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DOTTED TUSK ANTHONY RYAN AULD BETTER THAN EZRA BEHIND REDBOX VIKING COOKING SCHOOL CLINT ENGLISH ROBERT LEBLANC SWEET TREATS
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Clint English 12 Robert LeBlanc 18 Dotted Tusk 26 Mike DeLazzer 32
Rock-N-Sake 38 Sweet Treats 42 Better Than Ezra 44 Viking Cooking School 48
Recipe 56 Drink 58 Anthony Ryan Auld 62 Fashion 64 Fitness 70 Support & Info 72
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE lanc shares his story of starting Republic nightclub in New Orleans’ Warehouse District, and his continuing journey to branch out into the New Orleans restaurant scene. Our cover story features two Louisiana girls who traveled all the way to India to start their import business, Dotted Tusk. Many of you may already know Jay Ducote, of “Jay D’s Bite and Booze” Blog and Radio Show. Well, Jay D is now the head chef of the Viking Outdoor Cooking School located at the Hilton downtown, and he gave us a sneak peak of what’s to come. Finally, I had lunch with another great innovator, Mike DeLazzer, the creator INNOVATION – the act or process of creating a new of Redbox. His is a story of perserverance and creativity. method, idea, product, etc. The common thread amongst all of those featured in this On October 5, 2011, the world lost a great innovator. issue is, in a word, INNOVATION. As I sit to write this note on my iPad, I cannot help but to marvel at the momentous and life changing impact Steve Jobs has had on people the world over. Many have said that he is the epitome of a true innovator, and that his ideas are akin to a 21st century Edison. His life, his work, his courage and his innovative ideas are an inspiration to me – a young (and enthusiastic) entrepreneur. Mr. Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”. One of the goals of this publication is to introduce our readers to innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs in Louisiana. I have continued to be amazed by the talented people that I have met since the first issue of Quick Wick Magazine was published in March of this year. And this fourth issue is no exception! In this issue, we sit down with Clint English out of Lake Charles to talk about his design business – let’s just say he has worked for the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, among other well known recording artists. Robert LeB6
[Colby Moore]
www.betterthanezra.com
Owner/Publisher Colby Moore Creative Director Mitchell Reed Cobb Contributing Designers Lara Lauter Director of Sales & Marketing Katelyn Murphy Contributing Photographers Will Byington Mitchell Reed Cobb Colby Moore Contributing Writers Whitney Lee Food & Drink Recipes Mike Johnson DiGiulio Brothers Legal Diana Beard Moore Special Thanks Crescent Condominiums SeNSE Love Boutique Leah Grey
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Published By Quick Wick Magazine, LLC 4607 Bluebonnet Blvd, Suite B Baton Rouge, LA 70809 All submitted materials become property of Quick Wick Magazine, LLC Copyright @ 2011 Quick Wick Magazine All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used for solicitation or copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher
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Clint English J
oin Quick Wick as we indulge in a digital experience with graphic designer Clint English. In the world of digital art, the man behind the design is like a masked vigilante, you see their work in all mediums of media but the majority of those affected by the colors, shapes and designs used to produce the art, will never know the human being behind it all. You never really appreciate something until you know the purpose and reason behind it. Questions & Design By: Mitchell Reed Cobb Photos: Chris Brennan
After browsing through your website www.ClintEnglish.com, I noticed the intense client list and unrealistic designs that you bring to the table. Quick Wick wants to know, where did it all begin? Did you grow up wanting to design or did it come to you later in your life? I have been into art, drawing, and creating ever since I can remember. I would always be doodling in school from elementary to college, and taking any art classes that were offered. I have always been the creative one. For instance, when I was young, if I couldn't have a certain toy or something that I wanted, I would make it myself out of paper, plastic bottles, household items, and even had a little help from my dad in his wood shop building guitars and drums when I couldn't quite afford those things on my own (or just didn't feel like waiting until Christmas). I actually started taking on commissioned work in 2007, which is when I claim that my business actually started. I began designing super inexpensive (and even free) designs for local bands, and bands that I found on MySpace (ever heard of it? haha). Every now and then I would get a little break for a band that more people have heard of, or a band signed on an indie label, and that just started happening more and more. I gradually started getting more prominent clients and then other bands, labels, and companies started noticing my portfolio. I'd have to say my first "big break" into the music industry was designing the album artwork for The Maine's very first EP on Fearless Records, "The Way We Talk" in 2007. I guess you could say that we both emerged in the music industry at the same time, being that the band formed, and broke out in 2007. Since then, I have done numerous projects for the Maine, including apparel, posters, logos, etc. It definitely took a lot of hard work to get where I am now, and I'm still not where I want to be.
I am absolutely in love with designing, and I work at a very fast pace, so I am always looking for new projects to take on - big or small - no matter who the client may be.
Judging by the looks of your work, the talent is natural. How did you acquire your tricks of the trade? Did you go to school anywhere in Louisiana or was it out of state? Well, thank you! Like I said, art has always been in my blood. There's no doubt about that. My drawings and creativity found their way to the computer sometime in 2004 in Microsoft Paint. That quickly evolved into Photoshop Elements 4.0, and then finally into Photoshop. In 2007, I attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA for two semesters studying Visual Arts. By then, I had already acquired a great understanding of art and the computer.
