the contributions have grown over the years. Funds are used to help pay patients’ non-medical bills,

such as rent or groceries or giving gift cards to help patients with travel expenses to treatment sites. In the 11 years inception, the Cancer Foundation League has spent over $1,000,000 assisting over 3,000 patients. All proceeds from the Cancer Foundation League gala serve to benefit cancer patients of Northeast Louisiana and the mission of the Cancer Foundation League. The need for the Cancer Foundation League in our community continues to grow and we need your support. The numbers are staggering and it is events like our gala that allow the CFL to continue to assist cancer patients in need. Escape to the Alps will be followed by the Cancer Foundation League golf classic “Theresa Marsala Memorial” which will be held in mid-May 2014. For more information about the golf tournament, please contact the Cancer Foundation League office, 966-1953. For further information on the Escape to the Alps gala, any other CFL events or the Cancer Foundation League in general, please visit our website www.cancerfoundationleague.com or find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/cancerfoundationleague. We will see you in the Alps!

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 41

BayouKidZ

Children’s Book Review I

The Story of Ferdinand the Bull by Munro Leaf

T WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN AT SOME point during the writing of this column…a book review, that is. As a children's book author, I am ask quite frequently about children's literature. As a matter of fact, it is quite possibly the most common thing that both children and adults ask my opinion on. Let me make one thing clear, I do not have a degree in children's literature, but I have been studying my industry for nearly twenty years. Furthermore, I have been reading and researching children's literature for the last fifteen years on a daily basis. Not because it's my "job" but because I have a fifteen year old son that I have read to since he was born, (Well, not so much in the last few years, as that would be perceived as 'weird' to have your mom read aloud to you when you are a pre-teen, tween or whatever the appropriate word might be), and what I continue to do with my 8-year old daughter. So, let me set the record straight, I have done my share of reading to my children. The studies are out there, in abundance, and in fact, I have written earlier columns on the quite popular subject of reading to your children. So, let's not belabor that. Let's do however, visit a subject that will give me great pleasure to write about, and that is The Story of Ferdinand the Bull…my first official book review. This is the one book that stands out for this writer, hands down, as my all time favorite. Let

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review by Cindy Gist Foust

me begin by saying that this book was published in 1936 (the year Franklin D. Roosevelt was president and Gone with the Wind was published). Let me next say that Munro Leaf, the book's author, was way ahead of his time. In this crazy, somewhat skewed world we live in, children today are faced with many challenges, as they navigate their way to "teen-dom" (just call me Dr. Seus, another literary giant, as I have started making up my own words). These challenges and trying times often include self-esteem issues that can result in adverse outcomes. It's tragic, for me, as a parent, and as a children's book writer, to watch the expectations that parents put on their children, and the expectations these kids are putting on themselves. Munro Leaf must have sensed this vibe, even way back in 1936 when he wrote Ferdinand because he was spot on with his story. Quite simply, Ferdinand was his own bull. He liked what he liked, he enjoyed himself under his cork tree, and it wasn't necessary for him to follow the crowd…he was comfortable with himself. What a message for young readers these days, from this timeless treasure, that it's okay to be who you are. It sounds so cliché, but every child in this universe is individual and unique. Each child, unless pressed upon by their parents, should be able to determine their likes, their dislikes, their interests and be able to do what gives them happiness to do. Some of these chil-

dren are happy on a ball field; some are happy in the band; some are happy in a dance studio or reading a book…but nonetheless, something in the heart of a child is his or her passion. Every time I read Ferdinand the Bull to my children, I find myself grading my own parenting skills. Am I allowing each one of my children to be who they are? Are my children enjoying what they are doing, or is it something they feel that their parents want them to do? After all, it is their life…not mine. Like most any other parent, I want my children to excel at what makes them happy, and if simply sitting under a cork tree (provided they go to college) makes them happy, then so be it. Munro Leaf got it right…some "bulls" quite simply are happy just to sit under their cork tree and smell the flowers, rather than be a fighting bull. I would encourage the BayouLife readers who do not own Ferdinand the Bull to at least check it out of the library and read it with your children… even if they have outgrown children's books. Even though it was written over 70 years ago, it's a relevant story with a great message to young readers…it's okay to be who you are and embrace the things you love, despite what the 'crowd" might be doing. And like Ferdinand, get your joy from the place that makes you happy, even if it's under the cork tree smelling flowers. Sounds like a little piece of heaven to me.

U Unique, nique, H Hand and P Processed, rocessed, Gum Gum Bichromate Bichromate F Fine ine A Art rt Portraits Portraits L ivaudais-Studio.com | 122 122 S rand, M onroe | (318) (318) 7791-0307 91-0307 Livaudais-Studio.com S.. G Grand, Monroe G Gum um BBichromate ichromate pprinting rinting iiss a hhistorical istorical ddarkroom arkroom pphotographic hotographic ttechnique echnique tthat hat uses uses hand-applied hand-applied llight ight ssensitive ensitive eemulsions. mulsions. UUnlike nlike other other historic historic processes, processes, itit allows allows ffor or custom custom ccolors olors bbecause ecause tthe he ppigments igments uused sed to to m make ake the the print print aare re w watercolor atercolor paints. paints. TThis his ggives ives tthe he aartist r tist ccomplete omplete ccontrol ontrol over over the the color color palette. palet te. FFull ull color color iiss achieved achieved with wit h m multiple, ultiple, hhand and aapplied pplied llayers ayers similar similar to to screen screen printing. printing. Although Although iitt iiss a ttedious edious aand nd ttime-consuming ime-consuming pprocess, rocess, ttaking a k in g m many any hhours our s to to fifinish nish a pprint, rint, I love love how how the the layers layers ggive ive tthe he fifinal nal pprint rint a feeling feeling of of depth depth aand nd texture, texture, and and tthat hat each each print print is is truly truly uunique. nique. ~ Jo Jolili LLivaudais i v au d a i s

Special Savings in February

Burney’s Furniture Celebrates Anniversary with Special Savings This Month

LISA FOSS HICKS AND TONI FOSS

URNEY’S FURNITURE ON LOUISVILLE AVENUE IN Monroe is celebrating yet another year in business! As a way to thank our loyal customers for your past patronage, during February when you shop at Burney’s, you’ll get to pop a balloon which will hold your key to a special anniversary savings from 5% to 25% off your ticket price. This great opportunity will greet you when you walk in our doors. At Burney’s, we always offer you interest-free financing to meet your needs and free in home consultation when you’d like a little help integrating some new looks and trends with some of the colors and styles you already have. Burney’s is serious about taking good care of this community because you have kept us in business for so many years. For our ANNIVERSARY SALE, you’ll find special savings on these items: • La-Z-Boy Recliners, Sectionals and Motion Furniture • A vintage collection of accent and painted pieces…just stunning • A great variety of bedding in all comfort levels, including the famous Serta iComfort line • Imported leathers unique only to Burney’s; you won’t find these looks anywhere else in our area • A great assortment of designer area rugs and occasional chairs We would like to send out a very heartfelt thank you for letting us serve you. It started with Bob Foss in the seventies, and the tradition continues today with Toni Foss and Lisa Hicks who still embrace the mission of a delighted customer!

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American Heart Month P&S Surgical Hospital Cares About the Well-Being of Your Heart

BY LINDA HOLYFIELD, PRESIDENT AND CEO, P&S SURGICAL HOSPITAL

EBRUARY INCLUDES VALENTINE’S DAY, WHEN MANY OF us give sweet treats in heart-shaped boxes to our loved ones, to express how much they mean to us. February is also American Heart Month, which presents us with the important opportunity to care for the well-being of our own hearts. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, amounting to 2,200 deaths per day. Education and preventative care are essential to addressing and reducing these alarming numbers. P&S Surgical Hospital is home to one of the region’s most advanced Cardiac and Peripheral-Vascular Laboratories. Our state-ofthe-art labs offer the latest generation of catheterization equipment and techniques that diagnose and map the treatment for a variety of heart diseases. Procedures include heart catheterization, permanent pacemaker implementations, defibrillator insertions, electrophysiology and vascular studies. A highly-skilled team of experienced specialists provide in-depth medical expertise, and specially trained Registered Nurses and Radiological Technologists work closely with these physicians throughout each procedure. You can do a lot to take better care of your heart. Here are five helpful tips you can easily fit into your daily routine. • Control your portion size. Serve dinner on a salad plate, and if you are eating in a restaurant, ask your server to box half of your food. Eating less means consuming fewer calories, and less cholesterol and fat. • Select heart-healthy whole grains, veggies and fruit, all of which are naturally high in fiber. • Avoid saturated and trans-fats, such as those found in butter. When possible, replace with a lower-fat option. Choose lean meats with less than 10 percent fat. • Limit your salt intake. Restaurant meals are often high in sodium, so be mindful of what you order. • Avoid fad diets. Unfortunately, fad diets often lead to an individual eventually weighing more than she did prior to beginning her diet. Instead, opt for a long-term weight loss plan, such as the gastric sleeve procedure at Louisiana Center for Weight Loss Surgery. Visit http://laweightlosssurgery.com/ for more information.

P&S Surgical Hospital is a joint venture between St. Francis Medical Center and 55 specialists.

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 45

Dancing with the LA Stars

Louisiana Delta Ballet Hosts 6th Annual Event Friday, February 7th

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AN YOU SAY, “HOT, HOT HOT!” LOUISIANA DELTA Ballet presents the 6th annual Dancing With The Louisiana Stars and this year’s contestants are heating up the floor. Eighteen local celebrities are set to take the stage Friday, February 7th to compete for this years Dancing With The Stars title. Taking the stage this year will be Michael “Beer Man” Lewis, Pro Bowl retired receiver for the New Orleans Saints; Congressman Vance McAllister; Kolton Browning, ULM Quarterback; Mike McGee, City President, First National Bank; Nina Criscuolo, Anchor/Reporter, KTVE; Josh Kutz, Assistant Head, Trainer Gorilla Fitness West Monroe; Vicki Krutzer, Member Monroe City School Board; Marty French, CPA, CGMA DeWitt French, Giger and Sutton; Abby Campbell, Speech Language Pathologist, Sunshine Therapy and St. Francis Hospital; Michael Sawyer, Marketing Sales Representative, Paulen Luttgeham State Farm Agency; Victoria Koloff, Radio Personality, 92.3 The Wolf; Lamar Walters, Attorney, Breithaupt, Dunn, DuBos, Shafto and Wolleson LLC; April Dovorany, Co-anchor, Good Morning ArkLaMiss, KNOE; David Lewis, Sales Representative, Glazer Wholesale Distrubter; Michael DeVault, Writer, BayouLife Magazine; Matt Maberry, Financial Analyst, Community Trust Bank; Darren Sutton, LA Construction; and Mike Essex, Affinity/Vantage. Committee Chair Kim Leija and Co-Chairs Jeannie Ballance, Kim Duke, Karen Bradley and Julie Lewis are excited about this year’s line up. And with the help of Committee members Patti Nelson, Michelle Kolb, Mica Walker O'Niel, Karen Oliver, Janelle Snellings, Tammy Soignier and Catherine Chance, February 7th promises to be an evening you won’t soon forget! LDB Artistic Director Missy Crain is thrilled to have the continued support of the community for this exciting event and says this year will be the best yet! This year’s judges are: Drew Alleman, LSU Place Kicker/Top Five dancer; Mayor Jamie Mayo; Johnna Nelson, Last Year’s People Choice winner; Gregory Hudgins, Social Columnist, The News-Star/ Interior Designer and Vice President of Northeast Louisiana Arts Council; and Tommy Usrey, President Northeast Louisiana Arts Council. Come watch the stars heat up the stage at the Monroe Civic Center Arena! Table prices are: • VIP Elite, $1,000.00, includes table for 8 your choice of seating in the arena, entrance to VIP party for eight guests. • VIP Tables, $500, for table of 8, entrance to VIP party for 8 guests and open bar. • General Admission is $25 • VIP party and seating at 6:00; Show starts at 7:00 Tickets and table reservations can be made by calling 343-1155 Tickets are available at Missy Crain School of Dance, Opus Broadcasting, Gorilla Fitness/Kron Gracie Jiu Jitsu and Community Trust Bank on Forsythe.

Wear Red. Raise Your Voice. St. Francis Medical Center Celebrates American Heart Month

BY KATHY ROBERTS, MSN, RN, CCRN, CLINICAL EDUCATOR

T. FRANCIS MEDICAL CENTER IS AGAIN PROUD TO be a supporter of the American Heart Association’s initiatives to spread the word regarding heard disease and women during this year’s National Go Red for Women Event. Heart disease has been called the Silent Killer because it often has no noticeable symptoms. Heart disease is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. And it’s not just "an old man’s disease." In 2003, research revealed that heart disease was by far the No. 1 killer of women, and actually killed more women than men. To save lives and raise awareness of this serious issue, the American Heart Association launched Go Red for Women in 2003. Over the past 10 years, AHA and their healthcare partners have educated millions of women on the dangers of heart disease, which has led to major changes in health care. A few of the accomplishments noted by AHA over the past 10 years include: • 34 percent fewer women now die from heart disease • More than 627,000 women’s lives have been saved • More than half now exercise more • 60 percent now eat healthier diets • 43 percent have had their cholesterol checked • Smoking decreased by 15.1 percent • Cholesterol levels decreased 18.1 percent

St. Francis is promoting and supporting these accomplishments by offering educational information within the community. National Wear Red Day® — Friday, February 7, 2014 is National Wear Red Day. This is the special day to bring attention to this silent killer of women. As a partner with the American Heart Association, St. Francis Medical Center encourages everyone to wear red, raise their voices, know their cardiovascular risk and take action to live longer, healthier lives. At St. Francis, we encourage team members to make a donation to the American Heart Association and wear red. Go Red Community Lunch and Learn — The Go Red for Women movement works to make sure women know they are at risk for heart disease so they can take action to protect their health. As part of the Go Red for Women campaign, St. Francis is hosting a Lunch and Learn for the community on Friday, February 14th. The goal of this event is to educate women and their loved ones about the prevention of heart disease. For more information about this event or to register call (318) 966-7355. Cardiac Symposium for Healthcare Workers — St. Francis will sponsor a cardiac symposium on Friday, February 28th in order to expand and update the knowledge of area healthcare professionals regarding the diagnosis and treatment of the cardiac patient. If you are a healthcare professional and want more information on this educational opportunity, visit www.stfran.com or call (318) 966-4583.

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 47

WHO’S THAT LADY? Ronita Ross Re-energizes ‘The Y’ Ahead of 60th | onita Ross was only in town a few days, but she had already hit the ground running when BayouLife caught up with her. The Louisville, Kentucky native recently took over as CEO of the YMCA of Northeast Louisiana, and after just a few days in Monroe, she's already wary of a major problem—food. Ross says she enjoys trying various cuisines. "That's going to be problematic," Ross says. "I've already decided I have to ration my

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experimentation." She does allow herself one "cheat" day—Sunday. And on her first Sunday in the Twin Cities, Ross learned what will be one of the strongest parts of her job as the new CEO of the YMCA. "I love how friendly everybody is and how helpful everybody is," Ross says. Ross comes to the YMCA of Northeast Louisiana from her native Louisville, where she worked for the YMCA of Greater Louisville—a job she took "for fun" while running her own business.

article by Michael DeVault

At the time, Ross had a thriving, thirteenyear run at the helm of a successful residential real estate firm. But working for the Y inspired her. After 18 months of soul-searching, she knew she was at a crossroads. "I decided I was going to start to pursue full-time employment with the Y and, if and when that opportunity came, start my second career with the YMCA," she says. That opportunity came and, for a time, she worked at various levels within the Y in Louisville. Then, the top spot at the YMCA of Northeast Louisiana opened. Ross

RONITA ROSS jumped at the chance. The move was advantageous for Ross, who YMCA board chairman Stephanie Polk says is a transformative figure. The timing was also good for the Y, which is set to begin celebrating its 60th anniversary in northeastern Louisiana in the middle of February. Ross told BayouLife she's looking forward to the year and plans are already well underway for a kick-off celebration. "We're going to celebrate for the full year," Ross says. At the same time, though, both Polk and Ross noted that the YMCA of Northeast Louisiana is at a defining moment—both for itself and for the community. Already, Ross has met with numerous community and business leaders, and together they are exploring ways that the YMCA can play a part in the efforts to create the future. "One of the objectives with Y-USA on a national level is to maximize resources, so we can maximize impact," Ross says. The impact of the Y organization is far beyond just youth athletics, too. The organization offers patrons afterschool daycare, summer camps, Winter camps when children are out of school and numerous positive-action and positive-teaching activities. Polk says the far reach of the YMCA is why she and her husband got involved three years ago. "I have two small boys and was looking for a place to get involved in making the community a better place," Polk says. Because she and her husband were interested in sports, the organization was "a good fit" for their family. Yet, it's never been about just football or basketball for the Polks. "Even when I started to get involved with the Y, not a lot of people knew about the Y's mission beyond football," Polk says. She says they were drawn to the broader mission of the Y, to the group's unique position at a crossroads in the community. "We really wanted to look at a community transformation in Ouachita Parish." That's exactly what Ross sees happening, too, as she maps out her future plans. One of her strengths as a manager is strategic planning, the development of a long-term game plan to map future growth and future priori-

ties--something she's just beginning to undertake for the YMCA of Northeast Louisiana. "In my talks with community leaders, the first thing I ask them is what we can do to partner with them—and then what they see as the top three issues in the city of Monroe," Ross says. The most frequent response: programs for youth on Monroe's southside.

"So we're putting a call out to the community, asking them to provide us with any information they have on what the Y was in the city of Monroe."

