February 11, 20162 Vol. 7 • No. 20

February 11, 2016 3Vol. 7 • No. 20

February 11, 2016 • Volume 7 • Issue 20

715 Kirby St.Lake Charles, LA 70601Phone: 337-436-7800Fax: 337-990-0262www.thejambalayanews.com

Publisher/Executive EditorLauren Abate lauren@thejambalayanews.com

ContributorsLisa AddisonDan EllenderJulie Ann FayRoger MillerJustin MorrisTerri SchlichenmeyerDavid Yantis

Salessales@thejambalayanews.com

GraphicsArt/Production DirectorBurn Rourk

BusinessOffi ce ManagerJeanie Rourk

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed by The Jambalaya News columnists are their own and do not necessarily refl ect the position of The Jambalaya News, its editors or staff.

The Jambalaya News is solely owned, published by Jambalaya Media, LLC, 715 Kirby Street, Lake Charles Louisiana 70601. Phone (337) 436-7800. Whilst every effort was made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the standing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. The Jambalaya News cannot be held responsible for the return of un-solicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations, even if they are sent to us accompanied by a self-addressed envelope. The views expressed do not necessarily refl ect those of the publisher.Copyright 2014 The Jambalaya News all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.

COVER18 Tiff any and Dusty: A Romantic Destination Wedding

REGULARS6 We Are SWLA!

8 Huntin’ Tales

10 This Functional Family

11 Stir Dat Pot

20 Adoption Corner

FEATURES12 Wedding Checklist

14 Get Insurance for Your Ring

16 Weddings Do’s and Don’ts

17 Destination Wedding Tips

THE SPICE OF SWLA20 Chateau du Calcasieu Event Center

22 Event Guide

24 Family Fun Night at the Movies

25 Bookworm Sez…

26 Acting Up!

27 Who is Renn Loren?

28 Nightlife Guide

30 Justin Morris’s Lake Charles

33 Funbolaya

34 Society Spice

27

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2425

8On Cover: Tiff any Bordelon and her Bridesmaids

February 11, 20164 Vol. 7 • No. 20

I met Gayle Cline shortly after I moved here. We both went to the same hair salon and started talk-ing one day. I mentioned that my husband was a former Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus clown, and it turned out that she was a longtime member of Circus Fans of America. She simply adored the circus and loved elephants. So of course they had to meet. We became fast friends with her and her fabu-lous husband, Tip.

When we were asked to be King and Queen of Krewe Déjà Vu du Monde in 2008, we chose the theme “Circus Circus.” Naturally, we had to ask Gayle and Tip to be a Duke and Duchess: the Lion and the Lion Tamer. Gayle loved Mardi Gras and she and Tip were thrilled. A few years later, they were crowned King

and Queen of Deja Vu and “The Kingdom” was born: a group of friends who met every Tuesday for food and libations, and whenever else we could meet, just because.

Gayle was simply wonderful. She was descended from the early set-tlers of the area, and could trace her lineage all the way back to the fam-ily of Anne Boleyn. She seemed to be related to everyone around here. And if she wasn’t related to them, she knew a story, or two, about them. And it was usually colorful. I loved sitting at Gayle’s table, sipping a drink and listening to her. You were never bored. She had the fun-niest expressions and kept everyone laughing.

Her favorite expression was “God don’t like ugly.” She’d give you a “look” and impart that piece of

wisdom if she thought you were being unkind. I think everyone who knew her heard that at one time or another. Another one was “I’m up to my ears in alligators” to describe how busy she was.

“Gayle Cline is the busiest person I’ve ever met who doesn’t work,” Blane Bourgeois said about her. And it was true. She didn’t work, but she was always busy with the various boards she was on, all of her projects, her beloved family and God knows what else. She was high energy and never stopped mov-ing—until the evening. Then, it was time to rest. Another Gayle tradition: She always wore a watch, and she’d tap on it when she and Tip were out and it was Time to Go. I believe the magic number was 9:30 p.m., so she could be in bed by 10. She might not sleep for a few hours, but she wanted to be In the House.

But when she was up, it was an adventure. We’d go to the circus whenever it was in town, or in Lafayette, and I rode my first (and only) elephant with her. At the circus, she’d always wear a vest autographed by all the clowns and circus performers she’d met through the years, and her eyes would shine with excitement when she talked about them. If it weren’t for the Greatest Show on Earth and Phil being a clown, we never would have met. One of the things in life that was just meant to be.

She adored Mardi Gras as much as the circus, and decorated

her house beautifully every year, complete with vintage posters and a Mardi Gras tree. Tip says the day before she died, she asked if the lights on her tree were on.

And now she’s gone. I still can’t believe it; none of us can. She passed in the middle of her favorite season, leaving us with fond, fond memo-ries and sad smiles. I know that today, Fat Tuesday 2016, she’s doing the Second Line and twirling her umbrella on the other side. Until we meet again, dear Gayle. I’m so glad you were in my life.

Lauren Abate

RememberingGayle Cline

February 11, 2016 5Vol. 7 • No. 20

February 11, 20166 Vol. 7 • No. 20

McNamara Joins First Federal InvestmentsFrank McNamara has joined First Federal

Investments as an Investment Executive. His office is located at the Sulphur Office of First Federal Bank of Louisiana, 2250 Maplewood Drive. McNamara is a Financial Advisor and comes to First Federal Bank of Louisiana after having served the majority of his 18-year career at Capitol One Investments. He holds licenses as a securities representative (Series 7, 63, and 66 registrations) in addition to insurance licenses for life, health and annuities, and is registered as an Investment Advisor Representative (IAR).

McNamara was born and raised in Orange, TX, where he graduated from Lamar University in 1986 with a bachelor of science degree in secondary education. He moved to the Lake Area almost 30 years ago, and currently lives in south Lake Charles with his wife Linda and their daughter. They also have two sons serving in the U.S. military.

City Recreation and Parks Receives Grant for Park Project Rain CII Carbon, through their partnership with the National

Recreation and Park Association, recently executed a $3,000 grant for the City of Lake Charles Recreation and Parks De-partment. The funding provided for a community project, which included new dugout benches and also picnic tables as part of an upgrade at College Oaks Park, located at 3518 Ernest Street in Lake Charles. The grant is part of an ongoing partnership with the City of Lake Charles.

Bruney Named Administrator at WCCH’s Home Health Agency

West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital is pleased to announce that Pamela Bruney, RN, BSN, has been named administrator for WCCH’s Home Health Agency. In her new role, Bruney works with staff, physicians, and administrators on the care plans for patients. A resident of Lake Charles, Bruney holds a bachelor of science degree in nurs-ing and a degree in business, both from McNeese State University. Prior to being named adminis-trator of WCCH’s Home Health Agency, she served as a Registered Nurse at the agency for five years, and prior to that, served in the hospital’s intensive care unit for more than 18 years.

Phillips 66 Awards Grant to Westlake High SchoolThe Phillips 66 Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex recently

awarded a $35,000 educational grant to Westlake High School to enhance classroom technology. The money will be used to purchase Promethean Boards for 22 classrooms. Now, all classrooms are equipped with the interactive whiteboards that engage students in the learning experience.

LC Toyota Donates to Family & YouthLake Charles Toyota

donated $5,000 in spon-sorship of the 2016 Fam-ily and Youth Legisla-tive Breakfast held on January 21 at L’Auberge Casino Resort. Indi-viduals were able to meet one-on-one, with the Southwest Louisiana Legislative Delegation to discuss issues affecting our lives, our businesses, and our community. Legislators discussed issues related to children and families with mem-bers of the community.

Local Orthopedic Surgeon Earns Specialized Certifi cation Lake Charles Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Alan

Hinton recently passed the 2015 American Board of Orthopedic Surgery Combined Sports Medicine Examination. In order to obtain this special certifi ca-tion, Dr. Hinton was required to complete a written exam, as well as submit surgical case reviews. Dr. Hinton is a graduate of McNeese State University and LSU School of Medicine. He specializes in orthoped-ic care and sports medicine and has practiced in the Lake Charles area for over 20 years. Dr. Hinton’s med-ical practice is located at 230 West Sale Road in Lake Charles. For more information, call (337) 477-5252.

SWLA CVB Releases Videos The Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors

Bureau (CVB) recently released five videos to help visitors under-stand the five main categories of activities that they can experience in the area. To showcase the top five features in sharable ways, the bureau created videos with locals talking about Southwest Louisiana from different perspectives: Outdoor Adventures, Nightlife/Casinos,

L to R: LC Mayor Randy Roach; Karla Edwards, Rain CII HR Liaison; Jennifer Grigsby, Rain CII PR and Curtis Brignac, I&E Lead

Frank McNamara

L to R: Eric Tarver; Manager of LC Toyota and Julio Galan; President & CEO of Family & Youth

Dr. Alan Hinton

Pamela Bruney, RN, BSN

February 11, 2016 7Vol. 7 • No. 20

History & Culture, Family Fun & Festivals, and Foodies. The videos are available on YouTube as well as on VisitLakeCharles.org. For more information, go to www.visitlakecharles.org/Top5Videos.

AT&T Donates to McNeeseAT&T, as part of the AT&T Aspire initiative, announced a $15,000

contribution to the McNeese State University Foundation to pro-vide 10 engineering scholarships to eligible undergraduate students seeking a bachelor’s degree in engineering with a focus in chemical, civil, electrical or mechanical engineering. Academically qualified first generation college students and under-represented student populations are encouraged to apply for the scholarships.