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That is the same year that I decided to take on freelance graphic design as my full-time job. I have been doing it since and I haven't looked back. I'm doing something that I absolutely love, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm actually excited to wake up in the morning and see what projects I have waiting for me to get into.
How were you able to acquire the client list you represent to this day? What steps did you have to take to get that list? That's a tough one. Some have been through connections, some through persistence, and some purely on luck. Now, being able to keep those clients depends on my ability to deliver quality work in a certain amount of time, and to keep a good working relationship with my existing clients. As long as you deliver quality work above their expectations, and treat them well, they will want to work only with you when it comes to their design needs. I am grateful for all of my past and present clients, good or bad, based on the fact that they came to me because I had something that they didn't see from anyone else, and they trusted me with their business.
Describe the process you go through on projects from start to finish in print, apparel design, web design, album packaging and any other media format you build. That depends on each project. If the details are given to me, there's not much to plan out. Just jump right in and execute the project as best as I can.
If it's a free-range project, I like to gather what I think I may use into a Photoshop document, and go through them layer by layer until I figure out what exactly I want to accomplish. Rarely, I will get out the pen and paper and jot down a few ideas, especially if I'm overly excited about a new project and I have too many ideas to even remember. First, I'll take care of the heart of the design and make sure it's all going to work out properly, and then I'll start adding in details, color adjustments, and final routine tweaks. Not a lot of thought goes into planning it, but rather just jumping right into it. It's just how I work. It's easier for me than sketching things out, I suppose.
How does it feel to design work for one of the greatest rock artists of our time? What was the first thing that went through your head when you found out that your designs will be representing Paul McCartney? My first thought was that anything I could design for Paul McCartney would not be good enough. When I get a project that big, I tend to step back from it and try not to jump right into it with so many ideas floating around in my head, which would otherwise cause chaos! That was not the case with this project. I was so excited that I went right into Photoshop and started playing around. The first design that was approved for Paul, was not added to my website at first, due to the fact that I hated the design. I jumped right into it without stepping back thinking about how I would execute such a large project. After the first design, I learned my lesson and the next few shirt designs that Paul had approved I actually DID like. Yes, he approves all of his designs personally. No, I didn't get to speak with him, unfortunately. And those you can see on my website. To answer your first question, I couldn't be happier to have him on my client list. He is one of the greatest music icons of all time, and I cannot believe that I had the opportunity to work on multiple projects for him. Hopefully, that will open a few doors for me client-wise. His merchandise company actually sent me one of the finished hoodies that I designed. So cool!
What would you say is the best part about working with musicians and people in the entertainment industry? Do you get more freedom with your design or do you have a checklist of exact assets you need to use to produce the piece? A little bit of both. Sometimes the client doesn't have a clue what they want, but trust my instinct to create something eye-catching, which in most cases works out on the first or second run. On the other hand, you'll have clients who know exactly what they want, but just need me to put it together and make it look pretty. In all honesty, those are the easiest projects of all. Once you both have a good understanding of the project requirements, it’s just a matter of tweaking a few things here and there, and you're done! I'd say the best part about working with the music/entertainment industries is that they're just like me. We're into the same things and have the same eye for what needs to be done. It's generally a more laid back industry and fun to work in altogether.
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Do you or have you ever done any freehand painting or artwork or is everything created digitally? Have you created some of your projects by doing hands on arts and crafts? Absolutely. Although most of my work is started and finished on the computer, I do occasionally break out the pen and pencil, and scan that in. My Wacom tablet is currently covered in dust, but it does get used every now and then! I have painted a few things in high school, and I love to do it every now and then, but to me, creating something on the computer is a lot more editable than painting a picture. There's no "command+z" in real life, unfortunately. Yes, I'm a Mac!
I noticed a lot of your t-shirt designs were for a lot of rock/hardcore bands, Chiodos being one of my favorite bands. Are you a fan of the clients you have or are you just associated with them for work? If so, do you use their music to inspire some of your designs? Typically what I'm working on has nothing to do with what I'm listening to at the moment. Music is one of my favorite things about my work day. I wake up, get a cup of coffee, blare some good jams, and get to work. It really gets me motivated. I'm really weird about music. I get into an album and I listen to that album and only that album until I can't stand it anymore - and that may be weeks, months, or even years! I have been jamming to my favorite band,
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they wanted, but I still tried to make it a bit more appealing by adding my own touch to it. They didn't like what I added in and we ended up with a final piece that looked like a child got a hold of Microsoft Paint and just went nuts. I was commissioned for the piece, which is great, but never will it see the light of day! I am glad to say that that was only one project for one client, and they did end up approving some great artwork for a few other projects that they had me work on.
Do you have any projects “on the canvas� or are you looking for work as we speak? If so, give us as much detail as you can on the current project you are working on.
Muse, since October of 2009. So, I typically don't listen to a band's music while working on their projects, but that's not to say that I don't enjoy their music. It's mostly just whatever I'm into at the moment.
