Issuu

Louisiana Life

THE

BEST TOWN WINNER INSIDE

July/August 2026 Bayou St . John Top Or thopedists

FOWL

Best Hospitals

Teal Hunting in Jefferson Davis Parish

PL AY PLUS

COZY TOWNS SEPT/OCT 2026

LouisianaLife.com

In honor of fall, we’re leaning into the Bayou State’s coziest places to hole up, sip hot beverages and enjoy the cooler temps.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

Features 24

BEST TOWN WINNER

Flip through to see readers’ favorite town

FOWL PLAY

Teal hunting in Jefferson Davis Parish

COZY TOWNS

In honor of fall, we’re leaning into the Bayou State’s coziest places to hole up, sip hot beverages and enjoy the cooler temps.

Louisiana Life (ISSN 1042-9980) is published bimonthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380. Subscription rate: One year $24; no foreign subscriptions. An associate subscription to Louisiana Life is available by a contribution to Louisiana Public Broadcasting. Periodicals postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Louisiana Life, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright © 2026 Louisiana Life, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Louisiana Life is registered. Louisiana Life is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos, and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Louisiana Life are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner. Official digital reprint and framed content is only available from Renaissance Publishing, LLC by calling (504) 828-1380 or visiting louisianalife.com/frames.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

VO LU M E 4 6 N U M B E R 5

September/October 06

EDITOR’S NOTE

Cozy Fall Vibes 08

PELICAN BRIEFS

News and updates around the state 10

LITERARY LOUISIANA

Tales of struggle and recovery 12

IN TUNE

Dustin Dale Gaspard and the mystery of making music 14

LAMADE

Fully Fit Meals delivers healthy cuisine in the Capital Region 18

ART

Light and Life in the work of Baton Rouge Artist Margaret Humphris 54

Louisiana’s food is complex and deeply flavored. On its surface we have gumbo, meat pies and jambalaya. But in tiny corners, there is the food that comes to us from those pockets of people, sometimes immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Sometimes we know of the food, but not its origins. And sometimes things are hidden in plain sight, and we must rediscover them. But like all Louisiana food, we always hold it to the same high standard: It has to taste good.

LA RAMBLER

Marksville packs 2,000 years of history, indigenous culture and outdoor adventure into one surprisingly rich central Louisiana day trip

NATURAL STATE

Manresa House of Retreats 62

FARTHER FLUNG

Georgia city along the Chattahoochee delivers an ideal weekend getaway 64

PHOTO CONTEST

A bubblicious afternoon in the Norco sun

4 3 5

Locations Spotlight 1. Shreveport p. 8 2. Cow Island p. 12 3. Prairieville p. 14 4. Baton Rouge p. 18 5. St. James Parish p. 54 6. Marksville p. 58

E D I TO R ’ S N OT E

Cozy Fall Vibes IS COZY A STATE OF MIND? To me, it’s the ultimate one. Being cozy in this life is the end all, be all. Whatever you have to do to feel peaceful, comfortable, safe and happy — to make your life cozy — is so important because everything else stems from that. It can mean curling up with a blanket, cup of tea and a book. Or walking through the woods on a perfect morning, birdsong all around and leaves crunching underfoot. Fall is the perfect time to get cozy. Though Louisiana is not typically associated with the fall trappings of other states, still, there is a lessening of the heat, the drop in humidity and the faint change of leaf color is enogh for us to celebrate the season. In this issue, Melanie Warner Spencer explores some places to go in September and October. Spencer highlights Breaux Bridge, Natchitoches, Covington and Monroe, and she includes things to do to really lean into the season. If you live near one of these places, it’s an easy outing, but if not, a road trip is definitely in order. It seems like fall is the time when we are finally energized to leave the comfort of our air-conditioning to venture out into the world for more than the necessary — work and groceries and gas. Sometimes a weekend getaway is the perfect way to recalibrate or find that peaceful state of mind. Growing up, we’d go to our cousin’s camp in Breaux Bridge and that was the ultimate cozy time. It was an old A-frame camp with ‘70s wood paneled walls, old camp furniture and not a lot of room for all of us. But we loved being there and fishing, playing cards and cooking outside. We were lucky to have that little place to escape to and were always lighter and happier on the way home. Reine Dugas Some might call it self-care or others say hygge, but whatever cozy means to EDITOR REINE@LOUISIANALIFE.COM you, I hope you find it this season.

louisianalifemagazine louisianalifemag louisianalifemag

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

EDITORIAL Editor Reine Dugas Art Director Sarah E.G. Majeste

Copy Editor Liz Clearman Web Editor Kelly Massicot Digital Editor Alyssa Schiaffino Contributors Cheré Coen, John R. Kemp, Lisa Leblanc-Berry, Jeremy Marshall, Misty Millioto, Kevin Rabalais, Jeffrey Roedel, Christopher Louis Romaguera, Danley Romero, Melanie Warner Spencer, Fritz Esker, Eugenia Uhl, Liz Williams SALES Sales Manager Rebecca Taylor 337-298-4424 / 337-235-7919 Ext. 7230 Rebecca@LouisianaLife.com

