Nature is resilient. Life rebounds and prospers, with or without humans. Nothing seems more evident of this than Briarwood Nature Preserve northeast of Natchitoches, once the home of acclaimed Louisiana naturalist Caroline Dormon. A tornado ripped through the 210-acre preserve…
If you’re curious about…
Mardi Gras parades have long gone to the dogs. We can’t celebrate the Carnival season without our pets! Yes, we parade anything and everything here in Louisiana. Most of the pet krewes features the canine variety but a few, such…
So many times when I’m driving through the Louisiana backroads, I catch a glimpse of bayous, lakes and rivers and vow to return to explore whatever lurks behind the trees and houses I pass. Heading from New Iberia to Lafayette…
I remember reading “The Moviegoer” by Walker Percy, in which the main character Binx Bolling in the award-winning novel remarks at how a place doesn’t exist unless it’s been in a film. Naturally, New Orleans exists, having been the setting…
Winter remains mild this year, so the birds at my window are the usual suspects — resident cardinal and wren couples, tufted titmouse, chickadees and the sparrows I can never name (they all look alike!) I’m waiting for the temperature…
In Shreveport, revelry goes double as the Krewe of Harambee celebrates Carnival along with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And this year, the krewe marks its 20th anniversary. Festivities happen over the Martin Luther King Weekend, Jan. 19-20,…
Louisiana is a great birding destination year-round but particularly interesting in the winter, when birds are craving a warmer climate and flock to the Bayou State. Here are a few South Louisiana hotspots birding enthusiasts will want to visit. The…
Built in three sections, the McRaven Mansion in Vicksburg has been labeled the “Time Capsule of the South.” And rightly so. The original 1797 structure remains next to the 1836 addition with an elaborate Greek Revival front, constructed in 1849.…
Each year, we comb the state in search of Louisianians doing great things at home and, potentially, around the country or even the world. We look for individuals who stand out in their professions, give back and represent what’s best…
It’s estimated that people gain five pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and if you’re feeling rather stuffed about now, consider getting outside for a hike. Don’t give me that look. Here’s a perfect way to walk off the turkey, breath…
As we head into the holidays, the events trickle down and the kids are home from school, you might wonder what there is to do to keep the little tykes busy. Across Louisiana the lights are twinkling, the right opportunity…
Looking for unusual holiday fun this season? Here are a few events happening throughout Louisiana to make your season bright. Make gingerbread Executive Pastry Chef Brett Gauthier of Red Fish Grill of New Orleans will host Gingerbread Workshops on…
Visit for the wine. Visit for the art. But most of all, visit Sunset for the chance to buy locally produced gifts and recycled antiques. The town of Sunset, about 20 minutes north of Lafayette, offers an Uncorked Art Walk…
You hear it a lot in Lafayette, that the Borden’s Ice Cream Shoppe downtown is the last free-standing parlor of its kind. The store on Johnston Street built in 1940 is the final retail store of the ice cream company…
The Cajun boucherie dates back centuries, a communal hog butchering where careful attempts were made to use every inch of the animal to adequately feed the coterie. Usually held in cold weather months, the boucherie produced items for backbone stew,…
The art world was turned on its head when Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art opened in Bentonville, Arkansas, an architectural masterpiece designed by Moshe Safdie that celebrates both art and nature. Since Crystal Bridges opened in 2005, the small…
Snow doesn’t happen often in Louisiana, but for two months this winter there will be plenty of snow in Shreveport. The entire first floor of Sci-Port Discovery Center, a 92,000-square-foot science center located in downtown Shreveport, will be transformed into…
The week’s forecast called for rain, then a dip below freezing, but Monday’s weather was warm and inviting. We decided to get outdoors and enjoy Louisiana’s autumn before winter arrived, driving south past the quaint town of Abbeville and vacant…
It’s been 30 years since “Steel Magnolias” hit the Silver Screen and I dare almost everyone reading this blog to admit to never watching the film. Or even admit to watching it only one time. It’s one of those films…
Music City is lit up any night of the year — which makes sense, considering it’s the world epicenter of country music. During the holidays, however, Nashville glows. More than four million lights will be installed at First Tennessee Park…
It’s a literary weekend in many ways, from spoken word to live theatrical performances to the annual massive Louisiana Book Festival. First up is the annual Festival of Words Nov. 1-2 in Grand Coteau, an event that brings in three…
Fall means living history in South Louisiana. In Lake Charles, local actors will dress in period costumes and portray city notables from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, for the annual…
Joe Genna and Molton Brasseaux suffered under the heat of an Aug. 28, 1926, evening, longing to see their girlfriends in the southwestern Louisiana sawmill village of Tullos. They hailed a taxi out of DeRidder, driven by the affable Joe…
The veil between death and the living grows thin this month as we head toward All Hallows Eve or Halloween. And since Louisiana has some of the most interesting cemeteries in America, now’s the time to take a tour…
Forget falling temperatures. You know autumn has arrived in Louisiana when festival season kicks into gear. This past weekend I attended the 78th Sugar Cane Festival in New Iberia, an annual celebration held by the historic town that’s surrounded by…
New Orleans may be “America’s Most Interesting City,” so it’s easy to become complacent with all there is to do and see. But the region surrounding our city offers historic and cultural destinations, many of which may be accessed with…
In Alaska, honeymoon options are as diverse as the state. For a relaxing, quiet getaway, cruises up the Inside Passage may be in order. A flight to Anchorage with a ride on the Alaska Railroad to Denali National Park may…
Planning and executing a wedding and reception is a monumental undertaking, no matter the size. And while the honeymoon exists at the wedding’s conclusion for romance and relaxation, leaving the party to fly to a far destination may be…
The Georgie G. Johnson Branch of the Rapides Parish Library occupies only three rooms in the old Lecompte High School building but the memories contained there are massive. “Former students visit all the time and they say this was the…
Cheré Dastugue Coen is a veteran food and travel writer who combs Louisiana searching for hidden gems. A native of New Orleans and current resident of Lafayette, she celebrates her home state in her writing, which includes award-winning plays and books. Her non-fiction books include “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History;” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana;” “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags & Sachets” with Jude Bradley; “Cooking in Cajun Country” with Carl Breaux; and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Tour of Acadiana.”
She is also the author of several romance novels and the Viola Valentine Mystery Series, all involving Louisiana characters or settings, under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Visit her blogs LouisianaBookNews.blogspot.com and
WeirdSouth.blogspot.com or her websites, cherecoen.wix.com/cherecoen and
cherieclaire.net.