What is your favorite category in the Digital Media field? Is it Web Design, Print/Ads, Logos/Branding, Clothing or Album Art? The majority of my income is from apparel design, which I love. That is probably what excites me the most. Print work would definitely be a close second, if not a tie with apparel. I love starting with an unedited photo or image, manipulating it, adding more detail to the design, adding textures, color adjustments, and just bringing a whole piece together seamlessly as if it had begun that way. I have recently gotten into 3D design and motion. I'm not excellent at it yet, but it really interests me and I love learning new things. 3D brings a whole new level of design to the table that I think I could use more often in my everyday designs. If interested, you can check out a few personal 3D projects on my website!
Give us the details on: what your favorite piece is, how you got the job & who the client was. I find interest in all of my projects in some way. They're all different and somehow challenge me in different ways. But the biggest would have to be Paul McCartney. I frequently work with Warner Bros. Records doing various projects, and one day I was asked by them if I knew how to do a certain type of design for an acquaintance they had at another company. I said I could give it a try, and they forwarded me to their acquaintances at Bravado (an extremely popular merchandise company). We talked a little bit of business at first, and then I asked who this project would be representing, and he casually replied, "Paul McCartney."
Now, give us the details on: what your least favorite piece is, who it was for & why you wish to lock it away in a closet and never reveal it to the public. I try to see the good in every project that I take on to give me motivation, but you are going to have projects that you're more or less excited about. That's just a part of the job. I did, however, have this one client who had me create something completely terrible. They knew exactly what
A whole lotta both! I always have projects to work on, which is great. I am also always looking for new projects. I work fast and I love what I do, so I love to keep my inbox stocked up with projects. Although I mostly work on the music/entertainment side of things, I'm always taking on new projects from corporate businesses, schools, independent individuals, film industries, etc. So, if you're looking for any type of design work, don't hesitate, send me an email! We can definitely work something out.
Are you looking to do freelance design for the rest of your career, or are you looking to grow into a full swing design firm with employees, secretaries & an even bigger client base. The latter for sure. With my job, I have no boss but myself, and I'd like to keep it that way. I don't do well under a boss because I like to take care of things when I need to, and not by someone else's watch. It would be a great feeling to know that I have such a great thing going on that I have no other options but to hire a staff. I've also always wanted to get into the film industry designing movie posters and packaging for big blockbuster feature films. As I have said before, I love photo manipulation and print work and I think I would be a great match for something like that. I am currently trying to get my foot in the door for that, but it's a hard industry to get into!
Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years? Will you still be hacking away 2ft from the computer screen on digital graphics or will you be living a childhood dream you had once when you were younger? Oh, I'm definitely living that dream! As I've said before, I started drawing and becoming interested in art at a young age. It's been in my blood for as long as I can remember. Now, I can work when I want, for as long as I want, and still have "me" time in the middle of all that. It's a great feeling to have and to be able to love what you do as much as I do. Now, I'll always have that dream of being a rock star in the back of my mind, but doesn't everyone?
What are some tips or last words you have for our readers, designers or just your average business professional? (This can be anything you want.)
Don't waste your time, or time will waste you!
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ROBERT
LEBLANC What was your motivation to get into the restaurant industry? You went from Republic Club owner to restaurateur. I think it was just a natural evolution. As I evolved in my interests and tastes, our clients and customers did as well. What we wanted to do with Republic was create an environment that was universally accessible. We wanted everyone from young college kids to the older (50’s, 60’s), successful and more established crowd to feel welcomed. I felt like that could apply to restaurants as it did to Republic.
You recently got out of Republic, what made you make the decision? Republic is such a big and important thing, I think it needs to be individually owned and operated. With us growing and opening restaurants and wanting to move into other cities and states, I wanted to give Republic the best chance to stay around. Matt Alamon allows us to focus on the restaurants and expand the brand, without compromising Republic.
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What line of work were you participating in before Republic? We had a marketing and branding firm. We designed logos and identities, created names for companies and products, implemented grass roots marketing strategies and promoted concerts and events. Katrina wiped out our biggest client. He had a jazz venue, restaurant and club that were not reopening after the disaster. One of their venues was the old Howling Wolf space, which gave us the opportunity to open a place of our own. We created Republic so that when people were returning to New Orleans they had a place to go. We knew how to brand and market it but we had no experience running the place. We used a lot of the same staff from Rays Over the River, so they knew what they were doing which helped out a lot. That was the place that put us all together.
Is that the same sort of situation you were in when getting into the restaurants? Just sort of figuring it out as you go? We have gotten a lot of help and feedback from friends in the restaurant business so that helped. Specifically, Louis DeAngelo from Baton Rouge has been a big help on the consulting side of things. Yes, we are still learning to some degree but we got a lot more help and resources than we had before. With a restaurant you don’t have the luxury of time, with a bar you can make it up by selling a few more drinks or sending out a round of shots. In a restaurant, if the food isn’t good or the service is bad you have a reputation to worry about.
