NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana Life and Acadiana Profile, two Renaissance Publishing titles, earned a combined 17 awards at the 2025 International Regional Magazine Awards (IRMA). These honors recognize excellence in journalism for content produced in 2024. Each year, IRMA’s prestigious awards…
Editor’s note: At the time of publication, we were not aware of the Lafayette location of SoLou closing. SoLou in Baton Rouge, however, is open. Famed food personality Julia Child once said, “People who love to eat are always the…
The greatest Boudin ever made can be found in the heart of Acadiana, in a cross section of towns vying for pork supremacy defined by extravagant self-appointed monikers that belie a deep cultural pride. Jennings, LA, calls itself the “Boudin…
On any given year, Louisiana’s blessed with a rich tapestry of culture, filled with both popular and classical concerts, lively dance and theater and vibrant visual art. This fall, South Louisiana adds to that repertoire, reaching into the past and…
Dr. Surinder Gupta still has it. More than 20 years ago, I met him at a function that he was catering in Lake Charles. After eating some of the food (I recall getting seconds), it was obvious that Gupta was…
Summers in Acadiana are brutal, but fun in the sun is a must. This quandary leaves sunseekers in search of resort-like pools and outdoor spaces that ensure time in nature year-round. Enter the pools, patios, pavilions and pro-level outdoor kitchens…
One of life’s significant, yet fun, challenges is deciding what city and neighborhood to live. The region offers many places to build and grow, depending on where a person or family is in their life path. Here are three areas…
It’s hard to imagine steamboats docked along Bayou Courtableau, bustling activity moving cotton, cattle, sugar and molasses into the town of Washington. Today, the sleepy St. Landry Parish town dating to 1720 French settlement boasts of historic homes and businesses…
One fateful night over a decade ago, after being called out yet again for work, Houma native and then- chemical engineer David Sonnier was feeling overworked and stressed. “My wife, [Tiffany] says, ‘Quit your job, go to culinary school’,” says…
Some people may think they just don’t have a “green thumb” when it comes plants, but the origins of the phrase tells us something different. One theory says “green thumb” came out of the reign of King Edward I in…
In the summer of 1960, John Kennedy Toole lived in a small apartment on the corner of Convent and Lafayette streets in Lafayette. His friend and fellow writer Joel L. Fletcher remembers him describing it in Conradian metaphor as “a…
While Acadiana is a destination that beckons any time of year, the summer is an especially great time to enjoy all that Cajun Country has to offer. In addition to authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine (and an all around stellar…
In Acadiana, we have an abundance of fresh ingredients available year-round. If you use fresh fruits or vegetables, consider adding a few ice cubes to keep your smoothie cold. If the produce you desire isn’t in season, you can always…
In the movie world, the term “summer blockbuster” means a successful feature film with a big budget and promise of an escape from the summer heat. Most of these movies are made on a Los Angeles set or filmed in…
The prairie town of Eunice bursts with Cajun and Creole music history and a good day to visit is Saturday when several museums dedicated to music are open and it’s almost a given live music will be playing somewhere. They…
It’s way past happy hour and the blistering sun is melting into twilight. You’re by the pool or on the porch, craving a sweet, ice-cold cocktail and some fresh seafood. Consider the Coastal Berry Crush, a fruity summertime sipper from…
Tiffany Lowery The Nature's Clay, Moss Bluff As a freshman working toward a journalism degree at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Tiffany Lowery was talked into taking an elective pottery class. “I was against it,” says Lowery, a Moss…
At Butte La Rose, the Atchafalaya River makes a sharp turn east-northeast in yet another bid to lure the Mississippi into its path. The river here runs black. It’s slender, smooth as paper. On a warm morning in late December,…
There’s nothing like checking into a resort with girlfriends, kicking back and letting loose. Lake Charles casinos L’Auberge and Golden Nugget offer everything friends would want for an enjoyable getaway — and you never have to leave the property! Both…
Let’s face it, we are hardwired to want to eat more in winter. Although early humans might have needed to put on weight in the winter, when food was harder to come by and to stave off the cold, we…
The word “wellness” often gets a bad rap. We lump it into the ever-growing pile of unscientific woo-woo with jade eggs (for the unfamiliar, Google this along with actress and lifestyle guru Gwyneth Paltrow’s name) or sleeping with onions on…
With more consumers gravitating towards healthier beverage options, Acadiana imbibers are…
It appears that the holidays are upon us, and I have done little to nothing in preparation. I checked the pantry and freezer and the stash of liquor in the bar cabinet. Not too bad. While it was rather late…
While the Louisiana winter is a sometimes pleasant, sometimes harsh reminder that we are indeed a part of the North American continent, and while, culturally, we do share many historical connections with our French cousins far to the north, as…