Clemons Appointed to Judicial Council Todd S. Clemons was recently appointed to

the Judicial Council of the Louisiana Supreme Court for a three-year term. The council is an advisory and oversight body for the Judicial Branch of government to study and monitor the operations for the court system and identify areas for improvement. Clemons founded Todd Clemons and Associates in 2007. Previously, he served as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice, a Judge Pro Tem on the 14th Judicial District Court as well as an assistant

district attorney for Calcasieu Parish. Clemons received his under-graduate degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and graduated magna cum laude from Southern University Law Center.

SOWELA Expands Internship ProgramSOWELA Technical Community College expanded its intern-

ship program to better serve student needs and employer demand. The expansion includes joining the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) to connect students with job opportunities and to build College-wide internship guidelines based on the U.S. Department of Labor’s recommendations. Students and employers can now access job search tips, internship opportunities, procedures and more on the newly launched microsite www.sowela.edu/intern-ships. Both credit and non-credit internship programs are available. To hire a SOWELA intern or for more information, contact Intern-ship Coordinator Dr. David Shankle at David.Shankle@sowela.edu or at (337) 421-6988.

Golden Nugget Donates to Chamber SWLAThe Golden Nugget donated $42,000 to the Chamber SWLA as

part of their 2016 Presenting Sponsorship of the Chamber SWLA Banquet, which was held on January 28 at the Golden Nugget.

L to R: McNeese President Dr. Philip Williams; Richard H. Reid; vice president for university advance-ment and executive vice president for the McNeese Foundation; Britt Guillory, AT&T employee

sponsorship program sales executive; Jan Waguespack, AT&T client solutions executive, and state Sens. Dan W. “Blade” Morrish (R-Jennings) and Ronnie Johns (R-Sulphur). McNEESE PHOTO

Todd Clemons

CITGO Employees Give 17 Percent of United Way’s SWLA Regional Goal

CITGO Lake Charles Refinery employees recently gave more than $696,000 to United Way SWLA, raising more than 17 percent of the United Way regional goal of $4 mil-lion. The funds were raised by employees during the 2015 annual CITGO United Way SWLA, “Together We Stand” campaign that took place during the fall. CITGO employ-ees contribute to United Way through its annual campaign and CITGO continues to be the largest benefactor of the organization, having donated more than $13.4 million since 1975. Employees’ donations go directly to United Way and help run the 28 United Way agencies and 53 pro-grams in Southwest Louisiana.

L to R: Golden Nugget Food and Beverage Director Robert Ivey, SWLA Alliance President/CEO George Swift, Chamber VP Paula Ramsey, and Golden Nugget Director of Catering & Convention

Services Corey Briggs

February 11, 20168 Vol. 7 • No. 20

The 2016 Big Duck season ended January 17, Canadian Goose season ended January 31, Speckle Belly Goose season ended February 7. Fortunately, Aaron Snatic and I closed out big Duck, snuck in a Canadian Goose hunt at the close of regular goose season and ended it all in a two-day trek on the 13th and 18th of January.

After the end of regu-lar waterfowl season we have what is known as the “Conservation Order for Light Geese Season.” “Goose Lite Season,” as I tag it, runs from February 8 to March 6. It’s named a Conservation Order be-cause there are just too many light geese eating up their Canadian nesting habit.

To reduce those num-bers, almost all things outlawed during the regu-lar season become legal. Shooting time runs from one half hour before sun-rise to one half hour after sunset. Electronic calls of geese cackling in a feeding frenzy become boom-box legal. Shotgun shell limit-ing plugs in the guns are no longer necessary. That’s correct, no plugs. There

are no bag limits, but the season is limited to just shooting Snows, Blues and Ross’s Geese. To be exactly sure what was illegal and is now legal, pick up the specific outlaw, but now-legal, Light Goose special season legal guide bro-chure. With that in hand, along with your regular hunting license, you can be sure not to miss some-thing illegal that is now legal. Got it?

This tale begins well back in the days when I had the honor of hunting with noted waterfowlers Dr. Harry Snatic and his brother, pharmacist Ju-les Snatic, all in the Big Lake area. Mud-boats had replaced shooting from the steamboat Borea-lis Rex, punt boats were now illegal and the Snatic brothers were training their sons so I could have the honor of hunting with Jules’s grandson, Aaron. This time, we were headed to my old goose hunting grounds just northeast of Thornwell, Louisiana, east of Highway 14 and north of what was once Pettijean Farms and The Lacassine Company.

Aaron had come my

Chasseur De Oui aka Hunting Light Geese

Photos by Chris Romero

Aaron��Snatic

February 11, 2016 9Vol. 7 • No. 20

way via his LaGrange High School classmate and local CPA Greg Naquin. Greg, son Brandon and their Golden Retriever extraordi-naire Candy had taken me hunting east of Rockefel-ler Federal Game Reserve during the first split. This time, Aaron and I trekked down old highway 90 to Welsh, then took highway 382 south to the old goose hunting grounds of my youth. What had once been rice fields with an occasion-al farm house had become seemingly endless crayfish farms set between an ever expanding rural suburbia. At least they still grew rice in the area.

Aaron had been a guest lecturer as needed in En-vironmental Science and Anatomy Physiology Lab at McNeese State University until the Jindal era higher ed cuts shot him down. With the last hired first fired, Aaron ended that ca-reer only to become the sci-ence/math teacher in north-ern Allen Parish’s Elizabeth High School. Seems Aaron and I shared a passion for

hunting and a love of teach-ing.

Alas and alack, the geese were bodied up about six miles east of us. Some kindly soul scared them up, so we saw the first action of the morning. Aaron’s goose call cackled sweet noth-ings to the specs and after much evasion, they set their wings in to us--on Aaron’s side, that is, so we double-teamed one and only pulled down two others.

Now it was time to work the “Light Colored Geese.” Nothing much was working as the bodied up geese had now shifted further east and north of us. So, we waited on a miracle. And waited. And waited some more. Pas rien. Suddenly, there was a loud boom and down tum-bled a snow goose--on Aar-on’s side yet again. Three specs and a snow goose do a gumbo make even if I could only claim half a goose.

I’d promised a dear friend and now retired teacher Brenda Bachrack (Miss Brenda of KPLC’s Romper Room School fame), that I would someday make a

gumbo for her and visit her beloved Gold-en Retriever Sandy. Thanks to Aaron’s three and a half goose gifted kindness, I could do both. All I have to do now to make a fourth genera-tion hunt is to head out with Aaron and his daughter Lily. Now THAT would be an all’s well that ends well Oui season.

Shane,�Roger,��Jeanette�&�Glenn

Lily�Snatic

February 11, 201610 Vol. 7 • No. 20

The deliberate act of grati-tude. It’s something that all of us should feel when we get up every morning for simply being given the gift of another day. The definition of gratitude is basic but beautiful: “The quality of be-ing thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”

I thought it interesting when I read Oprah Winfrey’s list of 20 things she’s grateful for because the list was filled with such sim-ple things. You might even find some of your own favorites on her list; I did.

Here’s what she said about feeling grateful: “In the best of times and the worst of times, I know for sure, this life is a gift.

Yes, I recognize that I get to live on a big scale. But in the end the only difference between being famous and not is that more people know my name. When it comes to what really matters - what makes us laugh and cry, grieve and yearn, delight and re-joice - we aren’t so different from one another.”

Well, aside from her millions of dollars, that is. But when you think about it, aren’t most of the things we’re truly grateful for pretty simple?

I know that my “gratitude list” is filled with fairly straightfor-ward things: God’s grace, my children, good health, great mu-sic, good books, delicious food, having a roof over our heads,

family, friends. When it comes to gratitude,

here’s Oprah’s list of 20 of her favorite things: 1. Planting vegetables in my garden. 2. Making blueberry-lemon pan-cakes on Sunday mornings for Stedman (her boyfriend of many years) It never fails to delight him - like he’s 7 every time. 3. An off -leash romp on the front lawn with all fi ve dogs. 4. A rainy day, a chill in the air, a blazing fi re in the fi replace.5. Picking vegetables from my garden. 6. A great book. 7. Reading in my favorite place on Earth: under my oaks. 8. Th e spinach, goat cheese, and

herb pizza at ABC Kitchen in New York City. 9. Tazo’s Passion Tea, with a little lemon and fresh mint. 10. Cooking vegetables from my garden. 11. A drink handmade by my pal Eddie. 12. Sleeping until my body wants to wake up. 13. Waking up to the real twit-ter: birds. 14. A workout so strong, my whole body breathes. 15. Eating vegetables from my garden. 16. Being still. 17. Embracing silence. 18. Listing to Snatam Kaur’s ver-sion of “Ong Namo.” 19. Scones at the Hotel Bel-Air. If Queen Elizabeth only knew, she’d eat no others. 20. Gratitude as a daily spiritual practice. Every day I bless my life by counting my blessings.

It’s true that we all share the same heart space. We just fi ll it with diff erent things.

If you want to be more mind-ful of all the things you’re grate-ful for, start making a list of what fills your soul with gratitude and if you’re like me, you’ll soon realize just how very fortunate you are.

Studies have shown that we can even deliberately cultivate gratitude, and can increase our well-being and happiness by doing so. In addition, grateful-ness - and especially expression of it to others - is associated with increased energy, optimism and empathy. Good stuff. And more things to be grateful for!