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Are there any hurdles you had to overcome in particular along the way? Candidly, I’m always honest about everything. The hardest thing I had to overcome was when I actually got to a point where I was intimidated mentally. Everything was already in motion, all the restaurants were already open and I couldn’t go back. I kind of hit a point where I really… I wouldn’t say psyched myself out, but the magnitude of what we committed…three restaurants in a year, really set in and I got bogged down for a little while. Learning from a successful entrepreneur is really the point of the interview. Do you have any advice you would give to the young professionals out there? I have this thing that I try to do every week that I call “Give-to-Get” where you do something nice or selfless for someone everyday. It’s something I learned from my college basketball coach. I literally got pulled out of tough spots by all the people I had done nice things for just through pep talks and their resources. I didn’t realize what I was doing a year ago, I just thought it was part of being a good person but now I understand once they came and helped me. I would say that is something that is really important. No matter what you’re doing or pursuing it’s really easy to get lost in your own struggles and issues. But, you always have to make sure you are continuously doing good things for other people and expecting nothing in return. That’s really the one thing that pulled me through. You hear people say don’t treat a failure as failure, treat it as a mistake or as a learning experience. Those are all cliché things. No one really talks about how important it is to make sure that you are constantly and selflessly continuing to give and support other people (particularly friends and family).
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How do you know which people to be around or work with? I think that one of the things we’ve done to achieve success in entertainment, bars and restaurants is that we have always believed in people, seen them as glass half full and seen the potential. I always comment on people’s good qualities and never on their drawbacks or flaws. I’ve been in six business partnerships and like any relationship there are always awkward moments. Always be honest and respectful in every way and give constructive criticism.
How do you think your college education has played a part in your success? How has it helped you? I was fortunate in college. First, I had the opportunity to study pre-med for a few years, but went into my first surgery and almost fainted. So that wasn’t going to work out. The last few years I took a business and finance class, and those are certainly things I still use on a daily basis. Economics teaches you strategy and finance teaches you how to implement it and make it all work. I was fortunate because it was almost like grad school to me. I spent freshman, sophomore and junior year being wild and stuff like that. So I was a little more attentive in those classes, which is why I think I use them much more. But, you do learn on a day-to-day basis in the real world. In particular, in entertainment and bars I really learned a lot because I took what I liked and didn’t like from all the places I went to and put it into my businesses.
I think that a lot of people are becoming successful by fixing the problems or faults with one idea and creating it themselves. Do you agree? We try to be a progressive welcoming and inviting company, but you always have to honor the past you know? Honor history. That’s the other thing that I think is important, keeping one foot rooted in history and the other in the sky.
Where do you see everything with your company going in the future? We have another project coming up in New Orleans in about a year and a half to two years. But, I think once we get to that point we will be looking to go to other cities and states. What I would like to do is be a very relevant New Orleans based hospitality company that has restaurants, hotels and entertainment spaces across the southeast. I think that a lot of people take the southeastern United States for granted, but it’s very rich culturally. We really never lost our identity; it hasn’t always been very popular though. I think that the southeast is really starting to make some of those “big” cities. It’ll be fun to be based here. I think that people in Louisiana are just natural entertainers. They have the ability to tell stories and be more colorful.
Any last words for the readers? I’m just really excited that young New Orleans businesses are syncing up with Baton Rouge as well as Lafayette and Shreveport. It is going to be a really positive thing. The generation above us didn’t really do a good job of keeping that communication between cities and we have a chance to do that.
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Angelle Alcock and Caroline Gladney are fresh-faced 22 year olds living in Baton Rouge with a big dream of bringing textiles and merchandise from India’s market to us. Their start up company, Dotted Tusk, is enabling the young business owners to put their finance & marketing degrees to good use.
Dotted Tusk is a business ready for the future, and by that we mean their business is modern, very 2011. Many young entrepreneurs have the dilemma: do we get a store- front? Do we simply stay online? Do we distribute to other businesses? Dotted Tusk is no different. While the future may be up for interpretation, Alcock and Gladney certainly know what it takes to be dedicated, diligent, and ultimately successful. “Every business is different; everyone approaches obstacles in a different way, and we had to figure out what worked for us. Everything from dealing with a foreign country in and of itself, customs, shipping…we are still figuring out the process.” We all know the old adage: it’s who you know that gets your foot in the door. While that’s true for Alcock and Gladney, it’s a little more challenging when it’s India’s door you’re trying to reach. “After we decided we wanted to commit to this business, we both didn’t question that we wanted to go make personal face-to-face contact with our manufacturers and wholesalers. We wanted to know exactly where our stuff is coming from, who is making it, and under what conditions.” They wanted to meet with the folks responsible for what these two hope to be known for: Indian scarves. Scarves and shawls would ideally be their signature staple but jewelry and small gift sales will hopefully follow closely behind. In order to fulfill their wish of meeting manufacturers, the girls made their way to India. The challenges came in ways one could only imagine. From requesting warm water for showers to bargaining their way through town, the girls learned the tricks of the trade one step at a time. “Some places would try to charge us more on items just to see if they could. We did our research and knew the prices of Kashmir, silk, and other materials, and what we should pay.” Along with being educated on the prices of the materials, the two are using common sense. “Financially, we did a lot ourselves. We took out a sum of our own money from our savings accounts. Savings from birthdays, graduation presents,
etc, it accumulated.” Accumulating knowledge helped too. The pair considers themselves fortunate to have parents who knew a thing or two about importing and business. Learning from others and tackling the details as they come is something that they’ve simply dealt with on a daily basis. The pair has an “opposites attract” relationship, bringing new, exciting ideas to the table. Of the relationship, Gladney says, “I think we have been very fortunate to be able to compromise with each other on different things and also, I have full trust in Angelle.” Laughing, Alcock admits, “I think it’s easy when you have two people who are passionate about the same thing and are both hardworking…there is not a doubt in my mind that the goals we set will happen.” When asked about future goals and the business road ahead, the duo is excited about their online store’s debut in December. They look forward to branching out to different cities, producing more trunk shows and donating a percentage of their profits to various charities in India. These two entrepreneurs are in the thick of their journey. It’s the most difficult but the most exciting time. That struggle may sound all too familiar for those of you who have been there, but these girls are standing tall and proud as they work hard to bring the unique culture of India to us with style. Check out the girls on facebook & Twitter!