~ Ronita Ross "If the issue is that youth just don’t have enough structured programs, or that they need to be taught life skills or social skills, or just have more sports activities, then the Y can help," Ross says. Pulling together the different communities is something the Y is uniquely positioned to do, as well. Polk notes the YMCA board is currently reviewing strengths and resources ahead of completion of its long-range strategic plans. Whatever the community needs, Polk says they're getting ready to help. "We want to make sure people know we have the ability to help in these areas," Polk says. All of the planning, all of the discussions and soul searching, and all of the events have one goal in mind, which is to gaze into the future and envision the 120th anniversary of the YMCA of Northeast Louisiana. When asked

what the next sixty years holds, Polk takes a minute to formulate her response. "If we fast-forward 60 years and look back on that time, I want people to say the YMCA provided services and leadership to transform Ouachita Parish, to bring meaningful change," Polk says. Part of affecting that change requires a look backwards, though, which Ross says she's trying to accomplish. Reconstructing the Y's history will itself be a community effort, she notes, because of the broad impact the group has had so far. "The majority of the people I've met have said that, at some point in their lives, they attended the Y or they visited a Y facility when they actually had a physical facility here," Ross says. Whether it was through an after-school care service, youth football leagues or just swimming lessons, pretty much everyone she's asked was in some meaningful way impacted by the Y. She wants to tell that story. "In order for us to move forward, we've got to know where we came from," Ross says. "So we're putting a call out to the community, asking them to provide us with any information they have on what the Y was in the city of Monroe." She hopes to receive photographs of the original facility, stories and narratives about important figures in the Y's history, and personal stories about how the Y impacted individuals. Pretty much every person can contribute some bit of knowledge, Ross believes. "Everybody knows the YMCA," Ross says. In the meantime, Ross is taking her time getting to know her neighbors and settling in. She plans to be here for a significant portion of that next sixty years. She says she's considering pursuing a PhD at one of the area's three universities. Also, she's hoping to find riding partners. An avid equestrian, she's looking forward to making friends with local riders, especially those who enjoy dressage. And, yes, there will continue to be those Sunday cheats, as she explores the local cuisine. For more information about the YMCA of Northeast Louisiana, visit www.ynela.org or call 318.387.9622.

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 49

Visit Manifest Continued THE WORKS OF DONNA McGEE FEATURED FOR FEBRUARY

he works of Donna McGee currently featured at the River Gallery during the month of February are inspired by the essence of nature—energy, motion and change. According to Kahlil Gibran, “Art arises when the secret vision of the artist and the manifestation of nature agree to find new shapes.” McGee says, “For me, art is a synthesis of what I see, what I know and what I feel revealed or made evident in the work.” The foundation of McGee’s work is rooted in her love of the natural world and her view that man is an integral part of nature. Like many philosophers, poets, writers and artists, McGee searches for meaning in life and understanding of herself by observing and experiencing the forces of the natural world. McGee says, “The work is a response to nature rather than a description. My love of exploring just to see what lies ahead and the feel of the earth beneath my feet are experi-

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special show of Donna’s ences I want to share.” She considwork during the entire month ers plein air painting or field studof February. When you shop ies as information gathering for at your local gallery, you not paintings that are drawn from only help our economy by memories, visions and concepts. keeping your money in the She says, “Working in the field area, you also save on taxes helps me absorb the mystery of and shipping. The gallery is the natural world and gives me an open Tuesday through Saturopportunity to daydream. day 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and McGee has taught art at the boasts over 28 artists whose university level for 22 years and work is also on display at the served as Chair of the Department gallery. Admission is free. of Art at Grambling State UniverPaintings and photographs sity from 2003-2011. She is a memWarm November Wind by gallery members can also ber of various regional and by Donna McGee be seen at ORAG’s extension national art organizations. For gallery located in the lobby of Ouachita Indemore information visit her web page at pendent Bank/Bankers Mortgage Plaza at www.donnafmcgee.com or her blog at 18th and Louisville in Monroe. Call 322-2380 www.dancing-rainbow.com. for more information. The River Gallery, 308 Trenton Street, West Monroe, invites you to come see this

We Deliver... Quality Care

Morehouse General Hospital Provides Quality Care and Delivery Services For Mothers and Babies

OREHOUSE GENERAL HOSPITAL HAS PROUDLY SERVED residents of Northeast Louisiana and Southeast Arkansas since 1930. Delivering babies is one of the things that we do best. We love bringing new babies into the world at Morehouse General Hospital; and we are committed to providing quality healthcare before, during, and after birth for all of our mothers and their babies.

Dr. Martin Young graduated from the University of London, in London, England. He completed a fellowship in pediatric endocrinology at Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital of Boston and in 1992 was appointed Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Tulane University Medical School. He is a member of the Endocrine Society and the American Diabetes Association. Dr. Young has practiced for more than 30 years and in 2012 joined the medical staff at Morehouse General Hospital. He is accepting new patients at his practice in Bastrop, located at 420 South Vine Street. To schedule an appointment, call (318) 283-3032

Dr. Janos Guoth graduated medical school in Hungary and relocated to the US in 1986. He completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Guoth has practiced in the US for more than 25 years and has been a valued member of the Morehouse General Hospital medical staff for the last 6 years. He is board certified with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is currently accepting new patients at his practice in Bastrop, located at 425 South Vine Street. To schedule an appointment, call (318) 281-8555. Dr. Curtis Sanders earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas, School of Medicine in 1996. He completed his internship and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport in 2000. He practiced at EA Conway in Monroe for 12 years before joining the medical staff at Morehouse General Hospital. Dr. Sanders is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. He is accepting new patients at his practice in Bastrop, located at 618 South Washington. To schedule an appointment, call (318) 281-5035.

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 51

Spring Merchandise Arriving Daily

A Kid’s Closet in West Monroe Now Stocks Full Lines of Clothing for Women and Kids

TEP INTO A KID’S CLOSET IN WEST MONROE TO SHOP now for you or your little one. They guarantee you'll be strutting out with loads of stylish looks to perk up your wardrobe or your child's. They now stock full lines of clothing for women from small up to size 3x. Pick up your children's clothes and your own, too! A Kid’s Closet has linen, Silver jeans, tops, dresses and hand-stamped jewelry creations that will keep your closet right on trend. Need an extra reason to shop? A Kid's Closet is giving away the American Girl 2014 Doll of the Year, Isabelle. You only have to spend $100.00 to have a chance to win this special edition American Girl for your little American girl. Drop by and take advantage of some of the best prices of the season. Stock your closet with A Kid's Closet’s end-of-season deals for you and your child. Easter and Spring fashions are arriving daily with a new emphasis on sassy prints on chevron to update your little girl’s Easter dress.

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And, we haven't forgotten our ladies! Women's Spring prints are in as well. Shop us first for the best selection of the season. A Kid's Closet has unique ideas to create unique and chic, monogrammable Easter baskets for your child. Come in soon for best selection. The bow section at A Kid’s Closet is brimming over with the latest designs in double layer and single solid and patterned bows to add pizzazz to any outfit. A Kid's Closet has enhanced their monogramming services by adding a second machine to better serve their customers. Bring in your ideas or items, and the ladies at A Kid's Closet can help customize your creation. Everyone from babies to young ladies of any age are now looking especially cute with help from A Kid's Closet. Now, clothing mothers and grandmothers, too. A Kid's Closet is located at 200 Bell Lane in West Monroe.

Why Your Fillings Need A Regular Tune-up Create The Smile You’ve Always Wanted with Bayou Dental Group Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

BY DAVID FINLEY, D.D.S.

F IT DOESN’T HURT, DON’T FIX IT... RIGHT? WRONG! even if you aren’t experiencing any pains or problems, your fillings will eventually need to be replaced. When you consider the amount of work your teeth do every day, it’s not surprising that fillings will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. Just like natural teeth, your restorations need regular care to prevent dental problems that can lead to expensive treatments or tooth loss. There are many factors that can affect the life span of your fillings. I frequently compare fillings to tires on a car to help my patients understand. If you rotate your tires and drive on well paved roads your tires will last a long time, however if you don’t rotate your tires and drive on gravel roads and hit pot holes you can expect problems and wear. Your habits will basically decide how long that filling will last you. If you chew ice and hard candy you are more likely to develop problems much quicker than someone who has healthier habits.

Before: Old Silver Analgrams

After: New Tooth-Colored Fillings

Outdated fillings may start to leak around the edges from regular wear and tear. This could allow harmful bacteria to get into the tooth or crown where it can cause decay. This type of decay often goes undetected until it has reached the nerve of the tooth. Cracks can also be a problem. The average human bites with several hundred pounds of pressure per square inch. That can make tiny cracks in the restored tooth. If cracks aren’t repaired in time, they can lead to fractures that may extend below the gumline or into the nerve. A crack into the nerve would need a root canal to save the tooth. We may recommend a crown before this happens to prevent unnecessary damage. Unchecked, many of these dental dangers can open the door to gum disease or loss of your teeth. If you have any questions about your fillings, please feel free to contact our office. It’s important you understand what to expect from your fillings and crowns and what kind of care they need.

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MRI Exams and Claustrophobia

Northwest Imaging Offers A Helpful Tool on Your Side

F YOU SUFFER FROM CLAUSTROPHOBIA (THE FEAR OF being in closed or narrow spaces) and find yourself with a health issue that requires you having an MRI exam, you have a helpful tool on your side. MRI machines can be a bit intimidating and even frightening for many people; especially people that deal with claustrophobia. After all, the idea of being slid into a tube for a long period of time, not moving, and listening to a continuous knocking can be intimidating for even the heartiest soul. MRI exams are commonly used in the diagnosis of everything from lower back and neck pain to headaches and vascular issues, so there is a good chance that you or someone you know will require this procedure. To help calm your fears, you can ask your physician to schedule your exam at a facility that utilizes an OPEN MRI. Open MRI machines are similar to traditional MRI units but with one major difference. They are designed for large or claustrophobic patients but offer comfort for all patients. Traditional MRI units require the patient to be wrapped with a coil and slid inside a tunnel or gantry, which is a continuous, donut shaped magnet. The experience has been described by some patients as lying in a coffin or culvert for at least thirty-five minutes per exam. Open MRI units also use coils and a powerful magnet but rather than a continuous round tunnel an Open MRI uses two magnets, one above and one below the patient which leaves plenty of room to the sides. This design change allows the OPEN MRI to produce the same quality images as traditional MRIs but without the tight, cramped spaces. Another benefit of the Open MRI is that a loved one can sit in the room and speak with you during the procedure, which makes many claustrophobics more comfortable. Whether you suffer from claustrophobia or would just like a little more space and comfort for your procedure, you and your physician have a tool and choice for your procedure. For more information about Open MRI and its abilities, go to www.nwimaging.net.

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Get Your Girl Scout Cookies VER WONDER WHAT THE LARGEST GIRL RUN BUSINESS is? Believe it or not, it's the Girl Scout Cookie Program. When Girl Scouts participate in the cookie program they are the CEO of their very own business, and they learn five essential skills along the way: goal setting, decision making, people skills, business ethics, and money management. For nearly a century, Girl Scouts have been funding their own trips, activities and community projects with proceeds from the cookie program. "Minus what we pay the baker, all proceeds from the Girl Scout Cookie Program remain in the local council to fund programming and help troops achieve their goals," says Erin Turner, Communications Director. Girl Scouts of Louisiana-Pines to the Gulf begins the cookie program with pre-orders from January 17-February 2. Girl Scouts will sell at cookie booths from February 28-March 16, 2014. The Girl Scout Cookie Locator app can be downloaded for smartphones to locate cookie booths. This year the option to pay by credit or debit card via mobile devices will be offered again at cookie booths (this is an optional service that each troop can choose to use or not use, so it may not be available

at all locations). Girl Scouts of Louisiana - Pines to the Gulf will offer eight flavors of cookies: Cookies can be purchased for $4.00 per box.

About GSLPG Girl Scouts of Louisiana â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pines to the Gulf serves nearly 8,000 girl members and 3,000 adult volunteers in 42 parishes in Louisiana, with offices in Lafayette, Shreveport, Lake Charles, Alexandria and Monroe. Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts accepts all girls grades K-12 who accept the Girl Scout Promise and the Girl Scout Law. Membership is $15 annually, but no girl will be denied membership because of inability to pay. For more information on how to join, volunteer or donate please visit www.gslpg.org or call 1.800.960.2093.

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Breast Augmentation

Frequently Asked Questions

BY TIMOTHY J. MICKEL, MD, FACS, BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON

ACH JANUARY AN INCREDIBLE PHENOMENON BEGINS – the annual migration of North American women to plastic surgeons’ offices for breast augmentation. As women shed their thick outer layers of winter clothing in anticipation of abbreviated swimwear, the plastic surgeon is often the first stop along the migratory route that leads to spring and summer wetlands across the country. I started my practice in Monroe in 1990 and over the past 23 years have done well over a thousand breast augmentations. During the pre-operative evaluation, I have been asked every imaginable question about the procedure. Here are some of the more frequent ones.

How long does the operation take? The surgery takes about an hour. Of course, there is some additional time in the beginning to safely put you to sleep and some time in the end to safely wake you up and transport you to the recovery room. If your anatomy is challenging and it takes more than an hour, so be it. I will never rush through your surgery. In plastic surgery, it is not as important to be the first one finished, as it is to be the best one finished. Why do I have to be put to sleep? I prefer general anesthesia, meaning you will be put to sleep by an anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist. Most patients don’t want to remember anything about the operation. They simply want to wake up in the recovery room, look down at their chest and know that the operation is over.

Can you do the surgery in your office? No. I prefer to do this type of surgery in a hospital or outpatient surgery center setting. Accredited surgical facilities have strict guidelines and procedures in place to help insure sterility and patient safety - which is my highest concern. I would never compromise your safety just to shave a few dollars off of the package price for a surgical procedure.

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What’s the best kind of implant to use? In the vast majority of patients, I use smooth silicone implants, because they are softer and look more natural than implants filled with saline (salt water). However, in women under age 22, the FDA mandates the use of saline implants.

Are silicone implants dangerous? No. Multiple studies have failed to show a link between silicone implants and any medical illness. They don’t cause cancer. They don’t cause connective tissue illnesses such as lupus, scleroderma or rheumatoid arthritis. They do, however, cause very attractive breasts. And I suppose in some situations this could be dangerous. How long will I be off work? I encourage patients to be up and around as soon as possible. Most patients can return to light work in 3 to 5 days. I allow patients to get back to the gym – including intense cardio or even weight lifting – in 3 weeks.

How do you know what size implants to use? Implants are sized according to width and volume, not cup size. I will listen carefully to what you hope to achieve with surgery, evaluate your particular anatomy and then try to align your expectations with what my 23 years of experience tells me I can realistically deliver. The goal is a fuller, more attractive breast that looks natural and fits your body – no matter what the ultimate cup size. Will large breasts make me look fat? No. Fat makes you look fat. Fuller breasts make you look proportional, attractive, sexy, feminine or a host of other adjectives, but not fat. This is a myth started many years ago by jealous, smallbreasted women. Do my implants need to be changed every ten years? No. This is another urban myth. While it is true that a breast implant – like your toaster, your refrigerator or your car - is a manmade device that won’t last forever, there is no reason to fix it if it isn’t broken. If your breasts are soft and natural, and there has been no evidence of implant rupture on routine mammograms or ultrasound examinations of the breasts, then leave well enough alone. However, if your breast becomes hard or there is a change in the shape of the breast, then implant rupture is one of several possibilities that should be ruled out.

Breast augmentation is one the most common procedures I perform, and certainly one of my favorites. If you are considering breast augmentation, there is no need to go elsewhere. I encourage you to visit www.mickelplasticsurgery.com to browse the before and after gallery and see for yourself, then call Mickel Plastic Surgery at (318) 388-2050 to set up a consultation. We will take the time to answer all of your questions and do our best to make the entire experience world class.

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B AY O U

PROFILE

GIVING BACK

Wounded Warrior Hunts Provide Opportunities for Veterans BY CHRIS WOODALL Over the past three years, I’ve had the honor and privilege of working on five different Wounded Warrior hunts. We’ve truly met a ton of great guys and girls that are without a doubt heroes to this nation. The amount of sacrifice that they’ve made deserves more respect than any of us could ever dream of showing them. We are all proud to have been a part of this hunt, and you can bet we are ready to do it again at the drop of a hat. A few weeks ago, Bill Petrus and I, along with Chris Porter, were invited to film a very special hunt consisting of 23 veterans from all branches of the military. John Nolan Jr., the event coordinator, is the man responsible for putting every one of these hunts together. John, a United States Air Force veteran with over 20 years of service, along with the help of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local businesses, put together a hunt of a lifetime for the warriors. After receiving a few goodies, the guys and girls were split into teams and sent to their hunting locations. One team of veterans was sent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land near Columbia, LA. That’s where we met up with Jack Fanning and Ismael Villegas. Jack served on 6 deployments and was injured in a training accident, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. Ismael (Ish) served 7 deployments and earned 2 Silver Stars and a Purple Heart. The hunt in Columbia ended for both Warriors without any luck, but would be the beginning of an adventure they would never forget. These guys needed and deserved to kill a deer, and Bill was determined he was going to make that happen. Bill is a member of a hunting club on the Mississippi River and had a

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plan. It wouldn’t be easy, with the river being high, to get 6 guys, equipment, cameras, 2 trucks, and a pull-behind deer stand across to the island, but he was determined to make it happen. On the morning of January 4 we met u with Jack, Ish and fellow Air Force teammate, Donovan Chapman. After about 4 hours of work and barging trucks and equipment across the river, we finally made it to camp with just enough time to grab a quick lunch and head to the stand. Bill would hunt with Jack that first evening. Chris Porter and I would split up with Donovan and Ish. It didn’t take long after getting the stand set up. Jack and Bill had deer all over them, from does all the way up to a high 120” class buck standing 60 yards from the special made Antler Shed blind. As a textbook hunt goes, just before shooting light faded, the buck they were after finally appeared at the end of the lane – a 140 lb. 8 pt. in perfect position for the shot. Only one problem. Every deer in the lane was standing right in front of him blocking Jack from being able to shoot. Tension was high with the light fading fast for the camera and for the shooter. As the last moments of daylight passed by, the opening finally presented itself and Jack got his shot. Jack, being a paraplegic, uses a special weapon setup with a mouthpiece to fire his gun. He aimed and fired and the buck dropped in it’s tracks. One of the best moments of being a cameraman is being able to witness firsthand the rush and joy the hunter feels after their harvest. After a long night of celebrating Jack’s kill and listening to some for the best live music I’ve ever heard from Donovan (by the way, before serving in the U.S. Air Force, Donovan had

two songs in the top 40 on country music radio), we prepared ourselves for what would turn out to be another successful day on the island. The morning hunt was tough. There wasn’t much movement in the woods and the weather wasn’t exactly what you’d want it to be for a deer hunt. The forecast for the evening showed one of the strongest cold fronts we’ve seen in years to pass through the area. Perfect timing to get the deer moving. Ish has proven to be proficient with a weapon for some time, but just got into hunting this season. For the evening hunt we swapped up hunters and Bill was going to take Ish to a spot that was known to have some good bucks traveling through. Once again, a textbook hunt unfolded with cameras rolling the whole time. Bill and Ish had almost given up hope of getting that buck they were after until right before dark he appeared. A perfect 131 lb. 10 pt. walked out at 75 yds. Ish took the shot and dropped the buck right where he stood just before daylight faded. Both of those guy’s expressions and their excitement for the deer they had taken made all the work and time it took to get to that moment worth it. Without a doubt, that hunt turned out to be one of the best hunts I’ve ever been a part of. We all owe it to these men and women of our military to do whatever we can to repay them for what they’ve done for us. So, anytime you get the chance to say thank you or help a veteran, don’t ley that chance pass you by. T.P. Outdoors Adventures airs locally on KAQY on Saturday at 5:30pm, KNOE TV8 on Sundays at 10:30pm. Tune in Feb. 1-3 to see Jack and Ish’s hunt.