Lisa Addison wrote her fi rst short story when she was 7 years old and hasn’t stopped writing since. She has two young chil-dren, enjoys trying new recipes, and loves going on adventures with her kids. She blogs at: http://swlamama.wordpress.com.

Be Grateful

February 11, 2016 11Vol. 7 • No. 20

Hello, everybody!Well, Super Bowl and Fat Tuesday are behind us and it’s

time for Lent in beautiful Southwest Louisiana. It’s easy to adhere to in our part of the country because of the abun-dance of available fresh seafood. Sometimes, I just can’t decide what will suit my mood. But shrimp never fails me. Plus, I always seem to have some handy. What I also seem to always have handy is leftover rice. Partly because I don’t know how to make a small pot of rice. Who around here does that?

That being said, a nice Shrimp Stir Fry is just the right thing at the right time.

What You’ll Need2-3 pounds of peeled and deveined shrimp (you pick the size)2 eggs (raw)1 onion (sliced into strips)1 green bell pepper (sliced into strips)1 red bell pepper (sliced into strips)1 tablespoon minced garlic2 tablespoons soy sauce2-3 cup leftover rice2 tablespoons olive oil

What You’ll DoIn a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil for about one

minute on medium to high heat, then add the garlic and shrimp. Toss them around for a bit and then add the veggies. When the shrimp start to go pink, add the soy sauce, toss, then add the rice. Stir evenly and then add the eggs. Stir again and cover for about three minutes. Uncover, stir and then pour into a large serving dish and place on the table and dig in!

You can also step this up a notch by adding more veggies such as squash, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, etc. You can also do this with leftover chicken or pork.

So fry some up today and don’t forget to--Stir Dat Pot!!!

Stir Fry Time!

February 11, 201612 Vol. 7 • No. 20

Congratulations! You’re engaged! Now it’s time to plan your wedding. Th ere’s a lot to do and it’s easy to get over-whelmed. But if you follow this timetable, you should be fi ne.

10–12 Months To GoWork out your budget and

establish your top priorities—where to save/where to splurge.

• Get ideas! Start browsing bridal blogs and magazines to identify your wedding style and color scheme. • Compile your preliminary guest list.• Choose your wedding par-ty—the special people in your lives that you want by your

side when you say “I do.”• Find a venue for your cer-emony and reception, and reserve your date. • Now that you have a date, tell everyone to save it! Send out Save-the-Date cards or emails. Or create your own wedding website, and let your invitees know about it. • Start looking for your wed-ding gown and accessories.

Begin looking for vendors, including: • Caterer• Photographer/ Videographer • Offi ciant• Florist• DJ/Band• Cake Designer

• Wedding Planner? (If you’re getting stressed, you may want to hire one!)

Make sure you attend a bridal show, if possible. You can make some good connections and get a lot of ideas.

6–9 Months To Go

• Continue researching, interviewing and booking ven-dors. When you hire one, make sure everything is in writing.

• Decide on arrangements with your fl oral designer

• Do a tasting and choose your wedding cake and the groom’s cake.

• Pick out bridesmaids’ gowns.

• Start thinking about your honeymoon!

• Create your gift registry.• Go over bridal shower and

bachelor/bachelorette party details.

• Decide on your wedding invitations.

3–5 Months To Go• Book rehearsal dinner (groom’s family usually pays). Put together rehearsal dinner guest list. • If not part of the venue pack-age, reserve table linens, etc. • Pick out wedding favors, guest book, cake cutter, etc.• Shop for and reserve men’s formalwear.

• Finalize wedding invitations. Will the same people be doing your thank-you cards as well? Will you have a wedding pro-gram? Place cards? • Finalize guest list and get everyone’s snail mail addresses.• Work on the wedding cer-emony and vows.• Work on menu, beverage, etc. details with your caterer.• Shop for and purchase wed-ding rings.• Finalize honeymoon plans and make sure your passports are up to date if you’re leaving the country.

6–8 Weeks To Go• Do a trial run for your hair and makeup.• Mail your invitations and make sure you have a system for recording RSVPs.• Touch base with your ven-dors to confi rm date, details and deposits.• Look into marriage license and name change require-ments.• Begin your dress fi ttings. Buy the appropriate undergarments in advance.• Make sure your wedding party has ordered everything

February 11, 2016 13Vol. 7 • No. 20

they need. • Write thank-you notes for your shower gift s. • Finalize honeymoon and wedding night accommoda-tions.

3–5 Weeks To Go• Send out rehearsal dinner invitations.• Go over song list with DJ/band for ceremony and recep-tion.• Go over timeline for recep-tion.• Get marriage license.• Pick up wedding rings!• Purchase gift s for wedding party.• Have your fi nal dress fi tting.• Make sure you have some-thing old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.

1–2 Weeks To Go• Give fi nal count to the ca-terer.• Arrange seating and create seating chart, if applicable. • Pick up your gown.• Finalize wedding timeline

with your vendors and wed-ding party.• Start packing for your honey-moon.

The Day Before• Figure out tips and fi nal pay-ments for vendors. Put them in clearly marked envelopes and give them to the Best Man or someone you trust to hand out at the reception.• Put someone in charge of your gift s the day of the wed-ding. Someone also needs to be in charge of packing up your belongings aft er the reception. • Attend the rehearsal and dinner and give out wedding party gift s.

The Big Day• Allow plenty of time to get ready. Th at includes the whole wedding party.• Make sure you thank eve-ryone who comes to your wedding. Make the rounds to every table.• Enjoy your special day! You deserve it! Congratulations!

February 11, 201614 Vol. 7 • No. 20

There’s nothing more ro-mantic than a marriage proposal on Valentine’s Day. But with a great engagement ring comes great responsi-bility. While there is no way to insure the sentimental value of such a gift, having the right insurance cover-age will provide financial protection, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

“The word ‘insurance’ is not likely to be the first word on many lovers’ lips this Valentine’s Day. However, if an expensive gift of jewelry is lost or stolen it can certainly soothe the sting of losing a cherished gift,” said Jeanne

M. Salvatore, the I.I.I.’s chief communications officer. “Your first step after receiv-

ing a valuable engagement

ring—well, maybe your sec-ond after saying yes!—should

be to call your insur-

ance profes-sional.”Jewelry loss-

es are among the most frequent

of all homeown-ers content related insurance claims. Fortunately, there are four steps to en-

sure adequate protection for your new ring:

Contact your insurance professional immediately.

Find out whether you will need additional insurance. Most standard homeowners and renters insurance policies include coverage for personal items such as jewelry; how-ever, many policies limit the dollar amount on jewelry to $1,000 to $2,000. With the av-erage engagement ring costing nearly $6,000, that is unlikely to be enough coverage for your new bauble.

To properly insure jewelry, consider purchasing a floater or an endorsement policy. In most cases, these add-ons to a homeowners or renters policy would also cover you for “mysterious disappear-

DON’T BE BLINDED BY THE BLING

Get Insurance for Your Ring

February 11, 2016 15Vol. 7 • No. 20

Cajun Cafe 02-13-14.indd 1 2/9/14 6:55 PM

ance.” This means that if your ring falls off your finger and is flushed down a drain, or is lost, you would be finan-cially protected. And unlike a homeowners policy, float-ers and endorsements carry no deductibles, so there is no out-of-pocket expense to replace the item.

Obtain a Copy of the Store Receipt.

Forward a copy of the re-ceipt to your insurer—so that your company has a record of the current retail value of the ring—and keep a copy for your own records. It’s also a good idea to get a copy of the appraised value of the item.

If you received an heirloom piece, have it appraised.

Antique jewelry will need to be appraised for its dollar value. You can ask your insur-ance professional to recom-mend a reputable appraiser.

Add the Item to your Home Inventory.

An up-to-date inventory of your personal possessions can help you purchase the cor-rect amount of insurance and speed up the claims process if you have a loss, so remember to add your new ring to your inventory. And if you don’t yet have an inventory, celebrate your engagement by creating one with your fiancé.

Renters InsuranceFinally, if you don’t think

you need renters insurance, think again. A 2014 Insur-ance Information Institute poll found that 96 percent of homeowners had homeowners insurance but only 37 percent of renters had renters insur-ance. If you rent your home, renters insurance can provide important financial protection in the event your belongings are stolen or destroyed.

February 11, 201616 Vol. 7 • No. 20

By Lauren AbatePlanning a wedding is so

incredibly time-consuming that a lot of things may inadvertently get overlooked. Th ere’s such a thing as wedding etiquette—and even though times have changed, you still need to follow it.

The Wedding PartyPlanning who’s going to be in

your wedding party can create some stress. Th e bottom line is to choose people that have been very important to you in your life, and will support you on your special day—people you want standing up there with you when you say, “I do.” So no mat-ter what your mother says, you don’t have to ask your cousin that you haven’t seen in 10 years to be a bridesmaid. And your sister shouldn’t be the maid of honor when you are much closer to your best friend.

On the other hand, it would

be very nice if you asked your fi -ancé’s sister(s) to be bridesmaids, and if he asked your brother(s) to be groomsmen. It builds up a lot of goodwill for the future.

Th e maid of honor not only organizes and hosts your shower, she also helps you get ready on your wedding day. Her dress (which she pays for herself) matches or coordinates with the other bridesmaids, and she usually carries a slightly more elaborate bouquet than the other attendants.