Renaissance Publishing PRODUCTION Digital Director Rosa Balaguer Arostegui Senior Production Designer Ashley Bravata MARKETING Marketing Manager Haley Nash Sponsored Content Coordinator Jeremy Marshall ADMINISTRATION Office Manager Emily Ruiz Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne For Subscriptions Call 877-221-3512

110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 504-828-1380

Celebrate fall with a festive discount! Get $5 off a new subscription.

128 Demanade, Suite 104 Lafayette, LA 70503 337-235-7919 ext 7230

*Must order online, new subscribers only, expires October 31, 2026.

LouisianaLife.com

SALES

Rebecca Taylor SALES MANAGER (337) 298-4424 (337) 235-7919 EXT. 7230 REBECCA@LOUISIANALIFE.COM

Up Next Coming in Nov/Dec

Film in Louisiana

Top Doctors

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

PELICAN BRIEFS

Art and Sparks

BATON ROUGE

Come One, Come All

BY LISA LEBLANC-BERRY

NEW ORLEANS

Bringing the World to New Orleans Some of the world’s most celebrated bars will transform a French Quarter venue into an extension of their own establishments when New Orleans’ Jewel of the South launches The Cocktail Hour in October. Inaugural collaborators for each new residency include The Dead Rabbit (New York City), Panda & Sons (Edinburgh), Brujas (Mexico City) and Bar Leone (Hong Kong). The Cocktail Hour’s seasonal collaborations extend through June 2027.

The 50th annual Red River Revel (October 8-11, 15-18) kicks off with an epic drone and fireworks show. Shreveport’s multi-arts festival showcases a creative kids zone and 200 visual and performing artists on multiple stages featuring headliners such as Better Than Ezra, Cowboy Mouth and Flow Tribe.

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

Behind Southern University’s greenhouse building is a new Demonstration Farm designed as a living classroom that gives visitors and students hands-on experience growing food while demonstrating techniques that can be adapted to backyards, neighborhood gardens and churches. LAFAYETTE

Unprecedented Alliance The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) have announced a three-year strategic partnership, anchored by the hiring of acclaimed music director Matthew Kraemer (principal conductor of LPO), as ASO’s new artistic advisor. ASO’s season opener, “America at 250” (October 1), features Gold Medalist Zhu Wang performing Gershwin’s iconic “Rhapsody in Blue.” AROUND THE STATE

Of Hauntings and Halloween Northeast Louisiana’s largest haunted venue, Evil Visions Haunted House, opens its 2026 season with new scares and props, expanded space, new experiences and 30-40 actors (plus security) on a larger 20-acre site in downtown Monroe (September-October). Two terrifying haunted houses (including Alice’s 3D madhouse) and a buried-alive simulator are staged in Natchitoches’ Dark Woods in Timber Ridge (October). A new electronic music and dance festival, Freaky Deaky Nola, debuts Halloween weekend at New Orleans’ Mardi Gras World (October 30-31).

Additional news online at LouisianaLife.com

PHOTO COURTESY RED RIVER REVEL

Red River Revel in Shreveport

L I T E R A R Y LO U I S I A N A

Rising Up Tales of struggle and recovery BY CHRISTOPHER LOUIS ROMAGUERA

Broken Houses: Poems In Chelsea Rathburn’s “Broken Houses: Poems,” she gives us poems about broken houses and broken homes, both the physical and those that transcend the buildings and cities we live in. She writes poems focusing on the ghosts and the homes of the past, channeling from her childhood in Florida. The poems focus on the macro, such as how the settlement of Miami came to be, to the micro, like her father’s experience in California in foster homes. Rathburn is the Poet Laureate of Georgia. “Broken Houses: Poems” is the second book of Rathburn’s that has been published by LSU Press. 86 pages, $20.95

Whole, Holy, Hot Chrissy Martin’s debut poetry collection, “Whole, Holy, Hot,” uses everything from longer prose poems to more formal verse poems that wrestle with the struggle and beauty of a life lived with chronic illness and disability. In her poem, “Nail Harmony,” Martin enters the poem through her use of the Dolly Parton song “9 to 5” and her use of nails in the song, to how the speaker of the poem used nails as a weapon to defend herself, ending with the line, “How do we mourn those who made us sharpen ourselves into weapons.” She is an assistant professor of English at Centenary College of Louisiana. Martin lives in Shreveport, Louisiana. 100 pages, $18.00