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10 STEPS to a healthy heart

As we speed into a new year, it is important for us to take steps to reduce our risk for or prevent heart disease. Angela Genusa suggests ten important steps.

Stephanie was rushed to Glenwood Hospital in West Monroe, where she underwent a procedure to open a coronary artery that was 95 percent blocked. She is very fortunate to have survived a heart attack. Stephanie is one of about 435,000 American women who will have heart attacks this year—some 267,000 of whom will die. Most people don’t consider heart disease a woman's disease. Yet cardiovascular disease of all kinds is the leading killer of women over age 25. It kills nearly twice as many women in the United States as all types of cancer, including breast cancer. And stroke is the number 4 leading cause of death in women in the United States. “Heart disease and stroke are silent killers,” said Jennifer Ables, regional director at the American Heart Association. “Most women do not know they are at risk until something drastic happens—heart attack, stroke,

THE 11TH ANNUAL NATION WEAR RED DAY

The11th Annual National Wear Red Day is Feb. 7. Show your support by wearing red to build awareness and inspire action. Donate to the AHA to help fund lifesaving research and educational programs. You can also volunteer by contacting the Northeast Louisiana American Heart Association office at (770) 612-6102 or email jennifer.ables@heart.org to find out how you can get involved.

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and sadly, even death.” In northeast Louisiana, women rank higher than the national average for hypertension, obesity, and diabetes, Ables said. Women in northeast Louisiana are also above the national average in sedentary lifestyle and unhealthful diets.

What steps can you take to reduce your risk for or prevent heart disease? Here are 10 important steps:

FIND OUT IF THERE IS A HISTORY OF HEART DISEASE IN YOUR FAMILY

tephanie Montgomery was out celebrating her 45th birthday on a Friday night last month, eating crab legs with her family in Bastrop, where she lives. All of a sudden, she felt overwhelmingly hot and nauseated. “I thought I had eaten some bad seafood,” she said. Her daughter wanted to call an ambulance, but Stephanie told her, “No, we’re going to wait.” That was at 10:30 p.m. At 6:00 the next morning, she was still nauseated. Her sister drove her to Morehouse General Hospital. After emergency room staff ran a blood test, a doctor told Stephanie she’d had a heart attack. She was in total disbelief. “I didn’t have any pain in my chest or my arms—all the symptoms you read about that happen to men,” she said. “I just got nauseated and hot, just like when you’ve gotten some bad food. All the time it was a heart attack.”

Although Stephanie’s mother had had a heart attack in her late 50s, Stephanie didn’t know, at the time, that this was an indicator of health problems that might lie ahead for her personally. “After I had mine, I started investigating, and I found out that four of my aunts had heart attacks, one of them had had open heart surgery, and then my mom.” Ask members of your family if anyone has had heart disease or any of the risk factors for heart disease. If the answer is yes, you will know that you have an increased risk for developing heart disease. “It is important to have an idea of what your family history is because there’s no doubt

KNOW THE NUMBERS THAT IMPACT YOUR HEALTH

Monitor your blood pressure and weight regularly, and find out your cholesterol level with a simple blood test your doctor can order. Discuss these numbers with your physician, and with his or her help, you can watch for any changes and make informed decisions. Try to consume less than 200 mg of total cholesterol daily. A brief list of the numbers you need to know and your goals, as recommended by the AHA: • • • • • • • •

Weight Total cholesterol: 200 mg/dL or lower HDL (good) cholesterol: 50 mg/dL or higher LDL (bad) cholesterol: 100 mg/dL or lower Triglycerides: 150 mg/dL or lower Blood pressure: 120/80 mm Hg or lower Body Mass Index: Less than 25 kg/m2 Waist circumference: Less than 35 in. (for women)

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DRINK IN MODERATION

The term “moderation” is key when it comes to drinking, Dr. Koepke said. Drinking heavily can cause a spike in your blood pressure, and in some cases, cause heart failure and lead to a stroke. Have no more than one drink per day, defined as: • 1-1/2 fluid ounces of 80-proof spirits (such as bourbon, gin, scotch, vodka, etc.) • 1 fl. oz. of 100-proof spirits • 4 fl. oz. of wine • 12 fl. oz. of beer

sugary drinks. Eliminate processed foods, which are usually high in sodium, from your diet.

EXERCISE THREE TO FOUR TIMES PER WEEK

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

The quantity and quality of your sleep can have an effect on your heart. “Sleep is becoming more important, and we’re paying more attention to it,” Dr. Koepke said. The AHA recommends adults get six to eight hours of sleep per night. Also, as our population has become more overweight, sleep apnea has become common and is associated with hypertension, heart rhythm disorders and other heart problems, Dr. Koepke said. If you feel fatigued during the daytime and especially if you snore at night, then being evaluated for sleep apnea may be something to discuss with your doctor.

Exercise is also extremely important to prevent heart disease, Dr. Koepke said. It lowers your blood pressure, helps you maintain a normal weight, reduces stress and usually helps control cholesterol and sugars. “When I tell people to exercise, they think, ‘Oh, I gotta get out and run 10 miles a day.’,” Dr. Koepke said. “That’s not it. When you go from a sedentary lifestyle to moderate exercise, you get a huge benefit in eliminating risk factors for heart disease. I try to tell people you don’t have to become an exercise addict to get these benefits. You just have to go from being sedentary to exercising moderately.” The AHA recommends 40 minutes of exercise three to four times per week for women. Try brisk walking, jogging, yoga, bicycling, swimming or workout routines you can do at home or with friends. You can also incorporate core strengthening exercises once a week which also increase bone density.

GET REGULAR CHECKUPS

QUIT SMOKING AND AVOID SECOND-HAND SMOKE

A yearly physical checkup with your family doctor is recommended, Dr. Koepke said. Also, the AHA recommends that you get your cholesterol checked every five years, your blood pressure at least every two years, your blood glucose levels every three years, waist circumference as needed and body mass index during regular healthcare visits. You should also have your blood sugar level tested regularly.

A balanced, healthy diet is crucial in preventing heart disease, Dr. Koepke said. “It can prevent obesity which can cause heart disease,” he said. “There are many different diets to choose from, but what I would call ‘the Mediterranean diet’ is the most reasonable for our lifestyles.” The AHA recommends what is essentially a Mediterranean diet: foods that are nutrientdense like colorful vegetables and fruits, fiberrich whole-grains, fish rich in omega-3s, lean meats, skinless chicken and fat-free, 1-percent fat and low-fat dairy. Choose foods low in saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar. These foods give your heart the nutrients it needs and also improve your cholesterol and blood pressure. Minimize sodium and saturated fats, and avoid trans fats, fried foods and

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Stress raises blood pressure and heart rate and has an adverse effect on your heart, Dr. Koepke said. But stress is difficult to measure, because it varies from person to person. If you feel stressed, evaluate your situation and practice stress management techniques to reduce stress in your life. A significant but preventable source of stress is worrying. Try taking 20 to 30 minutes a day to breathe deeply, sit quietly, and relax.

“Smoking is one of the most preventable causes of heart disease and death, and people should just not smoke,” Dr. Koepke said. Smoking increases the risk of heart disease and stroke by two to four times. Also, women who smoke have a 25 percent higher risk of developing heart disease as compared to men who smoke. Cigarette smoking combined with the use of oral birth control increases the risk of serious cardiovascular disease. When you stop smoking, your risk for heart disease and stroke can be cut in half just one year later, and it will continue to decline. Also, when you stop smoking, you help lower your blood pressure and your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Even being around smoke increases the risk for heart disease and death. According to a U.S. Surgeon General report, even nonsmokers are up to 30 percent more likely to develop heart disease or lung cancer from secondhand smoke exposure. Avoid it whenever possible.

MONITOR CHANGES IN YOUR BODY

EAT BALANCED, HEALTHY MEALS

DE-STRESS

that helps predict a person’s risk for what kind of trouble they might develop,” said Dr. Ronald Koepke, a cardiologist in West Monroe. If there is a pattern of heart disease in your family such as in Stephanie’s, you can monitor your health more closely with your physician’s help.

“Pay attention to your body and when you have a change in symptoms, that’s the time to go to your doctor,” Dr. Koepke said. “Symptoms of heart disease in women can be a lot different than in men. When there’s a change in your activity level or fatigue level, when something feels different, and you don’t feel right, you should be evaluated, even if it’s not your classic chest pain.” To learn more, visit http://www.goredforwomen.org, http://www.heart.org and on Facebook https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/General/NortheastLouisiana-Go-Red_UCM_319205_Event.jsp.

Providing the Best for Your Child

JGS Open Registration Begins February 24th S A PARENT, YOU ALWAYS WANT what’s best for your child – whether that means their health, education, or faith. By choosing to send your child to Jesus the Good Shepherd School, you are providing them a unique opportunity to grow in Christ while performing at high academic standards. Our focus at JGS is to give our students the best spiritual, intellectual, physical and social environment available in north Louisiana. As a Catholic school, our focus remains on Christ because we know that what a child believes is as important, if not more important, than what they know. It is our mission to instill a knowledge and love of God, self and others by providing for our students a lasting moral and academic foundation. We emphasize within our challenging curriculum prayer,

service, self-discipline, individual self-worth and a positive attitude toward others all within a safe environment. Our faith in Jesus Christ is the reason our school exists. Therefore, both spiritual and academic experiences at J.G.S. enable students to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ, broaden their knowledge of their faith, and connect their faith to their daily lives. The foundation of faith around which our academic programs are built permeates every aspect of the school day and continues beyond it. This faith-filled environment instills high degrees of self-confidence, self-respect, and self-discipline among students. We know that an education should prepare students to be good stewards of God’s gifts and active people of faith who serve oth-

ers, make a difference in the world, and participate in their faith and civic communities. Visit J.G.S. and you will notice the spirit of camaraderie among students, teachers, parents and administrators. Our school is a “community within a community” that unites people who share common values and goals as a community of faith. Open registration for new students for the 2014-2015 school year will begin this month. Please be sure to visit our website for more information including application and tuition information. School tours are offered each Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. or by making an appointment with our principal, Lisa Patrick.

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Livingston Family Adventures

BayouTravel by Marci Livingston

E ARE TUCKED IN NICE AND cozy for the winter. We enjoy this time in the snow surrounded by mountains, so we can ski and snowboard. We found a campground with beautiful scenery, tons of peace and quiet and kind neighbors. The two oldest boys are enrolled in ski lessons for the entire season. They can take lessons up to 4 days a week (although that is more than they can handle). Mark is taking ski lessons and Asher is taking snowboard lessons. They love every minute of it. They look forward to getting there (and fuss at us if they think we are going to be late) and talk non-stop about their day on the ride home. They have certain skills they work on each day, and we get a daily email of their

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progress. Soon they will take us out on the ski mountain so they can show us all they have learned. We found a homeschool family with 4 daughters to keep the youngest boys while we are skiing. They love having babysitters and the attention they get (plus the extra toys they get to play with since their big brothers are not around to watch). Gabe and I are enjoying the time we are getting to spend, just the two of us, on the mountain. We have lunch dates and can ski wherever we want to go. Our campground has a wonderful indoor swimming pool with 2 hot tubs. We relax there after long days of skiing. The boys are making new friends at the pool, and I can get our laundry done at the same time. We are happy that we have chosen this spot to spend our ski season. We look forward to the quiet, the peace, and spending time as a family; nice and cozy in our winter spot. While we enjoy this winter, I am going to take a break from writing and will check back in with you in the Spring. Our plans are to be in Arizona and meet up with other fulltime families. We hope you enjoy your winter, and we will report back again soon!

The Livingstons www.LivingstonFamilyAdventures.com

For the Love of Teeth

Williams Orthodontics Clinic Now Accepting New Patients

EVIN WILLIAMS CAME TO orthodontics later than many. He had been working as a pharmaceutical sales representative, but his heart was no longer in it. “There were changes in the industry, and I really had a desire to be self-employed,” says Williams, who opened his Lamy Lane orthodontics office this year. Orthodontics was a good fit for Williams, because as he put it, “I love seeing people be proud of their smile.” The Ferriday native attended LSU for dental school and then went to the University of Louisville for his orthodontics training. His wife, Kathryn Jarrell Williams, supported the decision. Together, the couple have two sons— Clay, 16 and Andrew, 13—who both attend St. Frederick High School. Williams owes the decision to community encouragement.

“Several local dentist-mentors really encouraged me to return to school,” says Williams. Williams Orthodontics serves both children and adults in their state-of-the-art treatment facility tastefully decked with art and designs selected by Inside Indigo’s Tish Miller. Beyond just a pleasing décor, Williams’s patients enjoy a calm bedside manner and a personable staff. Williams says that’s one of the key benefits of his practice. “We try to create a family friendly environment where everyone feels comfortable and appreciated.” “We recognize patients and parents have a choice, and we’re honored when they choose us,” Williams says. A typical course of treatment for an orthodontic patient begins with an initial consultation. That often includes x-rays, photos and the

initial workup. Dr. Williams then meets with patients a second time to review the proposed treatment plan. “If everyone agrees on the course of treatment, we can usually start that day,” Williams says. From that point on, the patient will return every six to eight weeks for adjustments. “A typical patient takes about eighteen months, give or take a few months depending on difficulty,” Williams says. Williams encourages parents to bring their children in for an early consultation around age 8 or 9 to monitor tooth and skeletal development. Usually patients will be ready for braces between ages 11 and 13, when most of the permanent teeth have erupted. And, if you’re an adult patient that wants some privacy, Williams offers a private treatment room.

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Look Younger for Longer with Artefill

Finally a Filler Enhancement That Makes Better Economic Sense

OU ALREADY KNOW THAT INJECTABLE FILLERS correct lines and wrinkles to create a more youthful appearance. Unfortunately, the look is temporary. In fact, it usually lasts less than a year. But what if you could keep that improvement longer? What if, instead of just filling, you could actually restore? Artefill is your answer. Artefill is a FDA-approved dermal filler with one year duration and additional clinical results demonstrating up to 5 year duration. Artefill represents a new level in filler rejuvenation. IMMEDIATE RESULTS. LASTING IMPROVEMENT. The Science Behind the Beauty. In the world of injectables, Artefill is distinctive. In addition to immediately plumping wrinkles known as smile lines, ArteFill helps recreate the firmer structure if younger looking skin. Each Artefill injection is a mixture of collagen, which provides immediate support, and biocompatible microspheres, which provide lasting support. These microspheres have been used in medical applications for over 60 years. They create a microscopic ‘matrix’ to support your body’s own natural collagen and ultimately strengthen the layers that support the skin.

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This provides the support your skin needs for wrinkle correction and younger looking skin. Which means results aren’t just temporary, but lasting.

PROVEN SAFE. PROVEN SMART. Artefill isn’t just an exceptional aesthetic treatment option. With up to five years’ clinical evaluation following treatment, it is one of the longest studied dermal fillers in the world. Artefill’s safety profile is comparable to the temporary fillers you are already familiar with and perhaps already using. It provides immediate improvements to wrinkles (smile lines) and Artefill offers an important difference to patients who know filler rejuvenation can be very costly. The amount you spend on temporary facial fillers can exceed the cost of Artefill in less than two years. Artefill isn’t just immediate gratification. It’s lasting satisfaction. To learn more about how Artefill offers long-term, aesthetic improvements, with fewer appointments and less overall cost, call Derma MediQ today at 318.807.1060. www.dermamediq.net

Diet or Exercise? What’s More Important for Losing Weight?

Fitness Together Discusses Important Factors for a Fit and Active Lifestyle HILE EATING RIGHT AND exercising are both important components for a fit and active lifestyle, a proper diet is crucial when weight loss is the ultimate goal. In fact, Rico Boyer, personal trainer and owner of Fitness Together Monroe, says when you break it down numerically, diet is responsible for 80 percent of accomplishing your weight loss goals while exercise comprises only 20 percent. “You will feel the benefits of exercising, but you won’t visibly see any difference without adding proper nutrition and diet,” says Boyer. “You’ll start seeing changes when you add in proper eating.”

Changing Your Attitude About Food One of the biggest challenges to losing weight is managing emotions and attitudes attached to foods you eat. What you put in your

mouth can weigh you down mentally and physically. Boyer and his team help their clients approach food in a healthier way by changing their outlook and approach toward connecting their emotions with what they eat. Instead of opening the refrigerator door when you’re stressed out, open the gym door.

Getting a Grasp on Counting Calories Figuring out the proper number and type of calories to consume daily is paramount when you set out on the journey of losing weight. The key is to keep your calorie intake below the amount of calories you burn on a daily basis. It’s also important to make sure you are consuming enough good calories – high in protein, low in fat, sugar and sodium – to fuel your daily activities and workouts. Everyone’s calorie range is different, so it’s important to consult a fitness and nutritional pro-

fessional before starting your weight loss plan.