Th e bridesmaids attend pre-wedding parties and also help out with some wedding preparations. Th ey wear matching or coordi-nating dresses (paid for them-selves) and you are expected to give them a gift as a token of your appreciation.

Th e best man’s formalwear matches the ushers’ and he pays the rental fees himself. He hosts the bachelor party, holds the ring

during the ceremony, and off ers the toast at the reception.

Th e primary function of the ushers is seating guests at the wedding. Th ey each wear and pay for matching formalwear, and the groom gives each man a present as a thank-you for participating in the wedding.

Flower girls are usually be-tween the ages of three and nine, and they carry a small bouquet or basket down the aisle during the ceremony. Th e ring bearer is of the same age, and symbolically carries the wedding rings for the bridal party on a large white satin pillow on which imitation rings are sewn. Th e real wedding bands are kept in the safekeeping of the best man. Parents pay for their children’s attire when asked to be in a wedding, unless otherwise notifi ed by the bride or groom.

GiftsIt’s perfectly acceptable to

return a wedding gift that you know you’ll never use—just don’t let the sender know about it. Send a thank you note mentioning how much you appreciate their gift —and then exchange it for some-thing you can use.

You may really want cash instead of gift s, but it’s very tacky

to indicate this on the wedding invitation. So have your brides-maids and family spread the word that you would prefer money. Th ere will always be people who will give a gift , no matter what, so rather than get something you don’t like, register for what you really need.

Since the purpose of a shower is to receive gift s, information on where you’re registered is always included in the shower invita-tion—never the wedding invita-tion.

Thank You CardsFor your shower, thank you

notes should go out within two weeks. For presents sent on or aft er the wedding date, try to get them out in a month. Include a thoughtful note, mentioning the gift specifi cally. Merely signing your names to a card is pretty cold.

If you receive a check, tell the gift -giver what you plan on doing with the money. For example, “Th ank you so much for your check! We’re planning on using it to buy a lamp for our guestroom…” or something like that. It will make them feel spe-cial. Never mention the amount of the check.

Prioritize. Before you begin spending on your wedding, decide which elements are most important to you. This will help you to place more wedding dollars on the things that you think will most impact the success of your wedding day.

There is no such thing as “perfect.” Being realistic about your expectations will help you create the wedding day you want instead of chasing the dream of the “perfect” wedding day. Decide what kind of wedding you want and then plan your wedding day around that idea.

Choose in-season items. Whether it is flowers or fruits, choosing in-season options will always be best for your budget.

Ceremony venues. The most budget friendly venues for your cer-emony may be your reception hall. While you may pay a fee for your ceremony on-site, you will eliminate transportation costs, travel fees from vendors for multiple locations and site rental fees.

Hire a DJ. Live bands typically cost several thousand dollars for their services, plus meals and entertainment during their breaks. A single DJ can provide you the customized playlists you want and doesn’t take breaks.

5 Wedding Budget Tips

February 11, 2016 17Vol. 7 • No. 20

The Perfect SpotThe location of your wedding determines not only the

mood (mountains, beach, city) but also the travel, time and budget necessary to have your dream wedding. Your wed-ding elements -- not just the location, but also activities and the overall feeling-- should say something about your per-sonal style and your passions.

Timing is EverythingUnfortunately, the best weather in vacation destinations

tends to correlate with tourist season, when there are typically more crowds, fewer hotel and venue availabilities, and inflated rates. But if you choose to marry during this season, make sure you reserve hotel blocks and venues immediately and send out save-the-dates far in advance (10 to 12 months) so your guests can book their flights and accommodations before prices skyrocket. Booking right after high season can save you some money. Just be aware that the weather may not be as great (I went to a destination wedding off season in the Cayman Is-lands and we were greeted with a hurricane!) and some shops and restaurants may be closed.

Research Local Marriage RequirementsThe legal side of tying the knot in a different country can be

complicated. Many countries have a “residency requirement” (for example, 24 hours in Turks and Caicos and seven days in England), which means you must reside in the country for a certain length of time before your ceremony. Although this is usually just a few days, it can be longer.

Wedding Planner Will Save Your LifeAll resorts has a wedding planner or two (if they don’t, find

another resort). This is what they do, and they will save your life. Talk to them well in advance about all the logistics and details and keep in contact throughout the planning process.

About VendorsMost resorts have package deals that include photography,

hair and makeup, etc. You can always bring your trusted hair-dresser from home, as well as a photographer, but you will have to cover their travel and lodging expenses. If you choose lo-cal vendors, explain exactly what you want with your wedding coordinator and make sure everything is confirmed well before the big day.

Tell Your Friends ASAPMake sure you let everyone in your bridal party know that

you are having a destination wedding before you ask them so that they can gracefully decline if they can’t afford it. Don’t be upset if some of your closest friends or relatives can’t attend. Not everyone will be able to afford the airfare and accommo-dations, and it’s a given that your older relatives may not be

able to travel for health reasons. It’s safe to say that most cou-ples that plan a destination wedding are aware that a relatively small group will be attending.

Take Care of Your GuestsIn addition to arranging group rates for flights and rooms,

list information for getting to and from the nearest airport to your wedding locale, invite everyone to the rehearsal or wel-come dinner and next-day brunch, and deliver welcome bags to their rooms, full of essentials for the trip, like suntan lotion, water and bug spray.

Dress For the WeatherConsider the climate when choosing your wedding dress and

the bridal party’s attire. If you’re getting married on the beach, a more casual look is acceptable. A long train will get muddy and stiletto heels will sink in the sand. And do you really want your groomsmen wearing tuxes under that hot sun?

After all the dos and don’t’s, and planning and stressing—re-lax! It’s going to be a beautiful day, and you’ll be making mem-ories for a lifetime! Congratulations!

February 11, 201618 Vol. 7 • No. 20

When Tiffany Gardner and Dusty Bordelon of Lake Charles decided to tie the knot, they knew they wanted something unique. For those of you who are considering something dif-ferent, a destination wedding might be just the ticket!

JAM: What made you decide to do a destination wedding?

TB: I have always thought it would be fun to get married on a beach or in a more fun, less traditional location. We initially were planning a “traditional” church wedding, but we began noticing the costs kept increasing with constant rental fees, reception prices, etc. and at that point, we hadn’t even started looking into the honeymoon! We were a little older than most of our married friends and also had a child together and were paying for this wedding by ourselves. After talking about it, we both decided that it would be more fun, less stress and more cost effective for us to have a destination wedding!

JAM: What was the criteria for

choosing a resort, and why did you de-cide on the resort that you picked?

TB: I wanted to find an all-inclusive resort that would help our guests keep costs down. I also searched for a resort that had great reviews and good wed-ding options that would fit our needs.

JAM: Was it difficult organizing this type of wedding?

TB: I found it to be far less stress-ful. The entire wedding was planned by email and phone and once everything was chosen and sent to the wedding coordinator, all we had to do was show up--so that was very nice! I really didn’t have the option to stress over the small stuff as I would have if it were local. You put your trust in the coor-dinator and let them handle the minor details.

JAM: So you feel you got enough

help from the resort?TB: Our wedding coordinator at the

resort was wonderful! She was very helpful and took care of everything.

JAM: How many of your friends/

family were able to come?TB: Seventeen of us total (including

Dusty, myself and Mason).

JAM: What were the positives?TB: We had a great vacation and

wedding combined into one. I had far less stress on me trying to plan a wed-ding with a busy work schedule and raising a toddler.

JAM: What were the negatives?TB: We had a few people that

weren’t so happy that we weren’t hav-ing a local traditional wedding, so for

those people, we paid for a portion of their trip to help them to be a part of our special day. We didn’t want to have a wedding for other people (which is what I see happen a lot); we wanted it to be about us and the love we have for one another.

JAM: Was it difficult having a tod-

dler along? TB: It was because Mason never

really gets babysat, he is with us all of the time. We didn’t get much of a break during the wedding vacation and also had him along for the “honeymoon!”

JAM: Anything else you’d like to add?

TB: We did have our wedding planned in Cabo San Lucas. Two months before our wedding date, they were hit by the largest hurricane to ever hit that area! Cabo essentially closed down for a year to rebuild. We were left with no answers for weeks as they had no electricity, so we didn’t know the extent of the damage to our resort. We did end up finally getting in contact with the resort by email and they cancelled our wedding. That was stressful! I had to find a new location, change all 17 plane tickets, make hotel reservations and redo the wedding in a couple of weeks. We ended up mar-rying in Playa del Carmen--and every-thing worked out fine!

February 11, 2016 19Vol. 7 • No. 20

February 11, 201620 Vol. 7 • No. 20

Chateau du Calcasieu Event Center at 932 Enterprise Boulevard in Lake Charles is located in what was once the United Furniture building, which many of you may recall. And it’s a very unique structure. There are two sepa-rate rooms (Room A and Room B) for a wedding and a reception, along with two complete wedding suites with private bathrooms in a 100-year-old house that is located in the middle of the complex and opens into Room A. Here, the wed-ding party can come in the day of the event and get their makeup done if they choose, and can relax before and even during the event. Couches, chairs and lighted mirrors give you all the comforts of home.

“Brides just fall in love with the house,” said owner Phil de Albuquerque. “They love the idea of a place to gather with their attendants, put the finishing touches on their makeup, and maybe have a glass of champagne and just chill. And, they can leave their personal items in the suites, which will be locked when they’re not occupied.”