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“Everybody is exposed to the same noise and everyone thinks about the same thing most of the time. You all get subliminally bombarded with the same pieces. You think.. ‘this and this would make a good that.’ With some people, though, it burrows into their head and they can’t get rid of it.” Mike DeLazzer is one of those people. He is the creative mind behind Redbox, one of the largest kiosk automation businesses ever invented. He is not affiliated with the company itself anymorw, but instead is actually the mastermind behind the successful design of the kiosk machines currently being used. It all began when DeLazzer took a trip to a local video store and was unsatisfied with the customer service he experienced, or lack there of. He knew this was not the right way to run this type of business, taking “the most precious thing, the customer, “ and not giving them the right kind of attention.
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After this event, DeLazzer set his mind to creating a more enjoyable and effortless way to rent movies. He was certainly greeted with doubts, though, as most people believed he was in over his head. “Everyone we talked to thought we were crazy and wouldn’t be able to compete with the market. I’m a dreamer, but I’m one who saw something everyone else didn’t. Even a small parasite can kill an elephant.” Among many other sets of hopefuls, DeLazzer and his team worked for eight weeks attempting to create a design for the Redbox machine that would function properly. Despite his efforts, however, things did not appear to be working in his favor: the machine did not function at all. “We
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were showing the President of Redbox our machine and they basically said ‘you know, we appreciate your efforts, but see you later,’ but at that point I told them they were going to give me 24 hours and I would have every problem fixed.” DeLazzer and his team worked straight through the night and had endless nights of hard work already behind them, but they still weren’t quite prepared when presenting their design for the second time. After a little stalling and a lot of impatience from the clients, though, the machine miraculously started working. All of his diligence finally paid off. “They realized if they didn’t pick us they’d probably be out of business. And I reminded them of that.” Mike DeLazzer left us with this thought: “If there’s something you don’t like, other people are probably not liking it either.” Finding a successful niche to start a business in is one of the easy steps, and steady competition is always going to be a factor. The key is to be one of those people who take the idea, let it burrow into their head, and never get rid of it.
Diana Beard Moore Attorney At Law 4607 Bluebonnet Blvd. Suite B Baton Rouge, LA 70809 Telephone 225.295.8288 Facsimile 225.295.9495 diana@moorelawbr.com
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SWEET TREATS
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BETTER THAN EZRA
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VIKING COOKING SCHOOL
B A R & S U S H I
the food review B A R & S U S H I 38
WAREHOUSE ROLL
TOKYOTINI
RAINBOW SEAFOOD SALAD
SALMON CAKES
tuna, fresh salmon, yellowtail, smelt roe, avocado & asparagus served with our special creamy dipping sauce 6$
vibrant tuna, yellowtail, and fresh salmon combined with refreshing cucumbers, buttery avocado chunks, smelt roe, green onions & finished with our ponzu sauce 10$
grey goose la poire with cucumber juice, fresh squeezed lime, simple syrup & a splash of cranberry juice served up with a cucumber slice 9$
pan-seared medallions served with a sweet chili-hoison crawfish sauce 9.5$
1 = unsatisfactory 3 = average 5 = excellent
WAREHOUSE ROLL Taste Price Presentation
SALMON CAKES Taste Price Presentation
RAINBOW SEAFOOD SALAD Taste Price Presentation
TOKYOTINI Taste Price Presentation
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Sweet Treats A quarter life crisis: a period of life following the major changes of adolescence, usually ranging from the late teens to the early thirties, in which a person begins to feel doubtful about their own lives, brought on by the stress of becoming an adult. That’s the definition for what I think almost every person goes through. It must be true for business owners. That’s exactly what happened to a guy named Warren Brown. He faced a crisis but took a risk by leaving his thriving law career to pursue his passion: baking. I’m sure he heard the gasps countrywide. This story comes to mind when talking with the two girls of Sweet Treats by Davalons, Mallory David and Jessica Alonzo. They’ve started the cake business after graduating from LSU with admittedly less than desirable administration jobs. Neither left a thriving law career, but both are embarking on an equally brave journey: owning their own business and being young entrepreneurs. With signature cakettes in flavors like Bananas Foster, Red Velvet, and Carrot Cake, the girls certainly know how to enjoy the sweeter and finer things in life. And they are sharing it with the rest of us. When asked what their secret is, they respond, “Just love
and care.” I have a suspicion that butter might have a little something to do with that as well. I can hear Paula Deen confirming that notion right now with an astounding “yes!” The girls are looking to make this cake business unique to who they are and where they come from. “Hopefully, in a year we will have a shop of our own so people can come in and enjoy different cultural foods. We want a sense of diversity.” The young business owners are even looking at the future and exploring ideas of serving flan and even pairing sweets with certain wines. Like Warren Brown, Alonzo and David have made this leap into the young professional world on their own terms. Taking inspiration from their time baking with their grandmothers to exploring Italy and it’s comfort, wine, and delectables, the girls are hard at work making their dreams become a reality. You can find out more about the girls and their Sweet Treats by Davalons company at www.sweettreatsbydavalons.blogspoat.com. Also, follow Sweet Treats by Davalons on facebook. Written by Whitney Lee
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A R Z E N
A H T ER
T T BE
BANDS PRESENT & FUTURE
UNCOVERING THE
PAST, 44
P
PAST
I
n the fall of 2007, I made my way over to Auburn, Alabama for the second time. The first, we won’t discuss because it involves an Auburn victory over those LSU Tigers, but this second encounter with Auburn was nice. They were set to play Ole Miss. It was gorgeous outside, the people were friendly, the food couldn’t have been better, and the drinks were flowing. Then my dad calls. He calls to check on me, making sure that I’m still alright, possibly sensing my pseudo-perfect college campus experience. He says, “How is it over there?” I respond, telling him of all the idillc sites and smells that I intake. But I also add, “Dad, something is missing. I don’t know what it is. I think it’s probably the music. I don’t hear any music...”