Where Do You Start? At FT, we help you come up with strategies for how you can eat well because everyone is so different,” explains Boyer. “It takes getting to know each of our clients and discovering what their challenges and struggles are in terms of food. We figure out ways to help combat those challenges. We try to ease our clients into it and try not to overwhelm them at first.” The best approach to increasing your fitness level and decreasing your waistline is by tag teaming your efforts with a healthy diet and exercise program. Make sure to own your diet and be aware of the amount and types calories that you put into your body. You are what you eat and what you put into your mouth will make a big difference on the success of your weight loss efforts.

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BY MARY NAPOLI Although the traditions are rooted in India, the celebration of Diwali thrives in Monroe through its vibrant Indian community. Diwali, also known as the "festival of lights," is an ancient Hindu festival that is observed every autumn. It spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. An official holiday in India, it is one of the happiest holidays and holds great significance within the Indian community. The festival extends for a five day period and is celebrated throughout the country. Children learn of ancient stories, legends, myths and the victorious battle between good and evil, when the light of higher knowledge dispels all ignorance. Diwali is also a celebration of the Inner Light over spiritual darkness and the compassion that this awakens. It inspires recognition of a one

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ness in all things, and the belief that there is enlightenment which transcends the physical body. It is a time of fellowship, family and jubilation and is observed by most Indians regardless of their faith. The Heritage of India organization coordinated an eloquent and dynamic Diwali celebration for the community which was attended by over 180 people at the Monroe Civic Center. Beautifully dressed women arranged lit diyas (lamps and candles) that signified the victory of light over darkness. Children, ranging in ages from three to twelve, presented a cultural show that required much preparation. In vibrant and elegant traditional costumes, the children provided an artistic expression of the legends and ancient stories of their heritage through dance and song. Nidhi Jha, of the Heritage of India, maintained thoughtful commentary for the attentive audience throughout the program. At the conclusion of the lively presentation, guests enjoyed a delectable feast of traditional Indian cuisine, provided by Taste of India. The celebration was enjoyed by the diverse crowd that attended. Regardless of faith, nationality or cultural background, all were welcome to attend the joyous event, and those who participated could not help but be dazzled by the incredibly fascinating cultural display.

A Valentine’s Day to Remember

Restaurant Sage Offers a Valentine’s Menu That is Sure to Please Your Palate

ELEBRATE THIS VALENTINE’S DAY AT RESTAURANT Sage, where you know the food will be fantastic and the service friendly and attentive. Restaurant Sage began 2014 with a packed New Year’s Eve party and has been preparing a special menu for Valentine’s Day. This year, Restaurant Sage will celebrate Valentine’s Day with romantic specials starting on Wednesday and going through Saturday, February 15th. Enjoy options such as Mardi Gras Pasta – Andouille, Crawfish, Shrimp, Heirloom Tomato, Spinach; Duck Duck – General TSO’s Roasted Duck with Confetti Fried Rice and Edamame Succotash; Sea Bass – Chilled Crab, Avocado and Heirloom Tomato Salad, Sweet Thai Chili; Red Oak Redfish – Grilled Redfish, Asiago Risotto, Asparagus Ragout, Jumbo Lump Crab; Filet Asiago – Garlic Mash, Grilled Asparagus, Mushroom Demi Reduction; Blackened Prime Rib – Lightly Blackened and Grilled, Asiago Garlic Mash, Grilled Asparagus; or Filet Brûlée and Lobster – Carribean Lobster Tail, Filet topped with Crab Fondue, Asiago Risotto. Each comes with unique appetizers and for dessert your choice of Deconstructed Tiramisu or Crème Brûlée with seasonal fruit.

Executive Chef Mark A. Smith and Sage’s New Director of Catering, Chef Roy Green

Sage continues its strong culinary heritage by bringing you more globally inspired food as well as some traditional favorites like their new Muffaletta with tangy olives, Genoa salami, Andouille sausage, Provolone cheese mixed with Old World spices on Gambino bread. Sage’s Muffaletta is serviced with fresh cracked black peppercorns, shaved Parmesan and imported extra virgin olive oil. Also for lunch try Sage’s Paleolithic lunch menu offerings each at affordable prices. Offerings like Sage Wraps – filet wrapped with bacon, cream cheese, candied jalapeño for only $10, Ahi Tuna Tacos – with crispy romaine, grilled pineapple salsa $12, Mango Tuna Salad – spring mix and pineapple $14 or Duck Duck Salad – spinach, arugula, mignonette, goat cheese, cranberries for $16. In January, Restaurant Sage announced a new addition to its culinary team of resident chefs, Chef Roy Green. Green was previously Executive Chef of Monroe’s Warehouse No. 1. As well as creating fine food in Sage’s kitchen, Chef Green will be the Director of Catering for Sage. For your next event - at your place, or at Sage - call Chef Green and let him treat you like a king with some of the best food in the Twin Cities!

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Downtown Gallery Crawl Downtown Gallery Crawl, Thursday, February 6, 2014: Let the Good Times Roll 1

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Sugar Gallery: Leah Smith Reitzell DOWNSTAIRS: Nicholas Bustamante Arender Gallery: Steni Hrafnsson Livaudais Studio: Andy Bloxham River Gallery: Donna McGee UPSTAIRS gallery: Rick Sikes MAD Gallery: Emery Thibodeaux DOWNSTAIRS: Rhyan Emery Taylor

AISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER! It’s that time of year again—carnival season in Louisiana—and time to let the good times roll in downtown Monroe and West Monroe! Ten art galleries celebrate fine art, music, refreshments and fun for all on Thursday, February 6, 5-9 p.m. Good times are surely ready to roll in MAD Art Gallery at 130 Art Alley (N. 2nd Street) in Monroe. Mixed media paintings by Emery Thibodeaux will be on display. As a graduate of the communication arts program at Louisiana Tech University, Thibodeaux’s primary occupation is graphic design. However, as an artist she enjoys creating organically and experimenting with various media. As usual at MAD, live music will be provided by Gray Matter. Arender Studio and Gallery (131 Art Alley) is hosting a special benefit silent auction of beautiful photographs by Steni Hrafnsson. Proceeds will go toward paying for cancer treatments for his wife, Jeanette Hrafnsson, who is battling breast cancer. New gallery Luna Blue is at 428 DeSiard Street, where owner Kim Batteford is hosting her second Gallery Crawl exhibit. Curator Kelsea McCreary has chosen two excellent artists for this show: LA Tech MFA students MC Davis and Whitney Causey. The show, entitled Thicker than Water, features works based on the artists’ families, lives, memories, Southern history, etc. In West Monroe, Ouachita River Art Gallery (308 Trenton Street) presents the works of Donna McGee during the month of February, inspired by the essence of nature—energy, motion and change. The foundation of McGee’s work is rooted in her love of the natural world and her view that humans are an integral part of nature. The River Gallery will

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also be exhibiting work by its other 30 artist-members. Further rolling with the good times on the river, Livaudais Studio (122 South Grand) presents 9months, a photo series by Andy Bloxham, who will give his artist talk at 6 p.m. Bloxham is returning to his hometown, where he uses his photography to tell stories—referring to a larger narrative but allowing the viewer only a brief glimpse of events. The Palace (220 DeSiard) presents the collections of Alden McDonald, president and CEO of Liberty Bank and Trust Company, one of the top three African-American-owned financial institutions in the United States. He is nationally recognized as an advocate and catalyst in the movement of minority businesses into the mainstream economy. DOWNSTAIRS (137 Art Alley) presents ISOCLINE: new works by Rhyan Emery Taylor and Jess Van Alstyne, and Finding Home, a new mural that will be painted in Downtown Monroe by Nicholas Bustamante. Artist talks will begin at about 7:30 p.m. FINDING HOME, the new mural in downtown Monroe by Nicholas Bustamante, will eventually be 18 feet tall and 68 feet wide and will be painted on the Luna Blue building at 428 DeSiard Street through a donation of the site by Michael Echols and funding from Monroe Renaissance. Bustamante’s original painting, upon which the mural is based, will be on display at DOWNSTAIRS during the Crawl. The gallery will also be open 2-4 p.m., Saturdays, and by appointment through March 8. At the The Big Room and UPSTAIRS galleries (135 Art Alley), the carnival continues. Rick Sikes is the featured artist at Art Alley’s UPSTAIRS gallery

with a solo show, Overstatements. This show includes portraits, figure drawings and urban landscapes. Sikes’ artist talk is at 7p.m. Guest artists in The Big Room include Cindy Gibson exhibiting ceramic pieces and Chris Russell exhibiting his paintings for the first time. The gallery’s artists are also excited about members of the Ad Club exhibiting their award-winning work. The Big Room welcomes new resident artists Victoria Smith, Christen Parker and Ben Bennett showing paintings, sculpture, and mixed media work. Amy Ouchley will display her nature-inspired jewelry. EmJ Cruz will be back, as well as Octopi, and Emily Caldwell will present her always-creative collages and paintings. Finally, the party is always on at Art Alley’s Sugar Gallery, where resident artists are ready with new work. Jewelry by Diane Rosenberg, photographs by Burg Ransom, paintings and sculpture by Scott Stone, Crystal Stone, Mary Thompson, Stacy Medaries, and Leah Smith Reitzell—all are excellent and well worth a visit to this beautiful gallery. Party on, and let the good times roll!

Sponsors, led by presenter Creed and Creed Law Offices, are BancorpSouth, Monroe-West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau, Northeast Louisiana Arts Council, Sir Speedy, The News-Star, KEDM Public Radio, DeltaStyle, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Restaurant Cotton, , Choice Brands, Heck Law Firm, Riddle Builders, Rawls DeSigns, Community Trust Bank, Cross Keys Bank, Hollis and Company Jewelers, Atmos Energy Corporation, Lavalle Salomon Law Office, Warehouse Restaurant, Charles Kincade Law Office, and Marsala Beverage.

Dress to Impress with The Spotted Giraffe

Kids’ Wear, Toys, Puzzles, Gifts and More for the Litte Ones in Your Life

HE SPOTTED GIRAFFE, A premier children’s boutique, located at 1826 Forsythe Avenue in Monroe is stocked with precious picks for all the little ones in your life. Nestled in the convenient Northgate Shopping Center, they feature a selection of baby and children’s clothes that can’t be beat. Owner Erin Weaver makes sure to stay up-to-date on the latest styles and lines to keep your children looking stylish from day to night. The Spotted Giraffe keeps in stock everything from pajamas to casual clothing to church outfits, shoes, accessories, luggage and so much more. In addition to kids’ wear, The Spotted Giraffe offers a vast array of toys, puzzles and gifts for any occasion. Do you need a

present for a party or a baby shower? You’re sure to find a gift any child will adore at The Spotted Giraffe. The staff prides themselves on offering the best customer service they can possibly offer. They have a great baby registry for moms-to-be featuring newborn attire and sweet gifts that range from the hottest new styles for baby to old favorites. The holiday season has passed and the winter months will be gone before we know it. But for now, while a chill is still in the air, stock up on winter apparel. February is here and you know what that means! Pick out something sweet for your Valentine, whether it’s an outfit or a gift, or both! Mardi Gras is also around the corner! Bundle up your little ones for the parade and make sure they are

dressed to impress. Can you believe that Spring is just around the corner? Look for new merchandise coming soon for your Easter bunnies. Follow The Spotted Giraffe on Facebook to stay up to date on sales and specials throughout the year. And don’t forget the Spotted Giraffe has lines that you know and love, such as Under Armour, Melissa and Doug, Petunia Pickle Bottom, Petit Ami, Mint, Yosi Samra, Trunki and more! 1826 Forsythe Avenue Monroe, LA 318-855-3643 Find them on Facebook!

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THE DOCTORS WILLIAMS

Drs. Thomas Williams and LaTonya Williams make an impact in the community through their love of medicine

Article by Michael DeVault and Photography by Joli Livaudais

WHEN THOMAS WILLIAMS came to Monroe for a residency at E.A. Conway Medical Center, he expected to be here for just a few years before leaving to embark on his career. “I thought I was here for a one-time stop, but just loved it. I became a full fledged family practitioner and have been here ever since," says Williams, now in his fifteenth year as a family practitioner. Williams and his wife, LaTonya, operate a family medical practice in Lakeshore, an endeavor they've worked fifteen years to build together. “We’ve really become part of the community.” Beyond the office on Lincoln Road, both Thomas and LaTonya also do house calls at several area nursing homes. To their patients, they are amazing and attentive providers of medical care. But to limit the impact the Williams clan has on the community to just their (growing) pool of patients would be a disservice. Look closer at the lives Thomas and LaTonya Williams, and it's easy to find why they are February's Bayou Icons.

A NATIVE SON RETURNS

When Thomas arrived at Conway for his residency, he was hardly a stranger to the community. In fact, he's a native son of the Twin Cities. "I was born in Monroe, strangely enough," says Thomas. "But Jackson is home." Thomas graduated from Jackson State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He then attended the University of Missouri-Columbia Medical School, where he received his medical degree. LaTonya is a native of Ruston and, for most of her education, she stayed pretty close to home. She received a Bachelors and Masters in Nursing from Grambling State University, where she also earned her Family Nurse Practitioner, or FNP. But, LaTonya took the time to head down the road a little, to the University of Alabama-Birmingham for a doctorate of Nursing Practice.

For the Doctors Williams, their education is all about patient care. Spend just five minutes asking the Williamses about themselves, and it quickly becomes apparent they're more interested in talking about something else. You. Both Thomas and LaTonya approach patient care from a holistic perspective, treating each patient as an individual with particular feelings and desires. Also, no one knows your body like you, according to LaTonya. “They know their body, so I like to listen to the patient, to make sure I’ve heard everything they’ve said about what’s going on with their body," LaTonya says. Thomas agrees. He also says he and his wife try to address not just the physical needs of a patient, but their emotional needs as well. That means getting to know each person and developing a relationship with them. "So I really try to get to know that person before I get into their disease state," Thomas says. "We really try to become an extension of their family here in this office." And, as far as acute medical care is concerned, both of them work to get beyond a "take this prescription" treatment model. "I make sure to equip the patient with things they can do at home, to treat the whole patient," LaTonya says.

A SOUTHERN CRISIS

Given their focus on treating the whole person, it's no surprise they've picked up a cause or two along the way. For LaTonya, that cause is fighting the epidemic of childhood obesity. Through the Williamses' family clinic and a series of public events, LaTonya spearheads implementation of the state Department of Health BodyWorks program. BodyWorks is centered on educating children of all ages to make wise choices and to practice portion control. Also, the kid-friendly informational book encourages exercise, either through team sports or via individual activity. FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 75

THE WHOLE PERSON

Time and again, Thomas Williams's patients say the same thing. He spends a lot of time getting to the root of a problem. There isn't a formula he uses to determine how much time he'll take with someone. "I try to give patients the time they need," Thomas says. "I don't have a certain parameter or number. That's set, that's according to whatever is going on that day, that moment." His rule of thumb: not any more, nor any less, time than the patient needs. "I never want to leave a patient that has needs or who wants something I haven't addressed," Thomas says. While it can be time consuming, the practice is rewarding. "That person, that relationship I develop, that's my patient," Thomas says. "I'm a hands-on family doc." Family practitioners stand as the front-line of patient care. When the first symptoms of a major illness arise, chances are a family practitioner will recognize those symptoms and, if not make the primary diagnosis, refer the patient to a specialist who locates the source of the symptom. Throughout the entire process, Thomas is a guiding force, coordinating with medical colleagues and the patient to make sure nothing goes unchecked. "I feel a patient comes to me to manage their health, not to just be a component of their health," Thomas says. Though it takes a considerable amount of time and energy—Thomas was completing charts during this entire interview and interrupted charting to answer several texts about patient care from other doctors— he takes it all in stride. "That's the way I was taught to practice medicine when I was back at Missouri," Thomas says.

"A parent is only around a child so many hours a day," LaTonya OUTSIDE THE CLINIC says. "If you give a child the knowledge to make healthy selections, they'll play a part in their own positive outcomes." Outside the clinic walls, the Doctors Williams work just as tirelessly. Both of the medical practitioners recognize the growing problem of They're parents of two children—a son, age 12, is in junior high at St. childhood obesity, especially in the southern United States, leading Frederick High School; their daughter, 7, attends Jesus the Good ShepLaTonya to label the problem "a southern crisis." She recalls the exact herd. LaTonya does free community health symposiums, which she almoment she recognized the totality of the problem. A mother brought ways finds rewarding. And Thomas spends time doing something he in her five-year-old son for treatment unrelated to the loves, a second vocational calling of sorts. child's weight. When nurses weighed the child, he came in "The thing I enjoy the most—basketball coaching," "If you give a child the at 135 pounds—an adult weight. Thomas says. He got involved coaching recreational knowledge to make "When you see that, you understand it is a crisis," healthy selections, they'll leagues a few years ago. During the years in between he play a part in their own LaTonya says. "And the prevention is going to come primabranched out, coaching YMCA basketball, even the school positive outcomes." rily by education." team for a time. ~LaTonya Williams In order to combat childhood obesity, the Williamses LaTonya beams with pride when she begins talking work together. Thomas tries to schedule students on Friday about the role her husband plays in the lives of the chilafternoons, or in after-school hours, so that students don't miss school. dren on his teams. She points out many of the kids in the various leagues He offers larger kids a diary to track progress. And, possibly most imcome from homes that lack positive male role models. "Some of these portantly, he tries to get to the root of why the child is overeating. kids have never been to a restaurant," LaTonya says. At the end of each LaTonya says, too, parents and kids do better when both are educated season, that's why Thomas makes the effort to take them out for a good toward the same goal: maintaining a healthy lifestyle. meal each season, at a nice restaurant where each kid can order "what "Sometimes, food is more of an emotional comfort item," Thomas they want" and maybe try a dish or two they've never had. says. "Are they eating because they are hungry? Or are they eating be"A lot of these kids have never gone somewhere and had to sit at a cause they are sad." LaTonya also tries to avoid saying a "bad" word. table," Thomas says. The mentoring role is one LaTonya repeats in her "I do not like to use the word diet because it does not go with what own way. She serves as a judge and booster for the Miss Louisiana Outmy thoughts are when it comes to childhood obesity," she says. Dieting standing Teen Pageant. And, she is a Girl Scouts troop leader, where she describes changing eating habits to lose weight. Instead, people should gets to do her own variety of coaching. "Part of my time spent with them be focused on healthy lifestyles in the first place—healthy food choices is to encourage them to be women of strong character, to love God, to and exercise. love themselves and to love others," LaTonya says. "That doesn't mean they have to be involved in a sport. It can be She also takes the girls out into the community to provide service. simple outdoor activities like riding a bicycle or jumping rope," LaTonya On one trip over the holidays, LaTonya recalls, she took her troop on a says. Now more than ever, the Williamses say it's time to take action. "If caroling trip through several nursing homes. One of the girls noticed I go to the mall and randomly choose five children, three or sometimes some of the residents were crying and asked LaTonya if they had made four of the random five I look at are overweight or obese," Thomas says. the people sad. "I said, 'No, you made them happy,'" LaTonya said.