Many couples would like to get mar-ried outside, but there are always weath-er concerns. What if it rains? Or it’s too hot? Room A is the perfect solution.

“This room has an outdoor feel to it,” de Albuquerque explained. “There are park benches, white garden chairs, an artificial, nine-foot-tall lighted dogwood tree, and a fountain.”

The charming old house is located in Room A, which adds to the outdoor at-mosphere. After the wedding ceremony, the room is a wonderful spot for a cock-tail hour. From there, guests enter Room B for the reception.

“Most couples book both Rooms A and B,” de Albuquerque said. “Even if they are having their ceremony else-where, they like the idea of the private suites, cocktails in Room A and the reception in Room B.”

The reception hall has two floors. The second floor is open and looks down on the first floor, and has wrought-iron railings. “There’s a New Orleans feel throughout the entire wedding, with the wrought iron balcony,” de Albuquerque

said. “The bride and groom can be intro-duced to the guests as they come down the grand staircase. And it’s a great loca-tion to take photos.”

The event center is going on its third year, and since the doors opened, people have made it clear that they’re thrilled that there’s another event center in town. “The one thing we’ve heard, over and over again, was that there aren’t enough wedding venues in the area,” de Albu-querque continued.” And people are re-ally excited that we have separate rooms to hold both the wedding service and the reception.”

You can choose from a list of caterers, photographers, florists bands, DJs, etc., or bring in your own. “We have a man-ager on staff who is there throughout your event to make sure everything goes smoothly,” he said. “Whether it’s a very large, or an intimate affair, the Chateau du Calcasieu will make the most impor-tant day of your life unforgettable!”

Check out the Chateau’s Facebook page and call (337) 244-7959 to book your tour today.

Meet our new boy, Dax! He is 3-4 years old, is medi-um-sized (35-40 pounds) and is a sweetheart! This hand-some boy would make a great playmate for a dog buddy or would be happy to be your one and only. Dax loves to be outside where his favorite activity is playing chase. He is fully vetted, heartworm negative, and is ready to be your Valentine! Call or email for more information: (337) 478-7294; lapaw@bellsouth.net. Vet check and home visit required prior to all adoptions.

N O T Y O U R T Y P I C A L W E D D I N G V E N U E

Chateau du Calcasieu

February 11, 201622 Vol. 7 • No. 20

Poetry Out Loud Feb. 11High school students representing schools and libraries across

SWLA will come together on Thursday, February 11 to compete for top honors at Poetry Out Loud’s annual Southwest Louisiana Regional Competition. It will be held in the Benjamin W. Mount Auditorium at Central School at 6 p.m. The students who com-peted at the Regional level have already made it through the fi rst round of competition at their schools or local library. DeRidder High School students Brenda Guzman, Ashtyn Hanna, and Leah Worley will compete with library fi nalists Mekenzie Peshoff and Claire Buchanan of Barbe High School, and home-schooled stu-dent Reigner Kane. www.artscouncilswla.org.

Color Vibe 5K Feb. 20The Color Vibe 5K is returning to Lake Charles on Sat. Feb.

20 at the Arcade Amphitheatre at the Lake Charles Civic Center (1000 Bord du Lac Dr.) and will begin at 8 a.m. The Color Vibe is a unique 5K fun run series where participants run, walk, or dance their way through color stations, where vibrant colors tie-dye white outfits and costumes. When it’s over, there’s a large colorful dance party hosted by a profes-sional sound crew and DJ. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Lake Charles. Children 12 and under can participate for free. www.thecolorvibe.com/lakecharles.php.

Home Show Feb. 20-21The Home Builders Assoc. of SWLA announces the 25th An-

nual Home Show, the only Home Show in SWLA featuring 90+ builders and home improvement companies all under one roof. Will be held at the Lake Charles Civic Center Feb. 20-21. (337) 478-7893.

Beautiful You Life Event Feb. 20KPLC TV’s Britney Glaser, FOX29’s Heather Ieyoub, Miss

Louisiana USA 2016 Maaliyah Papillion and other local celebri-ties will lead in-depth discussions on topics affecting young girls during the upcoming Beautiful You life-coaching event for 5th to 8th grade girls, which will take place Saturday, Feb. 20, at 1 p.m. at the Lake Charles Country Club. Four group sessions include Developing A Skill For Life, No Social Media Victims, Health and Beauty Tips and Self-Defense Instruction: Scholarships are available for the event, and those interested in applying can visit www.BeautifulYouProgram.com. Dress code is casual. Registration fee is $170. To register or to learn more, visit www.BeautifulYouProgram.com or email nikkifon-tenot@yahoo.com.

Monster X Tour Feb. 26-27This event sold out early last year, so get your tickets now!

Lake Charles Civic Center gates open at 6 p.m., show starts at 7:30. Advance discount tickets are available online at Tick-etmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000, all Ticketmaster Outlets, or at the Lake Charles Civic Center Ticket Office.

The Addams Family Feb. 27-28The Addams Family launches The Children’s Theatre Com-

pany’s 2016 season. Directed by Kerry A. Onxley, this family musical will be performed on Sat., Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Feb 29 at 3 p.m. Seating is limited to 400 guests. The weird and wonderful family comes to devilishly delightful life onstage! Performance will be held at the Central School of the Arts & Humanities Center (809 Kirby Street) located in down-town Lake Charles. (337) 433-7323, mail@childrenstheatre.cc

Brewers Dinner March 4Gearing up for the Louisiana Winter Beer Fest, L’Auberge

Casino Resort will once again host a Brewers Dinner on Fri., March 4, which will feature Louisiana beer selections paired with unique menu items prepared by award-winning Chef Lyle Broussard of Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill. The dinner is an op-portunity to dine with brewers and beer industry professionals in an intimate setting. Tickets are limited and are available at www.lawinterbeerfest.com for $100 per seat.

Black Heritage Festival March 4-6If you’re hungry for mouthwatering food, terrific music and

great family fun then this is the festival for you. Taking place at the Lake Charles Civic Center, entertainers will perform gospel, Zydeco, blues, spoken word and more on the Kids and Main Stages. Food booths will serve Louisiana Creole and traditional African-American foods, including gumbo, jam-balaya and barbecue. The vendor marketplace will be open with an array of art, books, jewelry, African artifacts, clothing, collectibles, Greek paraphernalia and more. Enjoy a Kids Zone, games, Zydeco Aerobics, Baby Expo/Healthy Baby Contest! For more information, visit www.bhflc.org.

Louisiana Winter Beer Festival March 5The 2016 Louisiana Winter Beer Festival will be held on Sat.

March 5 from 1-5 p.m. at the Historic Calcasieu Marine Na-tional Bank Building (844 Ryan St.) in Downtown Lake Charles. This will be the second year for the Craft Beer festival, ben-efiting the Lake Charles Symphony. Regular admission tickets are $50 per person. VIP tickets are $100 per person and are limited. Tickets can be purchased at www.lawinterbeerfest.com.

Full Throttle Wrestling Benefi t March 5The Full Throttle Wrestlers are back! On March 5, see them

February 11, 2016 23Vol. 7 • No. 20

at The Water’s Edge Gathering at 2760 Power Centre Pkwy., Lake Charles. Doors open at 5 p.m., event begins at 6. Tickets are $10 and $5. Benefits Water’s Edge.

Empty Bowl Fundraiser March 10“Soup, Soap, and Salvation” is the theme of this year’s Empty

Bowl fundraiser scheduled by the Salvation Army. The event will be held at L’Auberge Casino and Resort on Thursday, March 10. Guests will be entertained by Grammy nominated musician Mickey Smith, Jr. while dining on delicious soups prepared by Lake Charles’ premier chefs. Salad and dessert are also includ-ed. Each guest will be given a unique ceramic bowl designed by area artisans. Tickets are $100 per guest and may be obtained by calling (337) 433-4155.

Sulphur Mines Festival March 11-12Sulphur’s annual festival to celebrate its heritage includes

carnival rides, food and craft booths, live entertainment, a beauty pageant and more! It will be held at the Henning Cul-tural Center at 923 South Ruth Street in Sulphur. For more event information, visit www.brimstonemuseum.org.

Iowa Rabbit Festival March 18-19Celebrating the economic and culinary impact rabbits have

in Southwest Louisiana, the annual Iowa Rabbit Festival is a

one-of-a-kind event, from the rabbit gumbo to crowning the new Miss Bunny. The family-friendly event has some of the best music in the area from the Iowa High School Marching band to local Cajun favorites. All proceeds from the festival go to support the community of Iowa and various other youth organizations, schools and not for profit groups. It will be held at the Burton Complex March 18-19. For more information, visit www.iowarabbitfestival.org.

LC Civic Ballet’s Assemblé 2016 March 19-20

The Lake Charles Civic Ballet’s Assemblé 2016 will wow audiences with collaborative performances all in one show. Lake Charles author Eloise Huber’s book, “The Goose with the Golden Legs” is brought to life on stage; performing art-ist Tony James shares his talents in “Amen,” an original work incorporating ballet and tap dance with classic hymns and there’s a performance of the one-act comical ballet Gaité Par-sienne. William G. Rose with PASTICHE quartet presents a live accompaniment of original composition, “The Season,” and there will be contemporary pieces staged by Golden Wright. Performances will be held at the Rosa Hart Theatre, 900 Lakeshore Drive. Tickets are available by contacting The Civic Center Box Office/Ticketmaster at (337) 491-1432 or www.ticketmaster.com.