Go Help Yourself “Go Help Yourself” is Daniel Pope’s debut novel, which asks the question, what if all the self-help gurus of today were wrong about how broken we all are? The protagonist of Go Help Yourself is Corbin Moore, a writer in his 20s that works at a “spiritualist” Seattle bookstore and who essentially smokes weed every day. When his mother, famous self-help guru Geraldine (who he has a complicated relationship with), comes home, his world is turned upside down. “Go Help Yourself” was the winner of the 2025 University of New Orleans Press Publishing Lab prize. 384 pages, $26.95

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

On Witness and Respair “On Witness and Respair” is a collection of essays from MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant winner Jesmyn Ward, which takes the name from the essay of the same title that she published in Vanity Fair during the COVID-19 pandemic. The essays all focus on surviving challenging moments in life, such as the killing of her brother by a drunk driver and the death of her husband during the Covid-19 pandemic, to her desire to process it all through writing. These essays are all incredibly impactful and this is a must-read book. Ward is a professor at Tulane University in New Orleans. 256 pages, $29.00

Additional books online at LouisianaLife.com

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

IN TUNE

The Bayou Bard Dustin Dale Gaspard and the mystery of making music BY JEREMY MARSHALL

C O W I S L A N D N AT I V E Dustin Dale Gaspard’s Cajun

Discover this artist and the full lineup of musicians featured in Louisiana Life throughout 2026 on our curated Spotify playlist.

LOUISIANA LIFE

bona fides stretch back nine generations to his ancestral grandmother, whose exile led her to find a place of solace in Acadiana. While not musicians, Gaspard’s family was always musical, with ‘50s rock and roll and swamp pop records a common backing track to their cozy Cajun life. Yet, it was the language which Dale first heard at his grandparents’ knee that would become the long-fused muse of his life and art; the musical voluptuousness of French words and intonations ping-ponging across his childhood home subsumed and fascinated him. But that was just one part of the puzzle. The other came during a chance visit to Artmosphere, the seminal Lafayette music venue, as Gaspard witnessed a performance by singer/ songwriter Matt Ami, one that shook and spoke to him. “There were like four people in the room, but he absolutely captivated me,” recalls Gaspard. “With just a guitar and his voice, he was capable of explaining and fulfilling all of these mysteries of the world. The songs were incredible and showed me that there was a way to be a vessel for music, one that not only helps dissolve those mysteries but allows you to become one.”

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

While the bug of musicianship had surely caught Gaspard, his sense of self was initially adrift; battered by a young man’s preternatural instincts to be a ‘90s frontman or heartthrob, less an artist than a pretty face masquerading as one. But, at a songwriting retreat in 2019, Gaspard met and collaborated with musicians from around the world — the U.K., Ireland, French Canada — and found in their bespoke cultures a reclamation of their roots, of languages and customs, of ancestry as immediate as it was influential. This revelation connected the disparate strands of his artistry, the yearning of a storyteller with a guitar and the proud child of Acadiana. With that, Gaspard enveloped himself in all that had born him, the people, relationships and language that were the ballast for nobody’s story but his own. His first album, “Hoping Heaven Got a Kitchen,” speaks directly to this cross section of authenticity and renewal; a swamp pop reverie that immortalizes his unique corner of the world in the amber of song, of a summer afternoon amid the marshlands where the sun never sets and nobody will ever die. In the sound of childhood, the voices of ancestors and the stories all his own, Gaspard had finally found his mystery worth encompassing. As a contestant on the 28th season of NBC’s “The Voice,” Gaspard more than broke ground; he evaporated it as he sang Cajun French as a part of the infamous Blind Audition segment of the show. His performance, a cover of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me,” stunned the judges, including country music legend Reba McEntire and his eventual coach, Irish singer/ songwriter Niall Horan. The experience for Gaspard was a surreal one, offering him a platform to spread the gospel of Cajun French, a once-in-a-lifetime shot which he was desperate not to fumble. “I saw it as an opportunity to turn the volume all the way up, to perform in a way that legitimizes my existence, my soul. It gave me a chance to do something bilingually that shows both sides of who I am,” says Gaspard. “Things like that aren’t supposed to happen to people from Cajun Country. I was on a movie lot where they were filming ‘Jurassic Park’. It was a long, long shot, but it somehow worked out because I believed in who I was and where I come from.” Soon to begin work on his next album after a successful Kickstarter campaign, Gaspard is ready to spin his whirlwind experience on the national stage into his art, chronicling one more chapter in a story that began nine generations ago when a woman was forcibly removed from her home country and found refuge in the heart of Louisiana. That legacy is kept alive and thriving through its most recent torchbearer, a Bayou Bard, as he unspools the mysteries of a brand-new world through the language, lyricism, and love of the old one.