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Eat, Drink and Be Irish at the Shamrock Shuffle

Monroe Renaissance Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with Shamrock Shuffle Pub Crawl ONROE RENAISSANCE IS CELEBRATING St. Patrick’s Day in true Irish fashion with their bi-monthly Downtown Pub-Crawl on Thursday, March 6. The nonprofit group, made of volunteers that are working to revitalize downtown, have coordinated a pub-crawl to bring together pubs, bars and restaurants in downtown Monroe. Participants check in at Bry Park, located at the corner of South Grand and DeSiard Street. They will receive their pub passport, which will have a map and list of the participating locations, along with drink specials at each location. After making each stop and getting their passport stamped, pub-crawlers will drop off their completed passport at the last stop – Enoch’s Irish Pub – for their chance to win a figurative pot of gold: prizes donated by Choice Brands. The Downtown Pub-Crawl is a free event and participants must be 21 years of age. Participants can also hop on the party bus for free transportation along the pub-crawl route. The seven participating locations are Enoch’s Irish Pub, Shananigan’s, The Corner Bar, Live

Oaks, Don Tomas, Restaurant Cotton and River & Rail Cantina. Local distributors – Marsala Beverage, Choice Brands and Glazer’s – will be on hand at each location to showcase some of their products, including green beer! Sponsors for the Downtown Monroe Renaissance Pub Crawl are: Monroe Renaissance, BayouLife Magazine, Lamar Outdoor and The Radio People The Downtown Pub-Crawl takes place the first Thursday of every other month. For more information, find Monroe Renaissance on Facebook – facebook.com/MonroeRenaissance Monroe Renaissance is a non-profit organization consisting of volunteers whose mission is to stimulate and make possible the reawakening of downtown Monroe through community participation, resulting in an enhanced quality of life.

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Designing Women Missy Robertson For Southern Fashion House | by Maré Brennan Stephanie Carter and Christy Carlisle

Clint Downing and Kelly Block

Missy Robertson on location When Duck Dynasty’s instantly recognizable Missy Robertson steps in front of the camera, she wants viewers to know who she is and her wardrobe has always told the story. Since the beginning of the popular television show, Missy has trusted her friend and style guru Kelly Block, owner of West Monroe’s K-Sera, to help her define and refine her look. From humble Southern roots has come an amazing new clothing venture when these West Monroe ladies met the designing women behind 30-A’s Southern Fashion House, Stephanie Carter and Christy Carlisle. Says Missy of her own previous personal shopping experiences, “I was always frustrated when I would go shopping. My eye was drawn to the latest trends in the Juniors section, but when I’d try on those clothes I would get disappointed. If only those skirts were two inches longer, right? What I began to find was that there was a void for more clothing that was more on-trend for moms like me. I don’t want to look like my teenage son’s girlfriend.” Lucky for Missy, her “right hand” of fashion lived right down the road. Kelly explains, “When Missy would come in looking for clothes, I could tell she was not a big shopper, but she definitely knew what she liked.” Adds Missy, “Kelly made me think outside the box. She knew my style but would push me to try things in a different way.” All of the pieces came together when Kelly arranged a meeting between designer Stephanie Carter, who is best known locally for her clothing brand Judith March, and the burgeoning star. At their first meeting last August, Stephanie presented a well-rounded collection of clothes that appealed not only to Missy but also to her 19-year-old cousin and her 84-year-old grandmother. “The details are

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what’s so appealing,” says Missy. “And Stephanie is really good about details, like fitting cuffs with lace or crotchet.” Says the reality television star with roots firmly planted in the Twin Cities, “My style is classically simple. My clothes have clean lines with a basic fit that flatter me as a mom, yet I like to bring in trends, too. We’ve made our dresses a little longer with cuts that fit and flatter busy, working women.” Two of the outfits Missy wore in the Duck Dynasty Christmas Special were from the Missy Robertson for Southern Fashion House collection. Says Missy, “After each show, we get tweets from fans asking, ‘Where did you get that outfit?’” Now fans will be able to find the clothing that Missy wears easily. “My goal in life was not to be in the fashion industry. But God has given us a platform to show the world how you can be modest and classy, but project a youthful and fresh image at the same time,” explains Missy of her new venture. Southern Fashion House’s Stephanie Carter does seem to be a life lived on the creative fashion cusp. With her clothing companies based in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida with Dejavu retail stores in Key West, Fairhope, Panama City Beach and Seaside, this fashion dynamo is creating a Southern fashion empire far from the crowds of L.A. and New York City. She and her friend, CEO Christy Carlisle, who worked for Kay Unger, are making a splash with the Judith March, Jacque and Janis and now the Missy Robertson for Southern Fashion House lines of clothing. “I love that we are not tainted by what everyone else is doing in New York or Los Angeles,” says Stephanie. “We listen to what our customers tell us and let our creativity flow at the beach.” “I’ve always had requests for longer hemlines

and sleeves with my Judith March line which is designed with ages 16 through college in mind,” explains Stephanie, who could easily pass for a college co-ed. “But I didn’t want to fix what wasn’t broken. Missy Robertson inspired me to do this women’s line that was at once respectful and still cute. Missy is really hands-on with the design process and her honesty gives me great direction.” The designer and staff was already aware that Missy had been wearing their fashions on the hit TV series based on fashion blog posts, social media and a spread in US Weekly in which Missy was wearing a Judith March dress. When Kelly approached them at market, they knew that this was an opportunity sent from God. One of Missy’s favorite pieces in the new collection is a crochet-trimmed dress. “That’s my goto dress,” beams Missy. While Stephanie tends to like the casual hoodie for a more casual but put-together look. The new line’s logo says it all. Stephanie wanted to use the water oak to symbolize Missy’s being a confident woman with strong roots who can preside over a PTA meeting one minute and walk in a fashion show the next. As the camera and film crews set the stage at local Monroe homes for filming footage that has helped launch the Missy Robertson for Southern Fashion House line of clothes to the nation’s retailers, Stephanie surveys the handiwork her collaboration with Missy and Kelly has achieved in such a short time. At that moment, they are on the edge of creating a signature line of clothes with the potential for bringing a whole new look to women across the country. Ever thoughtful, she offers a few words of wisdom, “If you love what you do, you can do anything.”

BayouBuzzworthy

White Rose Presentation

Neville High School’s Head Tennis Coach Kathryn Waters and Eric Herndon, Neville’s Strength and Conditioning Coach and Assistant Tennis Coach, will be awarded the 2013 LHSAA “Super Sport” Award for their eﬀorts and management of last year’s 2013 State Tennis Tournament, which was held in Monroe. Although the event was soggy due to a lingering storm that dampened play, the two coaches mustered volunteers and fortitude to ensure that all matches got played, ensuring an event for the record books. Over 650 competitors participated in last year’s state tennis championships in Monroe during April. Monroe will again host the tournament in 2014 and 2015. This LHSAA award “recognizes individuals that have gone above and beyond for the betterment of high school sports in Louisiana.” Waters and Herndon will be presented with the award at the upcoming Coca-Cola LHSAA Principals’ Luncheon in Baton Rouge on Thursday, January 30, 2014.

Bengal Belles Win State

Lambda Sigma Chi sorority's White Rose Presentation and Winter Formal took place Saturday, January 18 at the Monroe Civic Center Theatre. These local high school girls and their great brother sponsors have logged over 3,400 community service hours since June 2013. Addie Sartor, Lambda president for 2013-14, was named Queen of the White Rose Court. Attendants were Margaret Ann Zentner, Kate Garrett, Caroline Coon, Audrey Nolan, Annaleise Kelly and Caroline Clary

> Tennis Aces

Neville High School’s nationally-acclaimed, fabulous, award-winning Bengal Belle dance team, under the direction of talented Jessica Smith, added more wins and another Sweepstakes title to the column on January 12 when they performed at the American All-Star Louisiana State Dance Championships in Lafayette, Louisiana. Within their division, the Bengals won ﬁrst place in both High Kick and Pom and second place in Hip Hop, while winning Choreography and Technique Awards for both High Kick and Hip Hop. Overall, the Bengals placed second for High Kick, Pom and Hip Hop, giving the Bengals a clear cut Sweepstakes Award, an overall high-scoring winner for the entire weekend.

FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 79

Matthew “Little Allen”

BayouOutdoors

Garrett “Big Foot”

The legend himself, Allen Butler

Creating a Legacy ALLEN BUTLER INSPIRES FUTURE GENERATIONS

have met some true characters during my years enjoying the outdoors. Few can compare with a man from Winnsboro, Louisiana whom I first met in the early 90s. Allen Butler was one of the premiere fishermen in this area for many years. He and Ronnie Atkins were a notorious tandem and took many of my hard earned dollars in tournaments over the years. Allen isn't hard to spot. You rarely see him without his signature suspenders, a big smile and a cigar sticking out of his mouth. During those years, we accused him of having the bass at Turkey Creek named. If there was a tournament where he could get his boat into his honey hole, it was time to call in the dogs and write him a check. I still believe he took those fish from the weigh stand and transported them back home, just so he could catch them again. I remember one year in a draw tournament where a pilgrim who wasn't "from around here" drew Allen in a tournament on 80 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

article by Dan Chason

the Ouachita River. The River was high. The river was high enough that you didn't have to lock through at Columbia and the water was making a big bulge over the top of the spillway as the water's current churned southward. In draw tournaments with a Pro-Am format, the Pro (in this case it was Allen) takes his boat, decides where to fish while the Amateur is along for the ride with no input. On this morning, Allen blasted off and headed south. As they approached the Columbia dam, Allen says he looked over and the closer they got, the lower his Amateur got in the passenger seat. You see, he didn't know what Allen knew. There was ample water to go over the dam and Allen never let up on the throttle. As the boat went over the bulge of water over the dam, the boat skipped and scurried a bit going over the churning water while Allen just laughed. He says that his partner may not have been a religious man when they started that morning, but just south of the dam, Allen was convinced that his part-

ner was now a believer. Again, Allen won the tournament as usual. Then there was the time where Allen was going to teach me how to bow hunt. It was the mid-1990s, and I had bought a bow. Bow hunting was coming into its prime, and I didn't want to miss the boat. Problem was, I thought that if I could hit a bow target consistently, a deer was toast. Allen called and invited me to his camp for a "doe killing." It was the end of season and his club needed to take some more does for their DMAP program. We arrived with two camera men. Allen set up down the same lane I was on and was about 200 yards from me. I could watch him and visa versa. The first doe came out within 15 minutes. She was no more than 20 yards. I drew back and "thump"....right into the ground under her feet. She jumped back, snorted and never left. I retrieved another arrow from my quiver and this time, took a breath and squeezed my release. "Thump".... right over her back. To make a long story

short, I used all 4 arrows in my quiver and never drew blood. The doe had enough of that and ran off but in the direction of Allen. My camera man narrated the rest. He says the doe stopped out of my view and was about 40 yards from Allen. He says that the doe was blowing (I could hear that part) but would only stick her head out of a thicket and not expose herself. Allen drew back and nailed her. Right Allen with grandsons Paul, between the eyes. His comGarrett and Matthew ment was legendary ...."Snort at me now...." He then turned to the camera and smiled and said, "Guess she came out on the wrong bow hunter." To make matters worse and for at least 5 years after that I would get a call from Allen. "Hey Dan. I need you to send me some money, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cuz I flattened another three wheeler tire on your broadheads you left stuck in the ground where you missed that deer." It was classic Allen. This year was no different, as I traveled back to hunt with Allen and Ross Cagle. Getting those two together is like hunting with the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. I have never laughed so much in my life. Then the trip this September alligator hunting was no less hilarious as we swatted mosquitoes, ate like kings and talked about fishing, family and hunting. You haven't lived until you've eaten Allen's cooking. He is a gifted cook and loves to make up a big pot of jambalaya, fry some white perch and entertain his guests with style. His life now is surrounded by his grandchildren who like anyone around Allen, garner nicknames. The most notable is his grandson, Garrett who he has affectionately named "Big Foot." If the size 16 shoe is an indicator, he will be a big man when he grows into those feet. Then there is little Matthew whom we call "Little Allen." He loves his Grandpa and is a constant in the deer stand with Allen. I think Allen works harder to make sure Matthew kills a deer than he ever worked at fishing or finding a big deer for himself. Matthew is a good little hunter, and you can see that the apple didn't fall far from that tree when they are together. Speaking of apples, his youngest, Paul is never far from the action and can be found right there with the older grandkids. I see that same old Allen now when he talks about wife Judy and those grandchildren. That same twinkle, that same smile that he used to get from winning a tournament or catching a big bass is still there. His days are no longer tied up with long business hours or fighting the fight to make a living. He has retired from professional fishing and now just fishes for enjoyment. He has done well and is rewarded for his efforts with some of the best hunting and fishing in our area. He is a true outdoor legend and someone I am honored to call my friend. Even if he does enjoy ragging me about my bow shooting to this very day.

*This article is dedicated to our friend, Rocky Carter. We miss you, bud. Rest in Peace.

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SECOND ANNUAL TASTING COMPETITION OF SIGNATURE SOUPS

efore you yell, “Throw Me Something, Mister” to the Krewe of Janus, join the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council before the parade for the 2nd Annual SouperCatch!...a Tasting Competition of Signature Soups from our local restaurant’s Chefs and Caterers as they vie for the Best Soup in Town title of SouperChef! The fun starts at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 13th in the Hixson Autoplex Showroom on Louisville Avenue. Help support the ARTS with the newest family-oriented event in the region. “Last year’s event was a great success,” says Arts Council CEO Tommy Usrey, “and right away our ‘SouperKrewe’ began brainstorming to make this year’s event even better. This wouldn’t be possible without the great folks at Hixson Autoplex lending us their showroom for the afternoon.” The SouperKrewe Kim Leija, Jeremy Cook, Claire Gordon, Brenda Harrison, Arabella Moore, Nancy Miller, Jeanine Patton and Camille Peterson have planned a fun-filled afternoon with the soup tasting from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m. with "Flashback 5," the hottest band in town, livening up the party until the parade arrives at Hixson Autoplex. At parade time head outside and get settled in to enjoy the parade in an area reserved exclusively for SouperCatch ticket holders. You and your family will be safe and warm at this premium parade location with reserved parking on the Hixson lot. Jennifer Lord commented recently, “We went last year, it’s first year, and we really enjoyed it. It was a great party.” Sample our scrumptious soups while sipping your favorite libation from our cash bar provided by Restaurant Cotton. Support your favorite Chefs as they compete to unseat last year’s winners, “SouperChef “ Thurman Dickey for the “Best Tasting Soup in Town” and Chef Pat Nolan “SouperBowl”recipient for the “Best of Show” based on all things visual! Make plans now to get a group of friends to come out and enjoy the party and sample soups from our “Souper” Restaurants and Caterers. This year’s participants include: Cascio’s Tavern, Chef Eric Johnson & Company, The Coffee Bean, Freddie Cascio’s, Restaurant Cotton, Genusa’s Italian Restaurant, Monjuni’s, Chef Pat Nolan,

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Nonna, Portico Bar & Grill, Restaurant Sage, River Grille, River & Rail Cantina, Thurman’s Food Factory, Trio’s Restaurant, Warehouse No. 1 Restaurant, Waterfront Grill and Vieux Carré Gourmet. Thurman Dickey from Thurman’s Food Factory will also be onhand serving his signature desserts. After sampling the soups, cast your vote for the two awards, SouperBowl for best of show, based on creativity, visual appeal and impact of the soup presentation, tablescaping and servers costuming and the SouperChef, based only on taste with a year's worth of bragging rights for serving the Best Soup in Town! “The SouperKrewe has developed the ‘catch of the year’,” comments Arts Council Development Vice Chairman, Kim Leija. “All will enjoy the Souper competition between our areas most popular Chef's at a Souper parade route location. Souper music, Souper catches and Souper fun....all for a Souper cause.” Our SouperSponsors include Krewe Captain Heard, McElroy & Vestal and Krewe Lieutenants Cohen & Lynch, LLC, Hopkins Dermatology, Louisiana Pain Care, James W. Moore, III, The Paper Market, Progressive Bank and Justin E. Tarver, DDS. Ticket prices are $25 for adults and $10 for children under 10 and will include a reserved parking pass for the Hixson Autoplex Hudson Lane entrance. For more information or to charge your tickets to VISA, MC or American Express, call 318-396-9520 or pick them up at the Arts Council office in West Monroe City Hall, at Community Trust Bank locations in the Twin Cities or from any Arts Council board member. The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council makes the arts accessible to everyone. In fact, our mission is Inspiring Northeast Louisiana through the arts – by opening doors and changing lives for residents throughout the region. As the official arts agency for the Cities of Monroe and West Monroe and the Regional Distributing Agency for the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council also provides financial counseling and board support for member arts organizations, engages artists of the highest quality and renown to reach over 30,000 children in 11 parishes in educational, interactive and entertaining performances and advocates at the state and federal levels for the arts industries.