February 11, 201624 Vol. 7 • No. 20

In 195, an amazing res-cue was made off the coast of Cape Cod during a huge Nor’easter. An oil tanker split in half and what was left of the crew managed to keep their half of the ship afloat for several hours. The Finest Hours is that story of their rescue.

The hero of the story is – well, that’s not right; there are too many heroes to list in this movie – the main charac-ter is a Coast Guard Skipper, Bernie Webber (Chris Pine.) At the beginning of the movie he meets Miriam (Holliday Grainger), a telephone op-erator, and they get engaged. And then along comes this big storm. Meanwhile, the tanker is at sea and about to break apart. The ship’s engineer, Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) just knows the tanker is in for it, he even warns the cap-tain they need to slow down. Nope, the Captain says keep on going.

Then it happens, and the captain is gone. You’ve got half a gigantic ship, slowly let-ting in water, with giant waves rolling it around. As the night unfolds, we have Ray trying to keep the crew and ship in

survival mode and Bernie get-ting a Coast Guard crew to go rescue them.

I could go on and on about this movie, which you should definitely see, but not because of the thrilling scenes, the amazing graphics, and the ac-tion. What The Finest Hours portrays is not a bunch of super human heroes going in to make a daring rescue. It’s not that at all.

Instead, the movie amaz-ingly focuses on feeling the fear and doing it anyway. With skillful plotting and pacing, we find out that pretty much every person involved has, well, personal issues going on that make them motivated to do what they do. Bernie has already run a previous mission to save crewmen from a storm that happened a year ago. He failed and people died, people he knew, people in his home town. Is part of his drive to go on an impossible mission a chance to redeem himself? It’s got to take something, be-cause when you see the rescue boat it’s like, what were they thinking?

Casey Affleck as engineer Ray Sybert is quiet and not

well liked by the crew of the tanker. But he alone knows what to do to keep the men alive. And basically, this storm is so fierce that every-one is just scared s***less the whole time. And that’s what real heroism is about. It’s not pretty or fun or even the right thing to do. Fact is, every one of these people hits spots where they don’t know what to do. Bernie is constantly looking at his partner on the rescue boat, his eyes saying, is this ok? Am I doing all right? Because he just may become responsible for the death of his own men.

Disney has really backed these docu-drama movies lately, and is getting very good at telling the “true” story. After the movie, stick around

for the credits, where you see pictures of the real crews and news articles that mirror the story.

Some might see the film as old-fashioned, but I for one am tired of seeing save-the-world movies. For once, we get a film about real people who act like real people. Even though you can hardly un-derstand them through those Cape Cod accents.

The Finest Hours is rated PG-13, mainly because you will feel like you’re drowning through much of the movie. Kids will probably be bored with the thoughtful slow pacing compared to today’s action films. But anyone who claims to be called an adult these days should see this movie. Enjoy!

The Finest Hours (Disney, 2015)

February 11, 2016 25Vol. 7 • No. 20

The day you met your dog, it was love at first sight.

Those big brown eyes, that silky-sheened fur, butt-wig-gles, even puppy breath was hard to resist. You couldn’t decide who picked whom, and it didn’t matter: on the day you met your dog, it was forever. But, as in the new book Earnest by Kristin von Kreisler, could the same be said for your human?

The minute Anna stepped into Second Chance Shelter, she knew that she and her boyfriend, Jeff, weren’t going home alone. Jeff only wanted to “look” at the dogs – he said you got a better idea of their personalities that way – but when they met Earnest, well, that was that. He was a gorgeous, three-year-old yel-low Lab and on that day, they became a family of three.

That made Anna enor-mously happy. Earnest was a sweetheart and she loved tak-ing him to work at her Seat-tle-area floral shop, which was located in an old Vic-torian mansion that Anna’s grandmother once owned. Anna’s shop, Plant Parent-hood, was humming; Anna’s friends (business co-renters of the house) were busy; and

Jeff was becoming a success at his architectural firm. Life was good.

But Jeff didn’t know how he was going to tell Anna about his work project. He hadn’t asked for it; Cedar Place was handed to him, and its completion would totally set his career. When it was done, it would be a jewel in the neighborhood, a place for community and retail, muse-ums and families, something Jeff could be proud of. He’d thought through every single facet of it.

Except for one thing: the project involved the demoli-tion of the Victorian mansion that Anna loved. Though he had a solution to it all, she would be heartbroken.

But she was more than just that. When Anna learned that Jeff was involved in the Cedar Place project, she was livid. How could he? Didn’t he think she’d be hurt?

Jeff moved out of their condo. Anna filed for custody of Earnest.

Jeff countered with a me-diator. Anna started fighting for her beloved house. There was no way they could ever continue their relationship. But Earnest – and life – had

other ideas.There are two basic things

you should know about Earnest. It’s good, and it’s too long. On the first point, who can resist a book about a dog? I know I can’t, especial-ly when the dog is person-able but not cutesy, so I was glad that author Kristin von Kreisler is careful not to go overboard with her Earnest. He’s a charmer, but not a sac-charine one.

The “overboard” comes with the human characters’ back-and-forth. Anna and Jeff ’s fight goes on and on and on and, well, you know. I desperately wanted them

to stop already. Their heel-digging comprises the major-ity of this book, and it’s too much.

Keep that in mind, and if you’re willing to endure it for the sake of an otherwise good boy-meets-girl-meets-dog romance, you’ll be fine. In that case, I think Earnest will nicely meet your needs.

“Earnest” By Kristin von Kreisler©2016, Kensington$15 / $16.95 Canada 256 pages

Earnest

February 11, 201626 Vol. 7 • No. 20

Last year, it was incredibly easy to pre-dict the Oscar winners. Whether the win-ners were exceptionally outstanding or the competition was not is anyone’s guess. But I was fist-pumping and gleefully checking off my Oscar ballot with more than 75 percent of the win last year. I shoulda been in Ve-gas! Shout it with me “We’re in the money, Honey!”

But this year, you might as well toss a stack of blackjack cards in the air, spin around three times, and consult your Magic 8 Ball to sort it all out. To make it even hard-er this year, I’ve had a devil of a time locat-ing a showing of Spotlight within a 100 mile radius of Lake Charles. It wouldn’t be a big deal except it was the only… sure… thing…before the nominations were announced. No one predicted the other seven nominees. Everyone predicted Spotlight. But I will do my best to help you win your Oscar pool this year. I’ve got my Magic 8 ball handy. Ready? Oh wait. I feel I should mention something before we get started.

Let’s get the controversy out of the way right up front, shall we? It’s Oscar’s 88thyear of existence. Folks are pointing out how un-diverse the Academy is and it’s been two years since the nominees have been spread across a wider racial demographic. I’m not going to re-hash anything Oscar watchers haven’t already read across the Internet and back. But I do want to look at an even tinier category where lack of diversity has been in play.

In 88 years, there have been four female best director nominees. Four. That seems to be an absurdly small number given there have been 440 directing slots available over 88 years. It took 81 years for Kathryn Bigelow to be the one and only female direc-tor to win the award.

When I was much younger, I used to watch sappy romantic comedies like I was gobbling M&Ms, my favorite candy. Tons of those sappy movies were directed by men. That’s not a typo, I said “men.” And when Kathryn Bigelow won her Oscar in 2009, it was for a testosterone drenched, adrena-line pumping war movie The Hurt Locker. I suppose that’s some sort of poetic justice. Anyway, kudos to the females out making movies without Hollywood support. I salute you.

Now, let’s get down to the fun stuff. Keep in mind I’ve only seen seven of

the eight Best Picture nominees as I shuffle my Oscar prediction cards.

First up: The Martian. Who didn’t love this movie? Matt Damon was likeable as an astronaut who gets left behind on Mars and must figure out a way to survive several more years on the planet than he has food for. I haven’t met anyone who’s disliked this movie and it’s a fun blockbuster excellently told. But lots of movies are entertaining. Oscar usually demands a little extra of its best pictures. The Martian’s excellence got it on the nomina-tion list but I don’t think it’s layered enough to take home the Oscar statuette.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is a true gem of a movie, Brooklyn. This hidden treasure is a small story about a young Irish girl who comes to America, suffers intense home sickness and eventually must choose between her new life and her old one. No dramatic life or death stakes like The Mar-tian. No gruesome survival scenes like The Revenant. Just a simple story extremely well told. A huge amount of this movie’s heart rests on Saoirse Ronan’s young shoulders. Af-ter it’s all over and you wonder why the film was so touching, you realize it’s because she makes us feel what her character feels every small step of the way. Though it’s a long shot, this sweet story could bring home a Best Actress statuette for Miss Ronan.

Speaking of long shots, I’ll hop on over to Stephen Spielberg’s movie, Bridge of Spies. It boasts an engrossing storyline about an at-torney who receives death threats for defend-ing an enemy spy only to turn around and use him to save an American spy. If nominee Spotlight loses momentum, Bridge of Spies’ skillful execution could bring it an Original Screenplay Oscar to tuck among its secret agent memorabilia.

Now it’s time to focus on the nominee that left those who never saw it scratching their heads. Meanwhile, those who did see it whooped and hollered in surprise. I’m not lying when I say I saw this trailer sitting be-tween two people on both sides of the fence. When the trailer was over my boyfriend at the time whispered, “I can’t wait to see this movie.” Then my mother leaned in from the other side and whispered “Who would

ever want to see this movie?” And that, dear readers, is why this is an Oscar-worthy movie. Generally movies chosen to be Oscar nominees are not boring. Love them or hate them but don’t be bored by them. This is the entertainment industry after all. The movie? Mad Max: Fury Road.