PRESENT & FUTURE
PRESENT & FUTURE
Better Than Ezra knows the importance of good music, especially of the football tailgate kind. The band is releasing a new EP (extended play), appropriately titled Death Valley EP. They are playing the songs that we’re fond of hearing during this glorious time of year. “It’s the same reason the Tiger Band plays some of these songs because they were hits back in the 50s, 60s, etc. They [Tiger Band] chose songs that were already popular and then have these versions that have stuck around and become classics...” Gone are the days of band practice in the drummer’s mom’s garage on Highland Road. Gone are those cassettes, too. Much like in the 90s, though, the band is still doing things on their own creative turf. They have five new songs, and four more are covers. “One is based on the Chinese Bandits, but it’s our own version, so you may not even recognize it. It’s got all the chants that the student section likes to sing
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throughout the games.” Having longevity in the music industry takes hard work, something that the band is well aware of. Their advice to someone trying to start a band: “Don’t rely on anyone else to do it. Do it yourself, or it will never get done. You can hire managers, and you can hire people who are supposed to take care of [business], but in the end it’s your career, your music. Just do it. It takes more effort, but in the end, it will all be worth it.” It has been great to see this Louisiana band from their start, and this is hardly their finish, either. LSU is even using the guys in their national ad campaign. They also have a show lined up for November 4th at The Varsity. I don’t doubt that the band will see a familiar face or two in the crowd. At the rate that these guys are going, even the folks in Auburn, Alabama might have a sound system playing Better Than Ezra music at their next tailgate. Let’s hope so.
Get an inside look at Baton Rouge’s newest culinary experience: The Viking Outdoor Cooking School. Chef Jay D. Ducote and his team will provide you with everything needed to have an excellent time. The Hilton Hotel’s third floor pool deck has one of the best views in the city and is quite a getaway from the average dinner scene. In our interview with Jay, he explains what they will be offering and why you should be excited to give it a try. Although our pictures show the location still under construction, by the time you read this, grills will be fired up and ready for students!
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Q&A with Jay Ducote and Matthew Brewton [left]
How did the idea come about and how did the cooking school come to Baton Rouge? Matthew- I have worked for Viking for two years but Jay and the Hilton were the ones who brought it to its present location. Jay has had this thing going on for about two months now. Jay- It was just a lot of things that sort of fell into place correctly. There was a group that wanted to bring Viking into Louisiana. Viking has a big presence in culinary and industrial kitchen for the home, and you know all of the cool stuff that they do is made right in Mississippi. There are 18 Viking Cooking schools across the country and so the thought was “let’s bring one to Louisiana and make something happen here.” It all came together when the people at the Hilton thought “man we should really do 50
something cool with that pool deck!” I think the important difference here is that it’s the first ever Viking Outdoor cooking school. Where are you planning to take this in the future? Matthew- What we are trying to do is take everything that you can cook in the house and bring it outside to the grill. That asparagus that you would normally cook inside, why not bring it out and throw it on the grill, or even smoke your hollandaise sauce? We want to show how easy it is, while at the same time showcasing the Viking products. What are the classes going to specifically consist of? What types of foods and dishes will you be showing how to prepare?