DRA Investment

On December 17th, Delta Regional Authority Federal Co-Chairman Chris Masingill announced that Northeast Louisiana will receive a major investment in resources to combat chronic disease among the Delta region’s workforce. The DRA initiated a $139,432.50 investment to support a coalition of public health agencies in three northeast Louisiana parishes in working with hospitals and small businesses to improve health outcomes by promoting behavioral changes in the workplace. “With the support of the Delta Regional Authority, the North Louisiana Regional Health Alliance is working to implement an innovative Pilot Worksite Wellness Program at three of the largest healthcare providers in Morehouse, Richland & Union parishes,” said Jinger Greer, North Regional Alliance Executive Director. The investment is part of the DRA’s Healthy Workforce Challenge which has funded programs in five states to incentivize healthy lifestyles through workplace programming. The programs designed by recipients include employee health assessments, access to healthy food options, fitness challenges, wellness classes, training and workshops.

On the BayouScene

1 Brooke Ayiri, Anna Laird, Frances Robinson, Jill Rainwater and Laura Ayiri 2 Debbie Beaver, Jim Allbirtton, April Temple and Christie Clark 3 Doyle Robinson, Senator Frances Thompson, Dr. Paul Grandon and Bubba Chaney 4 Juanita Woods and Paul West 5 Doyle Robinson and Chris Masingill 6 Jinger Greer and Jill Rainwater

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Krewe of Janusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 2014 Queen XXXI, Lynda Alderman

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler Krewe of Janus XXXI Taps Classic for 2014 Parade Scheduled on February 15, 2014 ARTICLE BY MICHAEL DEVAULT PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOLI LIVAUDAIS LeeBo Alderman can hardly wait for the 31st Annual Mardi Gras Parade to roll through the Twin Cities come February 15. He's got good reason to be excited, because he's got another name: King Janus XXXI. It's an honor and privilege he owes to his sister, Lynda Alderman— who's currently reigning as Queen Janus XXXI. "She asked if I wanted to do it, and it sounded like a lot of fun," LeeBo told BayouLife Magazine. "My sister happened to be the queen, who twisted my arm pretty well." Parade captain and long-time Krewe member Steve Courteau notes it's not just about throwing a parade and picking a royal court. Krewe of Janus life is about service to the community. "The krewe is a charity in and of itself," says Courteau. "But in addition to being a charity, putting on the parade and having the ball, we also donate to another charity each year, from the various fundraisers we hold throughout the year." The charity for 2014 is the American Heart Association "Go Red For Women" campaign. Through tee-shirt sales at a RiverMarket booth, a cookbook, and other initiatives, the Krewe of Janus funds the parade and a sizable donation to that campaign. Also, its popular Texas Hold'em Poker tournaments have become so popular the Krewe hosts two tournaments a month now. "Part of the proceeds are used to help fund the Krewe and part of the proceeds help fund our contributions to the annual charity." The hard work and generocity shows. So far in 2014, the Krewe of Janus has donated $1,500 to the Go Red campaign—roughly $100 a day, LeeBo notes. At the heart of it all, though, Courteau and the Aldermans both

point out that the Krewe of Janus is a way to connect to a larger community and to be a part of one of the region's signature events. Courteau has been on board since the Krewe's second year. "I thought it would be a great way to socialize with people," Courteau says. "I had just moved back to the Monroe area after college and wanted to get involved." Usually, the Krewe of Janus king and queen are a husband-wife combo. Only once before have brother and sister served—when Lori Martin Bernard and Todd Martin served. The only difference, Lynda points out, is they didn't serve in the same year. "They weren't king and queen at the same time," Lynda says. For the Alderman clan, Krewe life is part of family life. Lynda credits that to her mother, Ramona Welch, a Krewe member herself. Lynda joined the Krewe five years ago, "when Mother decided I needed to get a life." "It's part of our family," Lynda says. At her mother's urging, she joined the Krewe of Janus and immediately got involved in a host of Krewe activities. "The very first thing I did was serve as a duchess to Queen Janus XXVI, Diana Pahal," Lynda says. That same year, LeeBo joined the court as a duke for King Janus XXVI, Mike Pahal. The royal court that year served as the first exposure LeeBo had to the work of the Krewe king and queen. "It really didn’t give me an insight into what all is actually involved," LeeBo says. The year-long reign of the king and queen begins in September, when the new king and queen are crowned. For the most part, September through December are quiet months. That all changes January 5th, Twelfth Night, when the king and queen are presented at a party thrown in their honor. "It all gets really crazy, starting with Twelfth Night," Lynda says. "That's when you're presented for the first time in your official costume." The costume, or "regalia" to krewe insiders, sets the tone for the king and queen's reign. Satin gowns beaded and sequined for the queen, and a sequined and beaded tunic for the king join a crown, white gloves and white shoes. That all gets topped off by the mantel, the signature piece of royal Mardi Gras regalia. Six feet wide and more than five feet tall, each of the mantels weighs more than ten pounds. The mantel is constructed out of satin, other fabrics, several yards of lace, brocade, feathers and more than 5,000 sequins. Worn on the shoulders, it rises up behind the royals, highlighting their prominence. This costume is what drew LeeBo to the idea of becoming Mardi Gras king in the first place. "The main thing that excites me is all the dressing up, the showing off and getting to run around being the big dog. That's just me in general anyway. I like flaunting," he says playfully. But it's not all playing dress-up. There's a lot of work to be done. Between Twelfth Night and the parade, ten-hour days aren't uncommon. "We're just starting to spend all the time at area events," LeeBo says. "And because we've always been a close family, I'm looking forward to it." Among the duties of the king and queen are numerous television appearances—they've already been on the air four times since September, with another four visits scheduled in January and February. They visit schools, nursing homes and hospitals. And, earlier in their reign, they rode in the Tallulah Christmas Parade. FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 85

RAND BALL

This year the Grand Ball is open to the public for the first time in the history of the Krewe of Janus Mardi Gras celebration. The ball will be held on February 1, 2014 at the West Monroe Convention Center. Tickets are $100. Entertainment will be provided by Gary Goins Group from Memphis, TN. Cash bar. Long/formal gown and black tie required.

It doesn't stop February 15, either. "We've got events scheduled after Mardi Gras already," LeeBo says. "That calendar's starting to fill up." Lynda said she enjoyed the Tallulah parade experience, calling it an honor to be able to represent the Krewe and the community as a whole. "We're so honored just to be able to represent the Krewe," she says. "And I knew it was a big deal, but I didn't realize how big a deal until we were elected. It's just an incredibly experience." Talking to the Alderman siblings, it would be easy to forget their "real" lives apart from the mantel and the regalia, the beads and their names on cups. But LeeBo is a computer programmer who manages a web hosting service, owns rental properties and works as a manager for the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Lynda is an I.T. analyst at CenturyLink. Even then, she finds Krewe life creeping into work life. "I've had a lot of coworkers stop by my 86 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

desk and tell me they saw me on T.V. or in the newspaper," she says. "It's exciting, but it can be kind of embarrassing because you're just trying to work, do your job, and be a regular Joe." Yet, there's a twinkle in her eye when she thinks about her experience so far. And, she's certainly looking forward to one thing: the school visits, which represent one of the most significant royal duties each year. Lynda says the excitement the children demonstrate is genuine, because fairy tales and fantasy are still fun at that young age. Her predecessors have all tried to prepare her for how excited the kids get when the king and queen arrive. "So that's what I'm really looking forward to. That and, well, getting to wear the dress and the crown." She laughs and shrugs it off. "Who doesn't love playing dress up?"

PARADEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;ROUTE

The Krewe of Janus was established in 1984. It was organized by the Twin Citiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Jaycees and became an independent organization in 1989. The Krewe of Janus promotes tourism in the Twin Cities of Monroe and West Monroe, LA by sponsoring and conducting a Mardi Gras Parade each year. The 31st Annual Krewe of Janus Mardi Gras Parade will roll through the Twin Cities February 15, 2014. For more information, or to find out how to join the Krewe, visit them online at kreweofjanus.org.

Chi Omega Christmas Brunch

Chi Omega alumnae and actives from across Northeast Louisiana gathered before Christmas at Bayou DeSiard Country Club to celebrate the season with new pledges and their moms. Pledges from LSU, TCU, Centenary and Millsaps, mixed with actives from Baylor and LSU. Spearheading the event were Maggie Zentner, Mossy Sartor Guinn and Hope Robertson. Seen in the crowd were Judge Sharon Marchman, Jean Huenefeld, Katy Kelly, Laura and Brenda Perilloux, Tina and Emma Rolfe, and Hanna Brashier, along with lots of mother-daughter Chi Omega sisters like Lucy and Lucy Parks Shackelford, Jennifer and Claiborne Morris and many more just like them.

On the BayouScene

1 Rachel Haynes and Claire Anderson 2 Caroline Anders and Madison Brennan 3 Claiborne and Jennifer Morris 4 Mary Emma Barham and Tina Rolfe 5 Lucy Shackelford and Lucy Parks Shackelford 6 Olive Sartor and Amy Norris 7 Lucy Parks Shackelford, Madison Brennan, Caroline Anders, Laura Perilloux, Katy Kelly, Hanna Brashier, Claiborne Morris, LSU Chapter president Raegen Harbour, Camille Barr, Sloane Smith and Emma Rolfe 8 Hope Robertson, Maggie Zentner and Mossy Sartor Guinn

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Ruston Holiday Arts Tour BY MARLEN WATERS

eld each November, Holiday Arts Tour is a celebration of the arts in north Louisiana. Artists of many genres are hosted by local merchants for a weekend of arts, music and shopping. The Tour also includes free art-related activities for children, free musical performances by regional talent, and open studios of area artists. The Tour promotes artistic discussion, exposure and sales through live demonstrations, performances and exhibitions. The tour is sponsored by The North Central Louisiana Arts Council. Businesses participating this year were: Embellishments, Art Innovations, Serendipity, Rodéo Boutique, Sundown Tavern, House of Flowers and Cake Shoppe, Fine Line Art Supply, Stitchville, Lewis Boutique, Kelly Moore Bag, Makers Union, Sundown Tavern, Pastry Moon, Rogers Furniture, Turbo Goat, Rumo’s Barbershop, Pastry Moon, Chartreuse Pear, Townsend House, The Lodge, Patton’s Downtown, Studio 301 and The Frame Up. Artists participating this year were: Suzy Berry, Shannan Inman, Alexandria Bozeman, Leigh Buffington, Whitney Caskey, Todd Cloe, Jacqueline Cochran, Julie Crews, M. C. Davis, Christiane Dreiling, Nicole Duet, Stephanie Dugard, Jake Dugard, Emily Ezell, Bonnie Ferguson, Cindy Gibson, Frank Hamrick, Peter Hay, Rachel Johnson, Frank Kelley, Jr., Dorene Kordal, Laura Glen Lawson, Laura Lee, Michele McGehee, Sonny Monteleone, Casey Parkinson, Julie Roane, Joey Slaughter, Allen Tuten, Geri Taylor, Kit Gilbert and Hooshang Khorasani. For more information, call 318.255.1450. Holiday Arts Tour is supported in part by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the Shreveport Regional Arts Council.

On the BayouScene at Ruston’s Holiday Arts Tour: 1 Sara Sullivan and Nicole Duet 2 Joey Slaughter and his art 3 Frank Hamrick 4 Suzy Berry 5 Julie Crews and Casey Parkinson 6 Meg Waters Allen and Amanda McCoy 7 Round Robin Poetry Reading 8 Sara Sullivan as a Robertson 9 Community Variety Show—Grambling State University Choir 10 Community Variety Show—LG Dance Studio 11 Community Variety Show—Dixie Dancers 12 Allen Tuten and his handmade wood pens 13 Adeline Smith and Caress Baldwin

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St. Jude Radiothon Nears

New Aspects Included by Sallie Rose Hollis HE AREA’S 33RD ANNUAL ST. JUDE Radiothon is set for Feb. 10-11, and organizers are hoping that donations will roll in from across the region. Last year's event drew in more than $125,000. Co-sponsors are the Zeta Rho chapter of the philanthropic group Epsilon Sigma Alpha and radio station Z-107.5. Broadcast hours will be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 10 and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 11, live from Ruston's Super 1 Foods. A new aspect this year will be a drawing for an autographed duck call from Phil Robertson of Duck Commander and the TV show "Duck Dynasty." Names of donors who have contributed $500 or more will be included in the drawing the night of Feb. 11. Throughout the event, six other large incentive packages will be offered as well. Also new to 2014: a slightly different look for the radiothon poster. Two of the area patients who are featured are shown in camouflage. Mason Shumaker and Mason Nutt, both of Ruston, are

wearing camouflage in honor of their fathers, who are currently deployed with the U.S. Armed Forces. Both of these Masons have been on the poster before, but this is the first time for Karson Sanchez, of Monroe. Now 2 years old, he was diagnosed at Karson Sanchez Mason Nutt Mason Shumaker age 15 months with neuroblastoma, a malignant tumor that deyoung cancer patients from Louisiana. Daily opvelops from nerve tissue. erating costs are $1.9 million and are primarily Zeta Rho/ESA's president, Susan Elkins, is covered by public contributions. St. Jude has grandmother to Mason Shumaker. "We ask that treated approximately 20,000 children from across you please consider supporting the 2013 Radio- the United States and 70 foreign countries. thon," she said. "Your gift could help save a life. The hospital’s mission is to advance cures Help us to fulfill St. Jude founder Danny Thomas’ and means of prevention for pediatric catadream that no child should die in the dawn of strophic diseases through research and treatment. life." St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in The number to call for pledges during the raMemphis, Tenn., has treated more than 2,000 diothon is 1-800-787-5288.

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Downtown River Market It was “A Very Merry Commander Christmas” as the crowd gathered in downtown Monroe for local festivities on December 14th. Temperatures dropped, but that didn’t keep the hundreds of supporters from attending the last RiverMarket of the season. Community Trust Bank presented a day of fun for the whole family including a stars of Duck Dynasty Look Alike Contest, Duck Derby, A Night on the River with the Stars of Duck Dynasty & Christmas Flotilla and a fascinating Laser Show to end the night. We loved seeing local vendor, Hemline, at the market - look for them to open their doors in February. For a schedule of next year’s RiverMarket dates, visit their website at www.downtownrivermarket.com

On the BayouScene

1 Doug and Emily Caldwell 2 Andy Harbor and Martha Ryan 3 Josh and Leslie Culp, Natalie Sutor 4 Kelly Fletcher, Veronica Butler and Jamie DeLancy 5 Cade Hunter and Hunter Guiterrez 6 Brad and Leslie Richman

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Nightstands and Coffee Tables

TWO BOOKS TO READ BEFORE YOU SEE THE MOVIES

| by Michael DeVault

ith the summer movie blockbuster season just around the corner, now is when some readers take the time to read the books they’ve missed or, perhaps, to revisit that old classic before the movie version hits cinemas. From a heroic tale of preservation to a culinary romp across Europe, Hollywood has gone out of its way to cover its literary bases in 2014. Here are just a few of the books you can expect to see translated onto the silver screen in the coming months.

The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel

While World War II was ravaging Europe on two fronts, members of the Nazi special forces were busy raiding museums, churches and private homes in search of the masterpieces in art history. In one way, the Classical-obsessed Nazis amassed the greatest collection of art ever assembled. Yet, their motives were hardly preservation, as Robert M. Edsel recounts in his book, The Monuments Men. This true story of the U.S. Army’s Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section, traces the sometimes comical, often harrowing and wholly heroic acts of bravery undertaken by art conservationists tasked with preserving Europe’s cultural heritage. Edsel weaves a powerful narrative about the importance of culture and art to humanity’s history.

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

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What happens when four people--each in a lonely, dark place—arrive at precisely the same spot at precisely the same time with precisely one goal, to end it all? That’s the question Nick Hornby asks in A Long Way Down, a novel about the unlikely bonds that form between four people who first meet on a rooftop where they had planned to jump. The group’s relationships tighten, they become friends and in fulfillment of a pact, they return to the rooftop once more. Only this time, they realize their lives really aren’t that bad. Told in four competing voices from each of the main character’s viewpoint, A Long Way Down is widely considered one of Hornby’s best books in years. The film reunites stars Pierce Brosnan and Rosamund Pike as the disgraced T.V. host Martin and Jess, their first on-screen outing together since Brosnan’s Die Another Day. A Long Way Down opens March 7 and, like previous Hornby hits About a Boy and High Fidelity, the movie is already generating buzz.

Holidays in CedarTown BY MARLEN WATERS

or almost twenty years parents and boosters of Cedar Creek School in Ruston have brought in artists, crafters, and merchants from all over the area to display their jewelry, clothing, home decor and many other items. Holidays in CedarTown is always sure to have gifts that will satisfy everyone on your Christmas list. As one CedarTown enthusiast put it, “It’s a Christmas shopping extravaganza!” Holidays in CedarTown was held at the Ruston Civic Center November 14-16. This year’s events included a brunch catered by Chef Cory Bahr of Restaurant Cotton featuring a cooking demonstration, as well as three days to shop, shop, shop! Ruston merchants displaying their goods this year were: Patton’s and Patton’s Downtown, Zija, Oh So Chic, Lincoln Outdoor Living, Embellishments, Usborne Books and More, Lauren Roebuck Designs, Everything Artsy and Paperglaze Calligraphy, Ruston Florist, Laura Glen Carlson Jewelry, Anna Alexander Designs, Kelly Moore Bag, Timeless Treasures, Lagniappe Embroidery, Merle Norman, and The Fashion. Area vendors included: Cinnamon Roasted Nuts and Fudge, Shreveport; Geaux Designs, Simsboro; Bullet Designs, Choudrant; Scentsy, Gilmer, TX;

Rodan and Fields, Winnsboro; Cache Too, Greenwood; Kilgore’s Pharmacy and Gifts, Haynesville; Petal Pushers, Jonesboro; Vintage Treasures, Calhoun; Kin-Mar’s, West Monroe; Crayon Princess, Winnfield; The Station, Vivian; SeneGense, Choudrant; Rustic Rose, West Monroe; Glitz Galore-n-More; Fairhope, AL; Nanette’s Notes, Monroe; and Tyler’s Toy Box, Bossier City.

