Author: Lisa LeBlanc-Berry

Sleigh Rides and Spices

Cinclare Southern Bistro takes guests on a festive cocktail ride with a party-perfect potion for making spirits bright When it comes to throwing a stand-out holiday party or a festive winter-themed soirée, greeting your guests with a memorable signature drink…

Got Gumbo?

Opelousas Acadiana’s cast iron pots are seeing a lot of winter gumbo action during duck hunting season. For variety’s sake, head over to Opelousas for the 16th annual Gumbo Cook-off Jan. 29, when you can sample an assortment of exceptional…

Of Whiskey and Whimsey

The hotly anticipated Mercy Kitchen in Lafayette (mercy-kitchen.com), opened in September, is an “elevated casual” concept that was birthed during the pandemic by owner Stuart Ottinger (founder of Oxford Provisions Group) “to provide an escape from the madness.” He engaged…

Sleeves Up!

Lafayette The Acadiana Center for the Arts is hosting a vaccination event during Second Saturday ArtWalk Oct. 9, 4-8 pm called “Bring Back Louisiana” (walk-ins welcome) leading up to the…

Best of Dining

Each year, Acadiana Profile celebrates the top chefs and restaurants within the 22-parish region that encompasses 14, 500 square miles and more than 1,400,000 residents. We have explored the very heart of Acadiana to find the best of the best.…

Those Lucky Winners

This year, Acadiana raised $1,334,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The winner of the 2021 ($650,000) St. Jude Dream Home in Broussard:…

A Cosmo Comeback

There may be a debate over who created the cosmopolitan, but the sweet-tart, rosy-hued cocktail that remains inextricably linked to the 1990s “Sex and the City” HBO show has been making a comeback. Call it nostalgia. Its ubiquity has spurred…

Where to Live Next

While we can’t explore every great neighborhood in the 22-parish region, in the pages that follow, we offer you snapshots of some of the best towns and neighborhoods in Acadiana, based on everything from great schools and historic architecture to…

Sipping into Summer

    Summertime cocktails have a singular purpose: They must make you feel cool. For wanderlust weekenders awaiting tropical holidays, a well-crafted summer libation can help assuage yearnings for pristine beaches and emerald waters, poolside luaus and moonlight swims. When…

Into the Oaks

Lake Charles Check out Chef Andrew Green’s new Fire & Oak, tucked away in an enchanting nook amid majestic oaks draped with lights that add a glow to patio dining with…

Pro Fighters for Kids

Abbeville, Lake Charles, New Iberia, Lafayette, Opelousas, Carencro The Boys & Girls Club of Acadiana (bgcacadiana.com) received a $500,000 donation from UFC Fighter Conor McGregor to enhance summer camps. Inspired by the Good…

A Frisky Devil’s Debut

  Recipe Frisky Devil Combine 2 ounces bourbon, 1 ounce Drambuie liqueur, 1.5 ounces honey simple syrup and .75 ounces lemon juice in a shaker. Shake and strain over rocks with ice. Garnish with a strawberry heart (slice a V…

Crabbing in Alligator Territory

Crabbing in Alligator Territory Cameron Parish After a six-month hiatus, the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge reopened for spring and summer fun in eastern Cameron Parish. Located along the Gulf Coast, the 76,000-acre refuge plays host to hundreds of thousands of ducks,…

Toss a Coin for a Car

Toss a Coin for a Car Lake Charles, Lafayette, Alexandria, Baton Rouge The first fully-automated, coin-operated car vending machine in the U.S. is entering the Louisiana market. Customers who buy a vehicle in…

Purple Haze

Mixologists find it easy to fall in love with Empress 1908 gin derived from butterfly pea blossoms that give the libation its natural indigo color. Handcrafted in small-batch copper pot stills, its exquisite taste, regal look and delicate aroma make…

Nouvelles de villes

Win Summer in Nova Scotia Vermilion Parish The Centre acadien (historicnovascotia.ca) and the Abbeville Cultural and Historical Alliance (vermilionchamber.org) jointly announce the availability of the Russell Gaspard French Immersion Scholarship, to be awarded to Vermilion Parish high school students for…

Nouvelles de villes

Win Summer in Nova Scotia Vermilion Parish The Centre acadien (historicnovascotia.ca) and the Abbeville Cultural and Historical Alliance (vermilionchamber.org) jointly announce the availability of the Russell Gaspard French Immersion Scholarship, to be awarded to Vermilion Parish high school students for…

Recettes de cocktail: Party Gras Mambo

Acadiana’s unconventional winter holidays of 2020 are undulating like Bach’s celestial “Christmas Oratorio” trumpets that crescendo and decrescendo until the Epiphany on Jan. 6, when Twelfth Night signals Carnival king cakes and cocktails. Revelers can step up their Mardi Gras…

Nouvelles de villes

Get Off the Couch Opelousas The South City Park Walking Trail is now open in Opelousas featuring connection points to various recreation amenities. Future additions include a dog park. (opelousasgeneral.com/oghs-foundation) Record-Breaking Fish Tale Port Fourchon Cole Thurman’s first-time offshore fishing…

Nouvelles de villes

For 4-legged and 2-legged Pals Lafayette Bark in the Park 2020, hosted by Acadiana Animal Aid as a fundraiser for homeless pets, is featuring doggy spa services, a pet photo booth and doggy contests (plus a microchipping clinic). For your…

Tippling in Thibodaux

Satsuma Dreamsicle Sour Add 2 ounces Pinhook bourbon, 2 ounces fresh satsuma juice, 1 ounce simple syrup, ½ ounce vanilla bean syrup and 1 egg white in a shaker over ice. Shake vigorously, pour into an old fashioned glass, top…

Of Talent and Timing

If someone asked what my last meal on earth would be, I’d choose Uncle Robert’s elaborate, multi-course Thanksgiving feast enlivened by his piano renditions of Broadway musicals. The darling of the Hebert family, “Rabbit” cooked like Joël Robuchon with the…

Recettes de cocktails: In Pursuit of Simplicity

While the swimsuits and shorelines of summer vanish with the Sept. 22 autumn equinox, Acadiana’s cooling cocktails prevail with the lingering heat. Soaring temperatures invariably converge with the onset of fall, when fields of sugar cane reach harvest heights along…

Nouvelles de villes

Ground Zero Lafayette Have you ever tried a chamango or mangonada? It’s a tropical sorbet bursting with sweet, salty and spicy flavors from Zero Degrees. Making its debut in Lafayette, the thriving Asian-Hispanic fusion chain from California brings the ube…