Jay- Viking has hundreds of different class options that are already in their curriculum at the cooking schools. We have whittled those down to the ones that we thought would work best with an outdoor kitchen. We have a whole steak night series. It’s all sorts of different steak houses and different ways to do steaks. There is a Chicago style steak house, New York, Japanese and even Argentinean! A whole series of how to take a nice cut of beef, but different cuts of beef, cook them outside on a grill and have them all flavored differently. You can definitely get a sense of what it is like to get a steak from those specific areas. That’s far from all of it though. One of the ones that I am most looking forward to is the “BBQ Basics Class”. We are going to try to offer it once a month. It’s a 5-hour class, which is a little different because most of our classes are only 3 hours. We’ll do it on a Sunday every month. Its really going to show students how to make the marinades and the sauces and how to treat the meat correctly before you get it on a smoker or a grill. We are going to be doing ribs, pork shoulders, and chicken- just quintessential BBQ items that people may have not cooked before, especially doing pulled pork yourself! I know that you are showcasing the Viking equipment, but how do you think it stands up to the competition? Jay- It’s top of the line. This equipment is fantastic. All of the different features that you wouldn’t think about, they have thought about. Matthew- I spent years working on them, and some of the things that the Viking grills have are a little different from most. All of the grillgrates are coated in cast iron. This allows you to get a true heat wherever
you are. Some get hot over here and cold over there but with these the whole thing stays the same temperature. It cooks really even and really clean. The whole thing is insulated which gives it a very even cook and puts it a step above other brands. A lot of people may be intimidated to go in front of a group and do a cooking class like this. What words of encouragement do you give to them? Matthew- We tell them to drink a little more. (Haha). Have another glass of wine before we start. We will absolutely have a full bar! Jay- Our 3 hour classes are from 10am-1pm and 6pm-9pm. Basically the first two hours you will be cooking and the last will just be eating lunch or dinner depending what class you go to. It is great for a date night. If you were thinking about going out and having dinner, instead of just going to just sit down at a normal dinner this is a great alternative! But, absolutely with all of the meals we will be pairing wines. We are even going to be cooking with beer, bourbons and whiskeys. We are going to take what we do very seriously on the food side but strive to have our classes be as fun and entertaining as possible. In that sense, not take it so seriously, but be able to come relax and have a good time. If you are outside grilling and don’t have a drink in your hand, something isn’t right. It’s just part of our culture here in Louisiana. Being out at LSU games is where I got my introduction to outdoor cooking. I think that we are trying to embrace this, not shun it. When you walk in first thing we are going to do is pour you a glass of wine and encourage you to be social and meet everyone you are going to be cooking with.
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On another note these classes are really geared for beginners, someone that doesn’t have a clue what they are doing, so there is nothing to be intimidated about! We are going to take them from the raw ingredients to prepping to grilling. If there is anything they need to know we will show them. Will you be offering intermediate and advanced classes? Matthew- Alongside grilling we are also going to be teaching things like beginner and advanced knife skills. The cool part about it is, anything you could do inside we are doing outside. They have burners built on the side, too. Any last thoughts for the readers? The schedule is currently open for classes and includes instructional courses such as Barbecue Basics, Grilling Fish, and French Steakhouse. Reservations can be made online by visiting http://www.vikingcookingschool.com, emailing viking@hiltoncapitolcenter.com or by calling 225-906-5882. Anyone interested in booking private parties and events, receptions, lunch and learns, rehearsal dinners and more should call to check for availability and pricing information. Come out and see us!
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www.vikingcookingschool.com 225-906-5882 viking@hiltoncapitolcenter.com
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DO 54
O
56 DIGIULIOʼS
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DIRTY MARTINI
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FASHION
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FITNESS
PROCEDURE: Dip boneless chicken breast in flour and pan-sautee in olive oil with half an onion. Add tomato filets once onions are brown. Add minced garlic and finish off with salt & black pepper to taste. Pour topping on chicken with shredded mozzarella and serve over fresh pasta. Once cheese is melted, ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken Pomodoro with DiGiulio Brothers
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HOW IT’S DONE: 5 oz. Grey Goose Vodka 1 oz. Olive Juice Shake vigorously
“You should feel the burn!”
Top with Olives
Check out Mike’s Pizza while you’re here. Topped with pepperoni, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, and roasted garlic. Made fresh per order.
Mike’s
Dirty Martini 59
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Being a young professional yourself, how has the show helped you progress? (Haha) I don’t even know if I’ve had time to think about that! I have met so many people and made so many contacts, which gives me a huge base to build from. The possibilities are endless. I have the opportunity to do what I want, whether it’s clothing and accessories, opening my own store or working for someone else to learn more about the industry.
What do you think about staying here versus relocating to a big city? Baton Rouge and New Orleans certainly have the opportunities, it’s just a matter of it getting bigger and more people being interested. I would almost rather stay in this area because I would be a big fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond. Who’s to say I can’t stay here and sell outside of the state? It’s just a matter of do I want to start here or do I want to work for someone bigger then come back.
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Karlie stripe off-the-shoulder dress ($98) Magid hat ($39) GoMax ‘Prima Donna’ boot ($86) Yochi horn necklace ($46)
Citizens of Humanity ‘Angie Super Flare’ jean ($228) Patterson J. Kincaid ‘Carmen Tunic’ blouse ($176) 525 America fur vest ($215) Yochi teardrop earring ($42) Nicole ‘Acute’ boot ($151)
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Seven for All Mankind jean ($205) Penguin Button-up ($89) Corduroy Tie ($46) Ben Sherman Jacket ($99) J Shoes ‘Byron’ ($180)
Outfit by Aristocracy
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TRICK OR TREAT? 5 fat loss tips & exercises for the upcoming holiday seasons.