On the BayouScene at Holidays in CedarTown: 1 Jenifer Nixon and Lauren Roebuck 2 Linsay Gouedy, Lori Seacrist and Kelly Moore Clark 3 Lisa Wilhite and Audrey Ewing 4 Dianne Hunter and Pandy Bleich 5 Anna Alexander and Claire Allen 6 Tanya Paul, Ellie and Shannon Inman 7 Lori Henry and Michelle Sunsin 8 Leigh Anne and Gracie Parker, Vickie Womack 9 Cedar Creek Kindergarten 10 Linda Colvin and Terri Phillips 11 Pat Edington and Connie Kozar 12 Melanie Sampognaro and Kim Cummings

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The King Cake

ARTICLE BY

MARY NAPOLI

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

JOLI LIVAUDAIS

VIEUX CARRĂ&#x2030; GOURMET ather your krewe and fill up your go-cup...it's Mardi Gras, y'all! In northeast Louisiana, we may not take our Carnival season as seriously as they do in the Big Easy, but that doesn't mean we don't know how to laissez les bon temps rouler. So what if they have massive, miles long parades with fiberoptic floats? And really, what are you going to do with 45 pounds of plastic beads? Don't get me wrong, New Orleans Mardi Gras is definitely something that everyone should experience in their lifetime, but the sweetest part of the season is available right here in your own backyard. Behold, the king cake. This colorful Carnival treat gets its name from the celebration of the Epiphany or Twelfth Night, when the biblical three kings began their journey to see the Christ child. Traditions vary around the world, but the festivities begin twelve days after Christmas and conclude on Fat Tuesday, the last day of decadence before the advent of Lent. The sweetened, yeasty dough is traditionally flavored with cinnamon, rolled, twisted or braided and formed into a ring. After baking, it is iced with the colors of the season: purple to signify justice, gold for power and green to symbolize faith. Mardi Gras often comes on the heels of winter's final chill. This year has proven to be especially dramatic, but beware...Carnival is quite contagious. Even more powerful than the latest flu mutation or the polar vortex is the infamous King Cake Fever. The cure? You simply must indulge and sample as much of a variety of these sugary delights that you can get your hands on. Luckily, there is no shortage of supply in our region. Nearly every bakery has a version, and all are delightful. However, there are several eateries Monroe with a truly unique approach. Consider this your guide to king cakes that challenge tradition. Any one of these homemade remedies is sure to cure what ails you.

THE SAVORY CAKE

Savory king cake for breakfast? Oh yeah! In addition to their incredibly delicious sweet king cakes, the brilliant bakers at Vieux Carre Gourmet have given us a whole new reason to love this festive delight. Generously topped with mild cheddar cheese, the warm, yeasty, chewy dough has a delicate crust and is packed with scrambled egg and flavorful sausage or crispy bacon. Trust me, you have never had a breakfast like this. One bite and you will agree that it truly is the most important meal of the day. Talented baker Patra Fontenot, who owns the fabulous gourmet food and wine market with her husband Dr. Jerry Fontenot, can create nearly any breakfast combination you have in mind for this unforgettable variation on the king cake, even a vegetarian version. All king cakes are baked fresh daily and are made without preservatives and from the high quality ingredients you might expect from Vieux Carre. The breakfast king cake is truly a revelation. Fontenot's inventive baking doesn't stop there. She has also created king cake bars that are so scrumptious, it must be tasted to be believed. This bar is built for those who love the moist, creaminess of a filled king cake. The shortbread bottom provides a

solid base to the rich, velvety layer that contains the cinnamon-sweet king cake flavor. Topped with delicately sweetened icing and sparkling purple, gold, and green sugar, its a smooth, distinctive indulgence that is unforgettable. With baker Rick Guthrie at her side, Fontenot also creates traditional king cakes. Every morsel of delicious baked goodness is made from scratch daily and is preservative free. Fontenot is passionate about the use of local, high quality products in the baked goods that Vieux Carre offers. They offer a variety of fillings in addition to the traditional cinnamon king cake, but the strawberry cream cheese remains a fan favorite. The sweet filling is perfectly balanced with the soft, dense, yeasty dough. Satisfyingly sweet but not overly sugary, each bite has a pleasurable texture and consistency. The cake is moist, but can be handled easily without falling apart. Beautifully crafted, each delectable bite seems better than the next.

Vieux CarrĂŠ Gourmet 1623 N 18th Street 318.388.2228 FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 95

BAKERY BOUTIQUE

CUPCAKE KING Even during the merriment of Carnival season, there are days when a dainty, delicate cupcake coated in sugary sprinkles is the perfect pick me up. Bakery Boutique, located on Highway 165 near the intersection of Loop Road, is the place to go for a delightful dose of palm-sized king cake flavor. The bakery is relatively new on the scene, but has plenty of experience in the kitchen. Award winning baker Cyndi Hodges co-owns the popular sweet shop with Crystal and Cody Breen, and the business already has a loyal following. When Hodges began to experiment with recipes in preparation for this Mardi Gras season, she chose to create a cupcake that featured king cake flavor, but with traditional cake consistency. Topped with delicate, poured icing and glittering sprinkles, the cinnamon cupcake is airy and light. This confection is a favorite of kids and adults alike. The king cupcake is a wonderful treat, but please don't overlook the original full-sized king cake. Bakery Boutique's cream cheese filled king cake is especially moist and flavorful and made for those who desire a taste of creamy filling in each bite. The delicate dough is sweetened perfectly and rolled in a way that distributes the gooey filling surprisingly evenly, which is no easy task. King cakes made in mass can sometimes be over-baked and dry, but not at Bakery Boutique. Hodges has the magical talent of keeping her cakes incredibly moist. This is not the type of king cake that can be eaten by hand. Heavy and luscious, you'll need a fork to enjoy this indulgence properly. Made to order, these king cakes are also available with in a sinfully delicious strawberry flavor, as well as praline, lemon, blueberry, raspberry and traditional cinnamon. Place your order well before Fat Tuesday so you will have time to try more than just one of these heavenly cakes.

Bakery Boutique 1530 Sterlington Road 318.600.6639

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE aily Harvest is well known for its use of natural products and creates all of its tasty, healthful dishes with 100% whole wheat that is milled daily in house. Their king cake looks exactly like its sugar-coated evil twin, but don't let its appearance fool you. These talented bakers steer clear of refined white sugar and use honey and sucanat (a contraction of "sucre de canne natural"), the brand name for a variety of natural, unrefined whole cane sugar. This sweetener is diabetic friendly and metabolizes at a slower rate than regular sugar. The result is a complex, mellow sweetness that satisfies every sweet tooth, but doesn't do the damage that sugar is known for. If carbs are a concern, this might be the king cake for you. All baked goods from Daily Harvest are preservative free, and king cakes are made multiple times during the day for optimum freshness. A variety are often available for customers who walk in with a craving for king cake. Choose from several of fillings: traditional cinnamon, cream cheese, strawberry and cream, blueberry and cream and pecan and cream.

Daily Harvest Deli and Bakery | 1105 Forsythe Avenue | 318.812.2253 96 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

Daq's Wings and Grill 2217 Forsythe Avenue 318.998.9464

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IN A STRAW

hink about all the things that Mardi Gras means to you. Now, stuff it all in a blender with some ice and watch it spin. There you have it--the king cake daiquiri! What could be more genius than that? Daq's has managed to capture everything flavorful about the season and contained it in this frosty drink. One sip, and you'll taste the cinnamon, icing and sweet goodness that we all love in a king cake. Take a few more sips, and you'll soon be aware that this delight packs a powerful punch. Celebrate the season of indulgence by enjoying your daiquiri with some of Daq's other tasty fare. The sweetness of the frozen drink is the perfect way to cool down your palate after enjoying one of the spicy grilled chicken sandwiches that patrons can't get enough of. Order inside the grill, and your drink is delivered in a tall, frosty glass rimmed with purple, green, and gold sugar, and topped with sprinkles of the same color. This creation is as fun to look at as it is to drink. When you head to a parade party or a Mardi Gras celebration, swing by Daq's drive-thru and order these festive drinks for friends.

THE MINI

King cakes are perfect for sharing at large parties or gatherings, but what about a party of one? Problem solved! The Coffee Bean has you covered. Their mini king cakes are cuter than cute, perfectly sized, and divinely flavorsome. This king cake is very much a traditional New Orleans style cake, which features dough with a satisfyingly chewy texture. Sugary cinnamon is distributed beautifully throughout the yeasty dough before the bread is twisted into a small ring. Each bite is moist and flavorful. A confectioner sugar based icing is poured on top and provides the perfect amount of sweetness against the doughy cake. Atop the icing, delightful mounds of fine, colorful sugar provide an artful presentation. Not surprising, the Coffee Bean offers one of the most lovely king cakes visually, and the taste is equally as enjoyable. These mini king cakes make wonderful, festive gifts for your favorite friends and family and are available in boxes that include one or two cakes along with traditional Mardi Gras decorations. The Bean also offers traditional cinnamon king cakes in a 16 inch size, but the scrumptious filled versions are incredibly popular. Choose from rich cream cheese or the heavenly apple pecan and never be disappointed. If your Valentine is also a fan of king cake, try the Coffee Bean's adorable Baby Cakes or Valentine's cakes, which are king cakes topped with glittering red and pink sugar or conversation hearts. A long-time local favorite, any treat that comes from the Bean is undoubtedly delectable and certain to put a smile on the face of whom ever you share it with.

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The Coffee Bean CafĂŠ and Catering | 2501 Broadmoor Boulevard 318.324.9114

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photography by joli livaudais | hair and makeup by m salon | styled by rheagan sutton models: rheagan sutton, ellie jackson, kristen reppond, anna kirksey

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Graduation Party

On December 7, 2013, familyand friends gathered to celebrate the graduation of Morgan Livingston and Blake Gillikin from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s By the River provided the perfect reception area as parents Christine and Jay Gillikin and Belinda and Johnny Max Livingston hosted a crowd of party-goers. DJ Rodney Criswell provided hours of entertainment for those attending the celebration while food was catered from Brookshireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Special guest Vance McAllister made an appearance to wish the graduates well. Morgan Livingston graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and leaves ULM as the former president of Kappa Sigma fraternity. Blake Gillikin graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. Congratulations!

On the BayouScene

1 Jon Michael Livingston, Vance McAllister and Morgan Livingston 2 Ashleigh Goodman, Graves Breard, Brittany Breard, Daniel Vanderburg, Micah Heckford and Kyle Brown 3 Tyler Greenwood and Blake Gillikin 4 Melanie Bond and Debbie Bond 5 Jon Michael Livingston and Brice Gillikin 6 TJ Scarborough, Anderson Hurd, Morgan Livingston, Spencer Moore and Micah Heckford 7 Fran Kennedy, Christine Gillikin, Mary and Rick Dawson 8 Lindsey Sanders and Annie LaCombe 9 Priscilla Keller and Ashleigh Goodman 10 Trent Livingston and JoAnn Bond 11 Johnny Max Livingston, Jay Gillikin and Jim Bond 12 Jon Michael Livingston, Belinda Livingston and Morgan Livingston 13 Joni Wilson, Rachel Jameson and Jordan Temple 14 AnnaGrace Greer, Kristen Reppond and Kelsey Williams 15 Melissa Peacock and Joey Hixon 16 Jim Bond, Sonny Bond and Morgan Livingston

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Duck and Dressing On December 16, Duck & Dressing hosted one of the most talked about events in North Louisiana. Owners Rebecca and Korie Robertson, along with other members of the Duck Commander family surprised guests with a performance by super-star Darius Rucker and up-and-comer Reed Robertson. Styled as mannequins, models Abby Fuqua, Lauren Reynolds and Julianne Tippen looked beautiful in fashions from the trendy boutique. Rain the Salon and Spa did a gorgeous job on hair and makeup and local restauranteur, Cory Bahr, wowed guests with a delicious taste of the Bayou. We can’t wait to see what Duck & Dressing has in store for 2014!

On the BayouScene

1 Candice Jones, Larkin Banks and Holly McCready 2 Tiﬀany Hendra, LeeAnn Locken and Cynthia Smoot 3 Cindy Stone, Korie Robertson and Debbie Herrington 4 Ava, Chantel, Rae and Elana Dickson 5 Theresa Tippen, Willie Robertson and Deirdre McGehee 6 Johnreed and Maurie Loﬂin, Ashley Yeldell 7 Lindsey Walters, Jordan Haddad and Sarah Ann Bolton 8 Mary Kathryn and Eric Edwards 9 Blake Mason and Michael Echols 10 Melissa Allen and Bart Babineaux 11 Allison and David Hunt 12 Ashley Surles and Jennifer Brown 13 Haley Crowell, Shelby Templeton and Emily Jones and Brittany Lindsey 14 Cyndi Anderson 15 Amelia Papillion and Maggie Shuler 16 Lauren Reynolds, Abby Fuqua and Julianne Tippen

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Cochon de Christmas

A little nasty weather couldn't deter patrons from enjoying a night on the town--or at least on the barn floor, as the Strauss Youth Academy for the Arts hosted its annual Cochon de Christmas barn party at the home of the Brockman family. Guests enjoyed the musical stylings of award-winning Cajun band Feufollet while they dined on couchon de lait prepared by Monroe's own Chef Cory Bahr. More than three hundred visitors made their way to the event, where they were also treated to a host of microbrew and traditional beers, wines and specialty party drinks. It was all in support of SYAA, too, so the night had more than a few "theatrical" surprises from SYAA cast and volunteers. SYAA's Sue Sartor called the event a great success and expressed her gratitude to all the visitors and to the Brockman clan for hosting the party. Proceeds from the event will benefit SYAA programs throughout the year.

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On the BayouScene

1 Guy and Nancy Miller, Caroline Youngblood 2 Charlen Campbell and Scott Sumerall 3 Johnette Sellar and Steve Mintz 4 Sara and Kevin Klug 5 Emily Sartor and Walter Sartor 6 Melissa and Mark Phelps 7 Dana and Justin Tarver with Katherine Leglue 8 Amy Wood and Jennifer Parker 9 LaNell and Dr. Ray Armstrong 10 Lesley and Clark Atkinson 11 Stephanie Trezise and Stacey GoďŹ&#x20AC; 12 Judy Haddad and Jan Brockman 13 Jonathan Peters, Sarah Butler and Lauren Stewart 14 Troy and Jennifer Lizenby

10 106 BayouLife Magazine FEBRUARY 2014

MSGL’s Fa-La-LaLouisianne

The industrious ladies of the Monroe Garden Study League, a member of the Garden Club of America, worked magic throughout the rooms of Emy-Lou Biedenharn’s historic home on Riverside Drive to create a whimsical tour of Christmas with a Louisiana flair. “Fa-La-La-Louisiane” was the clever theme, and each room of the Biedenharn home was decorated according to one of the major cities in Louisiana and their unique Christmas traditions. Executive Director Ralph Calhoun, his staff and docents were at the ready, lending helping hands. The grounds of ELsong Gardens were lit to perfection with clipped boxwood hedges resplendent in twinkling white lights, adding a new dimension to enjoy by night. Visitors to the Biedenharn Museum and ELsong Gardens were able to see the Christmas decorations throughout the month of December.

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On the BayouScene

1 Bruce Hanks and John Ledbetter 2 Ralph Calhoun and Helen Vanderhoeven 3 Nancy Kay Peters with Alex and Evans Peters 4 Kristin Brown, Sandy Dansby and Dee Ledbetter 5 Bill and Annette Harrison 6 Gay Morris and Lily Joyce 7 Fran Winter, Julie Pruitt and Marilyn Smith 8 Dee Ledbetter, Carolyn and David Barnes 9 Nell Seegers, Beth Murphy and Robert Seegers 10 Debbie and Dean Stockstill 11 Holly and Doug Ratcliﬀe 12 Ralph and Gabriella Armstrong 13 Doug and Kristy Farr 14 Megan, Amy, Sam and Sallie Sherman 15 Forrest Sartor and Susie Husted 16 Susan and Charles Herold 17 Katie and Kathryn Joyce

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NELL REBOWE THE MODEL CITIZEN

Nell Rebowe is strikingly unforgettable. Before she even utters a word, her physical beauty is breathtaking. ARTICLE BY MARY NAPOLI AND PHOTOGRAPH BY JOLI LIVAUDAIS

stunning redhead with intense eyes and a wide grin, her physique is exactly what you might expect of an international model. She is tall and narrow, but commands a room with confidence and purpose. Her beauty is spectacular, no doubt about it. But were she not the warm, humble, relatable young woman that she is, she would be just a pretty face. One thing is for certain, there is much more to her than the eye can see. She is astoundingly intelligent, extraordinarily brave, fiercely loyal to her family and incredibly lovely to know. Rebowe was raised in Monroe from the age of five and grew up no differently than her classmates and friends. Even as a child, Rebowe had a strong sense of self. Intelligent and determined, she excelled academically at school and as a student at Linda Lavender's School of Dance. Her lean, graceful form was ideal for that of a ballerina. But one look at her exquisitely beautiful face and one word came to mind: model. Rebowe and her mother, Julie Faulk Verlander, have always been incredibly close. Despite her physical gifts, Verlander never considered encouraging her daughter to pursue modeling before completing her education. "I never thought about it," says Verlander. "She's never been in a pageant or anything like that. When she was in high school, I was told that she had the total package and should go to New York. But I told her no, go to school. Get your degree. Then, see what happens." Rebowe followed her mother's advice and attended Tulane in New Orleans, where she had been born and where her father and his family continue to live. She flourished at the university and was a member of the

dance team while pursuing her degrees in Neuroscience and Business. "The key to all of this is my education. In this profession, I've met people from around the world from different cultures-artists, stylists, photographers. I can appreciate that so much more and can identify with them on a more significant level," she says. "Education has always been important to me, but after I got my degree, I realized I didn't want to spend my twenties in a library. So, I put off grad school to see the world." Although Rebowe's career took flight quickly, it was not carefully planned or anticipated. She physically fit the mold with her model good looks, but she wasn't born a fashion maven. As a teen, the beautiful girl was not interested in fashion magazines or the latest trends. However, an aunt in New Orleans who had modeling experience encouraged Rebowe to test the waters. While studying at Tulane, she began to dabble in modeling locally, but did not take it incredibly seriously. At the time, it was an interesting hobby and sometimes provided her a way to indulge her love of travel. While a student, Rebowe had the opportunity to do some modeling in Atlanta that would begin a series of fortunate events. On the flight back to New Orleans, she found herself sitting next to a woman who worked for a fashion designer in Manhattan. During the short flight, the woman encouraged Rebowe to give the fashion industry in New York City a chance. Rebowe's stunning beauty, intelligence and confidence were an impressive combination. "I had been working and was on my way back to Tulane to take an organic chemistry exam. We struck up a conversation, and by the end of the flight, she had asked me to walk for her once we landed. After we got off the plane, I walked for her in the terminal," recalls Rebowe. This was a turning point for the student/occasional model.