On the surface, it seems like the least likely movie to be in the Best Picture race. When’s the last time you’ve seen a chase fi lm up for an Oscar? Like never! But when’s the last time you saw a chase fi lm like this one? Like never! Light on dialogue and heavy on action, it miraculously fl eshes out a whole history for this apocalyptic setting where water is the last world resource and it’s running out fast. Th ere’s never a dull moment and I would be surprised if this one didn’t easily walk away with both Best Production Design and Best Makeup awards.

Before I get to the top three real contend-ers, I must say this next movie was a real sur-prise for me. Like Brooklyn, the movie simply titled Room is another movie told on a small scale. Th e plot focuses on a mother and her child who was born while both were held cap-tive in a single room. When they escape, the child experiences the rest of the whole wide world for the fi rst time. When I didn’t have a tear in my eye, I had a lump in my throat. When I didn’t have a lump in my throat, I had a knot in my stomach. Th is movie cuts deep. Its universal themes common to all of us include our comfort zones, reality versus illusion, family connections, and of course, freedom. It also looks at a theme not popular in modern day American movies, our genuine need for other human beings.

If evoking emotions were the only crite-ria for an Oscar win, then this movie would do it. However, my Magic 8 Ball sees Best Actress nominee Brie Larson as the only sure Oscar winner for this movie. Emma Dono-ghue could also win in the Best Adapted Screenplay category if The Big Short doesn’t scoop that one.

Get your Vegas money out! The Best Picture Oscar could go to The Big Short, The Revenant or Spotlight and the odds-on fa-vorite is different depending on which news source you read. Out of The Big Short and The Revenant, I think I personally would rather re-watch The Big Short if I had to re-watch one right away. The movie’s ability to take a dry subject, the American housing bubble fiasco, and make it as fun as a trip to Disneyland is no small feat. This film’s ability to make you root for people fighting injustice only to then flip it around and make you squirm uncomfortably is powerful. And no worries if you find some of it confusing. You’ll definitely still feel the injustice at all the right moments, which fuels this movie’s blazing core.

On the other hand, I think watching too many Game of Thrones episodes may have

Unpredictable Oscar Predictions

February 11, 2016 27Vol. 7 • No. 20

With a musical and geographic background as diverse as this guy, that may be a lot harder to an-swer than one would think. This Hawaiian born, SoCal raised, genre-defying musician has taken his talents halfway around the world and back be-fore coming to roost right here in the Lake City, after years of working with legendary producers and artists and creating more musical sounds than might be describable.

The adopted son of a military family, Loren found himself leaving Hawaii at a young age and spending most of his childhood growing up in and around Topanga Canyon and Laurel Can-yon in western Los Angeles, home to many of the sounds and stories of the famed West Coast music of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Years of playing with numerous bands of various genres eventually led Loren into a chance encounter with a Norwe-gian aerial filming crew that was working on the famous Grand Canyon scene from Superman 2. The crew really liked his music and thought that Renn’s Southwestern, folkish alt-country sound would resonate well in their frosty homeland.

Taking their advice to heart, Loren started pitching his music way across the pond and began getting positive feedback from Northern European record companies. With that and the encouragement of friends and contemporaries like Belinda Carlisle and the Go Go’s, who had just returned from Europe, Loren packed up his band “100 Days” and struck off for Norway, where eventually he found himself with a an offer from EMI Records.

With a thee-year stipulation on the contract, most of Loren’s band eventually headed back for sunny California, but he carried on, ending up with a techno-pop outfit under a contract from CBS/Sony that led to extensive European touring and eventually playing with the likes of Ah-Ha and other headlining acts of the day.

However, success got the best of the young band members and Loren stepped away, heading this time to Ari-zona to dig back into his roots and his songwriting away from the icy Euro-pean North. It was here that a series of friendships and relationships led Loren to finally meet Snuff Garrett, industry legend and the DJ credited with discov-ering a young artist you may know as Buddy Holly.

Garrett’s appreciation of Loren’s mu-sic and his Nashville influence eventu-ally led to Loren working with famed producer Bill Halverson. This man has engineered and produced acts such as Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Beach Boys, Cream, Eric Clapton, Tom Jones, Bill Withers and even our very own Jo-El Sonnier, on his hit album “Come On Joe.” Those sessions were enough to get Loren the eventual offer to stand in for The Eagles’ own Don Henley should his contract with Geffen Records have prevented his participation in the “Hell Freezes Over Tour”-- an accomplish-ment of no small detail.

But, Henley did return for the show and subse-quent tour and Loren has carried right on doing what he’s always done. He spent more time back in Norway and elsewhere in Europe and has once again returned to the U.S. after a surprise amount of interest from trop-rock radio stations stateside that wanted to add his music to their catalogues.

Loren never actually considered himself trop-rock, but the attention was enough to get him burning up the Gulf Coast playing to trop-rocker, folk fans and Parrotheads alike to the Florida Keys and back. He has had enough success that he’s back to work with Bill Halverson, currently creating a new album that is sure to please.

But all of this information still hasn’t answered the question: Who is Renn Loren musically? His Hawaiian album may make you think Polynesian and trop-rock, his earlier effort “The Topangas” may have you thinking SoCal meets alt or Texas country with even a possible splash of Tejano and Norteno. His European work can have you think-ing Techno and New Wave and now, living here in Southwest Louisiana, even a splash of Cajun, Zydeco and swamp pop is making its way into the mix that creates a fusion that I can only call some kind of “Fusion Folk-’loha,” to measure up to the complexity of both the musician and the man that is Renn Loren. Regardless of genre, this is a diverse and unique talent that is yet another colorful tile in this grand mosaic that we call Louisiana music that I do hope you’ll take the time to go see.

Many mahalos, Renn. We’ll see you out there.Renn and The Renn Loren Band are working

on a new Halverson-produced project and are gigging as we speak right here at home. Be sure to check him out at Cooler’s Ice House for a Charity Fundraiser on February 18 and at 171 Junction on February 19. Tell him The Jam sent ya!

numbed me before watching The Revenant. The story is visceral in a physical way. I shivered in the freezing cold, my mouth parched enough to slurp some extra movie cola and my insides gripped during excruciating survival scenes. But for those turned off by the gruesome-looking trailer, let me alert you a two-minute trailer does not a two-hour movie make. It’s tamer than an episode of Game of Thrones and worth a watch for sure.

Cinematographer Em-manuel Lubezki sometimes halted production for hours waiting for the perfect lighting only Mother Nature can pro-vide. You can see the results in stunning snow-capped scenes and eerie dreamscapes. Os-car fans don’t need me to tell you that Leonardo DiCaprio should start writing his Oscar speech now. It’s about as sure bet as you’re gonna get this year. Also, Alejandro G. Inar-ritu won the Director’s Guild Award for Best Director this year, which bodes extremely well for The Revenant to walk away with the biggest enchi-lada of the entire night.

But then there’s Spotlight, the movie about the Boston Globe’s reporting team who unveiled the Boston Archdio-cese priest sex abuse scandal. The movie everyone pre-dicted would get a Best Picture nomination even when no one could predict the other nominees. The movie that I didn’t get to see before writ-ing this article. The movie that started out of the gate like a fast race horse but has The Big Short and The Revenant nip-ping at its heels. What about that one? I have a feeling it’s incredible and must surely match up to The Big Short and The Revenant in appeal-ing to both the emotions and intellect. And the only thing more unpredictable than a two-way race is a three-way race. If I still haven’t tracked this one down in a theatre near me come Oscar night, I’ll be perched on the edge of my sofa watching the most unpredict-able race in years. Until next time, save me some popcorn!

February 11, 201628 Vol. 7 • No. 20

Thursday, Feb. 11Katie Whitney & Chip Radford5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Willie Tee, Warren Storm & Cypress7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Orphan Annie8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Space Rockers9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Karaoke NightKaroake starts @ 11 p.m.9 p.m.-2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Friday, Feb. 12

Katie Whitney & Chip Radford5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Reed Planchard7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Jen Kober8 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Eddie Money 8:30 p.m. @ Grand Event Center Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and/or by phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000

Big Jimmy & Restless Band9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC

Big Redd & Creole Soul9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

Space Rockers9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

3-H-G9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Qrisis9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Dance NightDrink specials starting @midnight9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Kris Calwell9 p.m. @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.

LA Yard Dogs9:30 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

AEP10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

DJ San-D11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Saturday, Feb. 13Katie Whitney & Chip Radford5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

The Commodores7 p.m. @ Delta Event CenterDelta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

Acoustic Pie7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

February 11, 2016 29Vol. 7 • No. 20

Jen Kober8 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Lou Gramm8:30 p.m. @ Grand Event Center Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and/or by phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000

Special Event Night9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Kris Calwell9 p.m. @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.