Article By: Neal Dakmak BRFIT Trainer
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Trick or Treat? No treats here, but during the holiday seasons we’re all tempted with extra servings, desserts and candies. As a regular exerciser, one should know to skip on the candy and desert and add extra portions of meat and vegetables. For those who need a little extra help this article is for you! Training for fat loss is a somewhat confusing topic for most people, but we all know that fat loss starts in the kitchen with your eating habits. To help aid with the blunders of the holiday season, I will give a list of my top 5 fat loss tips to keep you lean and ward off any unwanted fat during the holiday season.
Power Walking Yes I know, we’ve all made jokes about people walking at top speed around the neighborhood holding weights, doing curls and various other movements. But what if they knew something you didn’t? It’s highly effective! Walking as fast as you humanly can without jogging is a great way to fire up your legs, glutes and calves. Your body will be screaming “just jog!” Some may argue that this can become too easy over time, but there are many options for increasing intensity such as using ankle weights, weighted vests, dumbbells, and to really fire up the calves and glute muscles, try it in the sand! Beat your time each session or reduce the amount of time it takes to travel within a certain distance. Adding in the above progressions are a great way to get through a great workout with little to no equipment. Heck, you can even do this by trying to keep up with your little brother or nephew holding his bag of candy on Halloween!
High Intensity Interval Training ( HIIT) High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT is a method of training which burns more calories than steady state cardio such as the elliptical or Stairmaster at a steady pace. HIIT is short durations of high-intensity exercise coupled with short rest periods. If you’re like me, I like to hit my cardio hard with intensity and get the heck on with my day! Drawn out cardio days are just not for me! This unique type of training burns fat at a high rate through the increase of hormone production, particularly the fat burning hormone HGH (Human Growth Hormone), which sounds good to me! Typically HIIT can be done with sprinting and jogging, but if you have access to an aerodyne bike, treadmill, jump rope, rowing machine or even a local pool, they can all be used for this type of training.
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Basic HIIT can be used as followed: 45 seconds of easy pace, followed by 15 seconds of all out effort. This could be a great place to start for many but varying the easy pace with all out effort can dramatically increase the difficulty of your workout. As you progress, the easy pace can be shortened to 30 seconds easy, and 30 seconds all out which would be a 1:1 ratio, or a 1:3 ratio as in 15 seconds easy pace- 45 seconds all out effort. It’s up to you to be creative in your HIIT but you must always be progressive and keep the intensity high to achieve results.
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Stairs/Stadiums You don’t hear much about stair sprints these days, but they are a great way to get in great shape very quickly! Don’t just run to your local stadium right away, but prepare yourself through jogging 2-4 times a week or power walking before you begin this vigorous type of exercise. As with any of the exercises I have laid out, please perform a stretch and proper warm-up before starting the stairs. A proper progression would be to first walk the stairs, followed by jogging them, and then finally sprinting. After you have walked the stairs 2-4 times you are now properly warmed-up and you can now begin your routine. Start with 3-5 sprints and work your way up to 10-15 sprints through a period of a few weeks. To add difficulty for the go-getters out there, a weight vest can be added. Do not overuse stairs as they can be very hard on the nervous system and your recovery. Start by exercising twice a week and add in another day when you are conditioned enough to do so.
Tabata Intervals A Japanese scientist named Izumi Tabata invented the exercise method called Tabata. He and his colleagues found that it was highly effective at increasing aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. Each Tabata interval consists of 20 seconds of high intensity (as hard as you can go) exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. This is repeated for eight rounds, which will total 4 minutes of time. Some people prefer to do one exercise per Tabata workout but one, two or even four can be used in one single workout. You can pair any exercise you like whether it’s upper-body, lower-body, abdominals/core, or even a full body movement. For instance you can pair push-ups with squats or lunges with pull-ups. It’s up to you to be creative but still follow the guidelines of the Tabata sequence for best results. For those looking to increase the size of his/her legs, Tabata front squats are a highly effective way to pack on lean muscle to the quadriceps. Just a warning, this is very difficult but the results are mind blowing! For a great way to track your Tabata intervals go to www.tabatatimer.com for a free Tabata counter!
Sprints
Sprints are a great way to increase the body’s ability to burn fat. Sprints don’t need to be draining and consecutive without rest like suicides. Now if you haven’t sprinted in a long time, take it really easy and slow. I mean really slow! First, start with a proper warm-up and a light jog, then sprint for 30-60 yards, resting until you are completely ready for maximum effort on the next sprint. In your first few weeks don’t go 100%, rather run at a speed that is around 75-80% of your maximum. Before you sprint, make sure you are completely rested between your runs. A great way to add strength endurance and fat loss is to sprint 40-60 yards, perform 10-20 push-up variations and 10-20 abdominal exercises in between. This can be done three to fives times. Try to do a different abdominal and push-up variation after each sprint. Before you know it, you’ve gotten an insane workout, and knocked out 30-100 push-ups and abdominal work! Well, I hope that you’ve enjoyed my top 5 exercises for fat loss. These are not meant to be done at the same time but rather used in a 3-5 week progression separately. By then, you will be in great shape and ready for the upcoming holidays without worries of holding on to that extra weight from bad eating!
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quote to leave with...
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” - Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Address
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