"After that, I got representation in New York. But it started with doing a runway walk near an airplane runway." The chance encounter on an airplane put Rebowe on the path to major success. She has not only secured representation with a well known agency in New York City, but also in Los Angeles and Miami. Further, she is represented internationally in Paris, London, Spain and Austria. Through these agencies, she is recommended for certain jobs, which include advertisements for every brand imaginable in every conceivable form of media. From print ads to fashion editorials, packaging, music videos, and commercials, Rebowe can be seen the world over. Chances are, you have walked right past an advertisement that featured this local girl without even knowing it. Currently, her lovely face graces large banners that are suspended from the ceilings at our local Target. Find her poised on the walls of Stage or Old Navy, or gazing out from a box of hair coloring or styling tools found in nearly any pharmacy. The amazing beauty is everywhere, it seems. The stunning redhead remains in high demand in both the high fashion world and in commercial modeling. She travels almost constantly and boasts an impressive resume. She has worked with the likes of Carolina Herrera and Oscar De La Renta and has been in nearly every reputable high fashion publication--Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Italian Vogue, Allure, and InStyle, to name a few. Recognizable brands that are popular within the marketplace, such as L'Oreal, Conair and Eddie Bauer, have clamored for her services. She has also been the focus of international television commercials for Mercedes Benz and appeared on the Martha Stewart Show. Major retailers like Macy's, Liz Claiborne, Shop Bop, Calypso, and the aforementioned Target, Old Navy and Stage have benefitted by featuring Rebowe in their marketing. FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 109

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d a jet set rld over and lea ay roam the wo r darling he s Nell Rebowe m ld wn that ho but the bayou to d. in m r life of glamour, he from ace is never far mother's embr

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The places she has seen and artists she has worked with have been a gift to Rebowe, but one modeling experience is most dear to her heart. She was cast in a photo spread for internationally famous Glamour Magazine that focused on unique attributes of beauty. The shoot gave Rebowe the once in a lifetime opportunity to work with another incredibly beautiful woman whom she loved, respected and shared her name with--her maternal grandmother, Nell Hayes Faulk. The Monroe natives were photographed beautifully and chosen for their striking red hair and fair skin. The experience remains one of the most memorable and special events of her career thus far. Rebowe is quick to credit her family and hometown with providing the necessary skills and characteristics to be successful. "My mother let me be myself and be strong willed. That has been beneficial to me in New York. You have to be quick," she explains. But when she returns to Monroe to spend time with her family, the pace slows down considerably. What does an international model do in her off time? She keeps her look natural and makes time for her favorite people and places. "I love to work out at the MAC (Monroe Athletic Club). And you can always count on me being at the Picadilly," she says. "I'm serious! I can't get food like that in New York! Most people don't even know what greens and cornbread are there...that is the secret to my success. Good Southern parenting and the Picadilly...that is how I keep two feet on the ground in New York City!" says Rebowe with a hearty laugh. Nearby, her mother laughs along and shakes her head in agreement. Down to earth and clearly attached to her Louisiana roots, the fiery redhead is as endearing as she is gorgeous. Her career is still climbing to new heights, but her passion for science is still of interest to the enigmatic young woman. She is committed to learning continuously in her chosen field of study, and often attends events at the Academy of Sciences in New York City. Also, she is regularly invited by MIT to attend lectures by leading scientists who are speaking in Manhattan. Rebowe is vocal about how her science background has assisted her in her current career. "Science is a level of diplomacy," she explains fervently. "It permeates all cultures and languages." While modeling allows her to travel and provides her with incredible experiences, she considers a future career in science. "I would love to work with children's education in the future. I had the opportunity to speak to students at Grace Episcopal School (where Rebowe received her elementary and middle school education) and that was meaningful to me. The focus on science in education is lacking. Science and technology strengthen countries...I would like to contribute to building the sciences in education in the future," says Rebowe. Dedicated and strong willed, it seems that Rebowe can accomplish anything she sets her mind to. She doesn't simply dream of goals she would like to achieve, she makes things happen. It is this tenacious drive that propelled her to take a formidable city by storm and build a successful career in an industry that is merciless and exclusionary. However, Rebowe accomplishes the seemingly impossible with grace and style. The world has become her playground, but the town she grew up in still holds a place in her heart. "Monroe is home. Mom is home," she says casting her gaze across the room to meet her mother's gentle smile. She may roam the world over and lead a jet set life of glamour, but the bayou town that holds her darling mother's embrace is never far from her mind.

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Calendar of Events Through February 4 Robert Charles Brown Cutting Horse Show Time: 9:00 am-9:00 pm Come watch and enjoy as riders try to maneuver their horse to separate one calf from the herd at the Robert Charles Brown Cutting Horse Show. Ike Hamilton Expo Center Arena (318) 325-9160 www.westmonroe.com Through February 8 Narratives Near and Far Selections from the Wells Fargo Collection This exhibition showcases well known artists working in many media. Narratives Near and Far will lend a largely American perspective to the art historical narratives of exploration, regionalism, iconography, portraiture and interpretation in general. Exhibiting artists include Dennis Ashbaugh, Karl Bodmer, Birney Imes, Roy Lichtenstein, O. Winston Link, Robert Rauschenberg and Eudora Welty. Gracious sponsors are; Wells Fargo and Michael Ryan, First Vice President, Branch Manager, Wells Fargo Advisors, Monroe, Louisiana. Masur Museum of Art • (318) 3292237 • www.masurmuseum.org Through February 8 Biological Regionalism Biological Regionalism will feature paintings, videos, and objects created during and after artist Alberto Rey’s visit from October 23, 2013 – February 8, 2014 Rey strives to document the ﬂora and fauna in the areas he visits for posterity’s sake and as a means of educating his audiences about the importance of conservation. While he does not directly portray human culture in his work, it is us that end on being on exhibition.

Masur Museum of Art February 1 A Night to Remember Time: 7:00 pm Former Governor Edwin Edwards will headling a roast to benefit the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum. The event will be emceed by Harvey Hales and the list of roasters includes Sen. Robert Adley, Former Sen. Willie Crain, Sen. Francis Thompson, West Monroe Mayor Dave Norris, Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne and more. Monroe Civic Center • (318) 362-5540 www.chennaultmuseum.org Free Children's Drop-In Activities Time: 2:00 pm-5:00 pm Come any time with your kids and do an art activity related to our exhibitions - no reservations necessary and open to all ages! Masur Museum of Art • (318) 3292237 • www.masurmuseum.org Health and Wellness Expo: An Expo for Everyone Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm Looking for fun new ways to be healthy? Bring the entire family out to "An Expo for Everyone" where yoga, zumba and pilates demonstrations, and free health screening will all be available. An expo centered around health, wellness, and fitness! Monroe Convention Center (318) 348-2291 • www.ci.monroe.la.us February 6 Downtown Gallery Crawl Time: 5:00 pm-9:00 pm Just in time for Valentine’s Day! The Downtown Arts Alliance invites all lovers of fine art to visit downtown Monroe/West Monroe to enjoy the

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sights and sounds as you “crawl” from one of our eight galleries to another, filled with fine art and friendly faces. The Downtown Gallery Crawl is a great opportunity to enjoy the works of talented local, regional and even nationally acclaimed artists. Downtown Monroe and West Monroe www.downtowngallerycrawl.com February 7 Louisiana Delta Ballet presents Dancing with The Louisiana Stars Time: VIP party and seating 6:00 pm; Show at 7:00 pm Now in its sixth season, Dancing With The Louisiana Stars, is the party of the year! Cheer on your local celebrities as they compete for the 2014 championship in a fun-filled evening raising funds for the Louisiana Delta Ballet! Monroe Civic Center (318) 345-1155 www.louisianadeltaballet.com February 7-8 Monster X Tour Trucks Show Time: 6:00 pm Bring the family for a monster show! Packed with engines revving and action packed times, you don't want to miss out on the Monster X Tour Truck show. Ike Hamilton Expo Center Arena (318) 325-9160 www.westmonroe.com

and the parade will start at 10:30 am. Children up to age 10 are invited to walk, roll or ride with the Krewe of Janus. Trophies will be awarded in 3 divisions. Individuals ages 0-4, Individuals ages 4-10 and Group. A grand prize trophy will be awarded for the best entry. For more info call 732-7229. We hope to see all of you there! This is a FREE event! Pecanland Mall • (318) 322-4635 www.pecanlandmall.com PAWS of NE Louisiana presents: 8th Annual Krewe of Paws Pet Parade 2014 Time: 11:00 am See a twist on the traditional Mardi Gras festivities with pets of all sorts in costumes and ﬂoats, and of course plenty of beads! Antique Alley • www.pawsnela.org

February 8 Monroe Symphony Orchestra Concert Time: 7:00 pm The Monroe Symphony Orchestra presents a family-friendly concert illustrating the growth of the orchestra including works by well-known composers include Bach, Beethoven and Stravinsky. Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 will also be performed. First United Methodist Church, Monroe (318) 812-6761 www.monroesymphonyorchestra.com

SouperCatch Time: 3:00 pm The newest familyoriented event in the region supporting the ARTS! Before yelling, “Throw Me Something, Mister” to the Krewe of Janus, ticket holders join the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council before the parade for SouperCatch! . . . a Tasting Competition of Signature Soups from our local restaurant Chefs and Caterers as they vie for the Best Soup in Town title of SouperChef! The fun starts at 3:00 p.m. prior to the parade in the Hixson Autoplex Showroom on Louisville Avenue. After sampling the soups, our guests cast their vote. At parade time guests head outside and get settled in to enjoy the parade in an area reserved for party patrons. Families are safe and warm at this premium parade location. Tickets go on sale January 1st. Hixson Autoplex • (318) 396-9520

February 15 Children’s Mardi Gras Parade Time: Registration-9:30 am; Parade-10:30 am It's that time of year! Laissez les bon temps roulez! The Children's Mardi Gras Parade will be held Saturday, February 15th at Pecanland Mall Center Court. Registration begins at 9:30 am

2014 Krewe of Janus Mardi Gras Parade "Arabian Nights" Time: 6:00 pm It's that time of year when king cakes are enjoyed, beads are thrown and the music is loud, it's Mardi Gras 2014! Join the Krewe of Janus in the "Arabian Nights"

parade. Families will marvel at the spectacular floats and colorful creations! Monroe-West Monroe • (318) 3230230 • www.kreweofjanus.com February 15-16 NELA Homebuilders Expo Time: Saturday-10:00 am-6:00 pm; Sunday-11:00 am-5:00 pm Don't miss out on the NELA Homebuilders Expo at the Civic Center. Shop a wide variety of Indoor & Outdoor Furniture & Accessories, Appliances, Decor, Insulation, Roofing, Lawn & Garden Equipment & Supplies, Lawn Fencing, Animal Control Fencing, and Much More! Monroe Civic Center • (318) 329-2225 www.hbanela.com/annual-home-expo February 16 18th Annual Bridal Beginnings Time: 11:00 am As you plan this most important life event, discover new ideas and trends to make your day complete. Here you will find the best local resources for food, fashion, flowers, invitations, photography, videography, entertainment and much more. Get a head start on making your special day fabulous West Monroe Convention Center (318) 396-5000 www.westmonroe.com February 21 & 28 The Demise of Dorothy Dingle Time: Doors open at: 6:00 pm; Show Begins: 6:30 pm When rich Uncle Simon invites his family over for a dinner party and a "BIG" announcement....thoughts, of course, turn to money. But when an unexpected revelation is made, no one seems happy at all! Tensions build...Jealousy is exposed... and by the end of the night, EVERYONE is a suspect! Strauss Theatre Center • (318) 3236681 • www.strausstheatrecenter.com February 21-22 Monster Trucks Time: Friday & Saturday- 7:30 pm Watch as Monster Trucks ride around the Monroe Civic Center Arena. Bring the whole family and enjoy their daring performances. Monroe Civic Center • (318) 329-2225 www.ci.monroe.la.us

Put on your cowboy boots because the Rodeo is back in town! The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is hosting the Stampede at the Ike rodeo. Bring the whole family and watch as cowboys of all ages compete in many vigorous rodeo challenges Friday and Saturday night. Ike Hamilton Expo Center Arena (318) 325-9160 www.westmonroe.com February 22-23 Strauss Youth Academy for the Arts presents: The Little Mermaid Time: Saturday-2:00 pm & 7:00 pm; Sunday-3:00 pm In a magical kingdom beneath the sea, a beautiful young mermaid named Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. Set under and above the high seas, The Little Mermaid tells the story of Ariel, an adventurous young mermaid who’s got a thing for disobeying the rules and following her heart. Follow Ariel’s misadventures at Strauss Youth Academy for the Arts as her fascination with the human world often leads her to the sea surface, a zone that’s designated as “oﬀ-limits” by her father Triton, the sea king. One day while sneaking to the surface, she witnesses a shipwreck and rescues Prince Eric, with whom she become instantly smitten. Join us to see what happens next! Strauss Youth Academy for the Arts (318) 812-7922 • www.straussyouthacademyforthearts.com

For more information on upcoming events, visit The Monroe/West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau at http://www.monroe-westmonroe.org or call (318) 387-5691. If you would like to submit to our caledar, please send your information to Cassie Livingston at cassie@bayoulifemag.com

February 21-22 Stampede at the Ike Time: 7:30 pm FEBRUARY 2014 BayouLife Magazine 113

Warrior Deerpocolypse

arrior Deerpocolypse '13 kicked off at the Ouachita Parish Public Range. Sheriff Russell and his staff were honored and excited to help another hunt. Interstate Dodge provided vehicles, New Chapel Hill Men's Ministries and Catfish Charlie's served food and the Wounded Warriors provided the smiles. From Ohio, Florida, Texas and every corner of Louisiana they came to hunt; within 24 hours, the harvests outnumbered the hunters. First up at the Range was Randall Rugg, receiving a Freedom 6x6 from Charles Macdonald. The ATV was paid for by the Independence Fund, a Bill O'Reilly foundation to empower and mobilize Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans. Deanna Droddy and Mike Montanez both received a rifle from Bill Petrus of TP Outdoor Adventures. Deana harvested a very large doe while hunting on 4B Ranch and Mike harvested two deer while hunting at NipNTuck club near Rocky Branch. Lori and Bill Petrus' continued support of the Warrior Hunts make these events successful. Every Warrior also received Nikon Binoculars, LSU Chocolate from Bob Sale Camera, Louisiana and Mississippi Sportsmen gear, a commemorative WD-13 Bullet Pen from Junior's Bullet Pens, goodie bags from Louisville Subway/UPakIt and another from the Blue Star Mothers. The hunts were as follows: Barry Guidry of Lafayette and Randall Rugg of Sterlington joined Ashley Crites and her service dog, Hope, of Barksdale AFB on a hunt at Lonewa Ranch, courtesy of Freddie Nolan and Bishop Johnston. Harvested: A BIG eight point and a great time. Matt Hackler (Sterlington) accompanied his USMC Tanker buddy from Ohio, Mike Montanez, along with father/son combo Mike and Ethan Thomas of West Monroe to Nip N Tuck Club in Rocky Branch. First time harvests from Montanez and young Ethan! David's White and Ibsen, Frank Dailey (all three from Special Tactics in Florida), Danny Jackson (New Orleans), Trey LaFitte (Laurel, MS), Jack Fanning (Ft Worth, TX), Ish Villegas (San Antonio, TX) and William Doyle (West Monroe) hunted with the US Army Corps of Engineers at the Columbia Lock and Dam property in Columbia. Harvests for Jackson and LaFitte; First time harvests for White and Villegas. Josh and Deanna Droddy joined Darren Sherrard and Stacey Rice at the 4B Ranch near Delhi. First time harvests from Sherrard and Rice, multiple for Josh and Deanna. The service dogs, Rock and Grunt, joined them and impressed the hosts with their "stand climbing" abilities to hunt with Daddy and Mommy. Derek and Deron Santiny (twins from Lafayette), Shane Girard (Carencro) with his sons and Kelly Broussard (Lake Charles) enjoyed a hunt with Ashley Edgeworth, Joe and Rudy Niswanger and the crew of Yellowood Club in Marion. While the hunters were busy, their families enjoyed lunch at Willie's Duck Diner where Miss Kay stopped by to meet everyone. Donations were used to support the families’ activities during the day. Around 5 p.m., food started rolling into the Hampton Inn from Chef Pat Nolan, Restaurant Sage, Magic Grill West Monroe, Louisville Subway,

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New Chapel Hill/Blue Star Mothers and a few others from around town. Chase Veteran employees volunteered along with Billy and Jarod Powell to ensure the Warriors had not only enough food, but enough ears to hear the joyous exploits 2 from the day's hunts. On Sunday morning, Bill Petrus picked up the SantinyGirard-Broussard group and took them down to Luna, LA for an awesome duck hunt bright and early, where everyone limited out pretty quickly! While the ducks were falling, 36 to be exact, the remaining Warriors and families were enjoying steak/eggs/biscuits from the Men's Ministry group and eyeballing the knives brought in to reward the two top bucks in the harvest. Josh Droddy and Stacey Rice took away quality blades from Shane Wink along with a full appreciation for the craftsmanship and fellowship involved in the process. NELVA Warrior Hunts still needs help with the processing fees and shipping, please feel free to provide help via the P.O. Box listed, or by e-mail at johnnolanjr1@yahoo.com.

On the BayouScene

1 Bill Baugh, Tim Griﬃn, David Avant, Terry Collie, Cody Griﬃn and Pete Castaldi 2 John Nolan and Bill Petrus 3 Danny Jackson and Darren Sherrard 4 Barry Guidry and Millard Dumesnil 5 Deron Santiny, Kelly Broussard and Derek Santiny 6 Ashley Crites and Hope