Big Redd & Creole Soul9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

Kollider9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. LC

Space Rockers9 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

3-H-G9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Qrisis9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

DJ San-D11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Sunday, Feb. 14Chester & Jarius DaigleJD’s Whiskey Brunch@ 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Clint Faulk4-8 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Rapture7-11 p.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

GG Shinn7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Server Industry NightSunday Funday Karaoke Night

9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Monday, Feb. 15Stacy Bearden5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Open Mic Night9-midnight @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Tuesday, Feb. 16Bryan Trahan5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Jazz Night with Mickey Smith6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

John Guidroz8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

SIN NightTwo for Tuesday on shots and beer9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., LC

Wednesday, Feb. 17Chester Daigle5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Chris Miller & Bayou Roots6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

February 11, 201630 Vol. 7 • No. 20

Kade Fontenot8 p.m. @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.

Street Side Jazz Trio8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

QRISIS8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Superstar WednesdaysDrag Show starts at 11:30 p.m.9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., LC

Michael Krajicek9 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Thursday, Feb. 18Kevin Lambert5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

QRISIS8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

AfterParty9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort

2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Alfred Doucet9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Friday, Feb. 19Kevin Lambert5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Kory Fontenot7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

O.A.R.8:30 p.m.@ Grand Event CenterGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets prices range from $25-$40 and are on sale now at www.ticket-master.com

LA Express9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

You Make Me So Very Happy...

As casual as many listeners may be, you will probably find yourself hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t like some music of some persuasion. Styles and instruments and languages all vary wildly, but just about eve-ryone has some sort of music that speaks to them personally. The ques-tion that we don’t know the answer to is “Why?” Why do we so seemingly love music so universally and why does it evoke the feelings and emo-tions that we get from it? Well, as it tends to do, modern science is com-ing up with some newer answers to some old questions.

Research being done by Canadian scientists over the last few years

have been able to identify specified brain activities triggered by musical stimuli. Whereas we’ve known about the dopamine release we receive from hearing music we like, we are now more able to see how the different parts of the brain work together to determine what it is that we do or do not like.

The research shows that one’s musi-cal preferences are largely shaped by previous experience (the music and sounds that have been familiar to the listener) and are based on a certain level of predictability of the mind finding those pre-established famili-arities in new music. The bits of gray matter behind all this are the same ones that get the dopamine flow-ing over food or even more “primal” impulses in humans and in other animals, both of which are vital for survival and the preservation of the species.

Do You Feel Like I Do...

But why music? It’s certainly not as if our lives hang in its balance, but unlike other animals, our mind almost behaves as if it does. Well, some more unifying data on that front came out of Stanford revealing that scans of listeners’ brains have shown synchro-nized activity amongst a cross-section of listeners against the same piece of music, meaning that while our experi-ence determines our likes and dislikes, there is still a universal, psychological affect that music has on the human psyche, regardless of the listeners’ background.

Not only does this help with the question as to why music is as uni-versally loved, it also has implied that particular neural responses are attain-able simply using sound. That has led to the development and use of audi-tory applications in stabilizing heart rate and breathing in post-op patients

February 11, 2016 31Vol. 7 • No. 20

QRISIS9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

AfterParty9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Flamethrowers9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Dance NightDrink specials starting @midnight9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Reece Sullivan9 p.m. @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.

Renn Loren9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC

Rusty Metoyer9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

DJ Crush11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Saturday, Feb. 20Kevin Lambert5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Flashback7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Special Event Night9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

RKW Acoustic Show9 p.m. @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.

LA Express9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

AfterParty9 p.m.– 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

aiding in and speeding their recovery. That’s not to men-tion the longstanding use of auditory stimuli to aid in concentration, battling de-pression, anxiety, schizophre-nia, sleep disorders or even to quit smoking.

Music may not be critical for maintaining life, but it appears that it can be use-ful at improving the qual-ity of our lives in ways far more than just hearing your favorite song on the radio, cranking it up and letting it make you feel that all is right in the world for a few minutes. We’re wired up a bit better than that and, who knows, maybe the more that neuroscientists, audiol-ogists, psychologists and the like continue such research, we might find out that music is not only enjoyable, but it’s REALLY good for us mentally, physically and emotionally.

So it’s time for this “doc-tor” to go heal himself. As for you? Take two Roy Orbisons and call me in the morning. Should fix ya right on up!

Something is Happening Here...And outside of all the neuro-babble, we can not forget the good ol’ fashioned

“Feels” that music can give you, certainly not with Valentine’s Day right around the corner. Here are a couple of lovey-dovey options for you and your sweet one to go get all those dopamines a-going:

Saturday, Feb. 13: “Oh, What a Night” Dinner ShowL’Auberge Casino Resort

A night of auditory Valentine’s Day decadence awaits you for an evening of din-ner, gifts and music brought to you by “Under The Streetlamp” a Motown, Doo Wop, rock-n-roll musical romp featuring recent leading cast members from the Broadway production of Jersey Boys. Tickets start at $75 and are available online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Saturday, Feb. 13: Valentine Dinner CruiseLoggerheads

If the Four Seasons sound isn’t exactly your flavor or you’d rather a somewhat different atmosphere, the Lady of the Lake will be setting sail from Loggerheads at 5:30 in the evening and will offer up dinner, wine and dancing with the live mu-sic of GRAMMY nominee Mickey Smith. Ticketing and event information can be found at www.lakecharlesdinnercruises.com.

So I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song...Here’s to hoping that all of you crazy cool folk out there had a killer Mardi Gras!

A big thanks to all of you whom I got to see, emcee for, photograph and otherwise chase around all season long. There truly is no other time of the year like it. Can’t wait til next year! Until next time, I’ll see you at the show!

February 11, 201632 Vol. 7 • No. 20

QRISIS9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Flamethrowers9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Bad Habit9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. LC

DJ Crush11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Sunday, Feb. 21Street Side Jazz Band11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill710 Ryan St., LC

Chester & Jarius DaigleJD’s Whiskey Brunch@ 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

John Cessac3:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Server Industry NightSunday Funday Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Monday, Feb. 22Bryan Trahan5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

DJ Jose Mata8 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Drink Specials9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC Tuesday, Feb. 23Kay Miller5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Jazz Night with Clint Faulk6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, LC

DJ Jose Mata8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Wednesday, Feb. 24Chester Daigle5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Chris Miller & Bayou Roots6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Joe Ecker8 p.m. @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.

The SLAGS8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Superstar WednesdaysDrag Show starts at 11:30 p.m.9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., LC

Josh Taylor9:30 @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Thursday, Feb. 25Rusty Yates5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Greg Martinez & the Delta Kings7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

The SLAGS8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

The New Waves9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Karaoke NightKaroake starts @ 11 p.m.9 p.m.-2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Hank & the Cupcakes10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Friday, Feb. 26Rusty Yates5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Clint and Zac7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

LA Bayou Band9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC

Joe Harmon9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

The New Waves9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini

Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Party@Joes9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Safi ra9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Dance NightDrink specials starting @midnight9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Brittany Pfantz9 p.m. @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.

Larry Tillery9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Dark Sideof the Lake10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

DJ Crush11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Saturday, Feb. 27Rusty Yates5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Louisiana Bad Habit7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Wayne Dylan9 p.m. @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd.

Black Heart Saints10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

February 11, 2016 33Vol. 7 • No. 20

February 11, 201634 Vol. 7 • No. 20

Steve Hookanson and Kathy Pettit Jackie and Paul Hippman

Blake McCaskill, Monica and Julie Miller Jeanie and Burn Rourk

CHAMBER SOUTHWEST ANNUAL BANQUET

Business leaders turned out en masse for the SWLA Economic Development Alliance’s 112th

annual Chamber Banquet. Some 1,200 attendees gathered to dine and hear a message from

Louisiana’s new Governor, John Bell Edwards and were entertained by Comedian Jimmy Tingle who

delivered the keynote address. Moving forward, Louisiana!

Daniella and Patricia Gonzalez

Chris Esquivel, Belinda Lopez and Kristen SuarezJulie and Brandon Crossett

GOLDEN NUGGET PRESENTS PITBULL

The Lake City went “Worldwide” as the one and only Pitbull brought his party to Southwest Louisiana for Mardi Gras weekend! Thousands of fans lined up to see Mr. Worldwide in one

of the biggest shows to hit the area in decades. On fire!

Anne Billedeau, Ann Barilleaux and Andy Dressler

Britaney and Dawn Cothran

Claudia Devalle and Marina Garcia

February 11, 2016 35Vol. 7 • No. 20

Caroline Solari, Kelley Saucier and Elaine Solari

Jane Baggett and Annaleigh DrostPatrick Kelly, Janice Prescott, John Snyder

and McKenzie Schexnayder

Courtney Allen, Madeline Wilson and Kristian Salvador Craig Jones and Katherine Henning

KREWE OF CONTRABAND BALL Mardi Gras Royalty continued to strut its stuff

as the fi nal weekend of the 2016 Mardi Gras sea-son set in. Amongst those reveling was the long-

standing and venerable Krewe of Contraband, who welcomed their new King and Queen with all the

grandeur of Carnivale. Bons Mardi Gras, mes amis!

Dion, Maryssa, Austin and Heather Kingsbury Margie and Lorelai Snyder

Marla and Kylie Nichols and Clailey David with Jessica, Lauryn and Caden Miguez

CHILDREN’S PARADE One of the many longstanding traditions

of SWLA’s Mardi Gras is the beloved Children’s Parade. Crowds packed up both sides of

Ryan Street as float after float delivered their bounty of beads and candy! Here’s to all the

young revelers who participated and to a great Mardi Gras season!

Ollie, Edward and Charles Thigpen

Abi Abraham, Maaliyah Papillon, Haley Clark and Abbie Milligan

Faith and London Roberts