Additional music news online at LouisianaLife.com

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

LO U I S I A N A M A D E

Off Your Plate Fully Fit Meals delivers healthy cuisine in the Capital Region BY JEFFREY ROEDEL SELECT PHOTOS BY ROMERO & ROMERO

D R E N C H I N G T H E B R O W N B R I C K B U I L D I N G tucked away on the western edge of Prairieville, Louisiana is experiencing a torrential spring afternoon rainstorm, the kind that would keep anyone from stomping through the slosh just to get to the grocery. A lot of people would say, “Let’s just order a pizza,” on a day like today. There’s always an excuse to put convenience over health, which is why Chef Amanda Vinet is inside doing what she does best — staying prepared. Her spacious kitchen is bordered by stainless steel fridges, banquet-length work tables and a large rolling whiteboard with a weekly list of menu items so eclectic, it would make Gordon Ramsey double take: garlic butter steak bites, veggie lasagna, Vietnamese sticky chicken, shrimp crunchy roll bowls, and more. This is the headquarters for Fully Fit Meals, Vinet’s expanding food prep and delivery service focused on fresh, macro-balanced meals featuring locally sourced

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

vegetables and proteins, sauces made in-house from whole foods and packaged in calorie and portion-controlled servings. The energetic 37-year-old entrepreneur talks about her upcoming menu with the kind of glow only a chef whose brand-new 40-gallon tilt skillet just allowed her to cook marsala with 200 chicken breasts at one time could possibly have. “This’ll change my life,” Vinet says. “I could have fit 400 in there, which is insane and surreal because I did start this in my little apartment kitchen 10 years ago. I can’t even believe that it’s gotten as big as it has, but I feel like I’ve been excited through every milestone.” Though her focus is fitness, flavor is nonnegotiable. Vinet’s Cajun and Creole roots, and her love for Asian cooking, are obvious in every bite.

Additional images online at LouisianaLife.com

AMANDA VINET OCCUPATION

Owner/Chef, Fully Fit Meals SOCIAL MEDIA

@fullyfitmeals WEBSITE

fullyfitmeals.com

LO U I S I A N A M A D E

The Louisiana native grew up not only watching her mother, Amber, spend hours in the kitchen perfecting meals, but sitting on the counter and asking a thousand questions along the way. “She’s such a good cook, I wanted to know the ‘why’ for everything she was doing,” Vinet says. “And now she works for me, she runs our quality control, and I couldn’t do any of this without her.” From cooking in her apartment for a dozen clients to now operating out of a professional kitchen and staffed with 16 employees, Fully Fit Meals has gone from a fitness fanatic’s passion project to a real player in the Baton Rouge region’s food space. New menus are posted every Saturday — Vinet stays inventive with her inspirations and won’t repeat a dish within a three-month period, unless she gets a lot of requests — and deliveries for the week roll out Mondays. “There have definitely been times where I felt pressure to follow diet fads or change my meals to fit whatever trend was popular at the moment, but staying consistent with what I believe in is what’s carried me through,” Vinet says. Her mother isn’t the only family member on the team. Their legacy continues with Vinet’s young daughter Fiona, who explores new restaurants with her mom and likes giving crucial feedback on her recipes. “She’s actually one of my favorite people to share culinary experiences with — she just gets it and already

has her own appreciation for food,” Vinet says. “She’ll even introduce me to things I didn’t know about that she discovered on YouTube. In the kitchen, she’s going to be a beast.” This passion for thoughtful food choices is a pattern Vinet hopes is repeated in families across South Louisiana with the help of Fully Fit Meals. As a registered nurse working in Baton Rouge, and a barre studio manager in Prairieville, mother-of-two Macy Ott’s lifestyle can be as busy as busy gets. She’s often eating on the go or literally in her car. But with fitness a priority, Ott sidesteps fast food and mindless snacking for Fully Fit Meals.

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

Q&A If you could cook a meal for anyone famous, who would it be, and what’s going to be on your menu? I love music, and Fiona Apple has always been one of my favorite artists. I actually named my daughter Fiona because of how much I admire her. If I could cook for her, I would make something true to my roots like chicken & dumplings. It was my favorite dish my grandmother made, and sharing that would be really cool.

“I love that they offer so many options, so it’s easy for my family and for me no matter what,” says Ott, a long-time devotee of Vinet’s chimichurri steak, and the detail put into her sauces and sides. “It doesn’t look like takeout, you open it and it’s gorgeous. It’s convenient and healthy, and that sparks other opportunities for change in your life. Because having a healthy relationship to food — and the mindset of eating to live, not living to eat — is so important, especially here in South Louisiana.” Always consistent with her weight training, Vinet felt she had delegated enough at her company last summer to explore new ways of exercising. She became a certified

yoga instructor and now leads a class at Yoga Studio 90 in Baton Rouge. “Consistency is everything, for my business and my fitness, and for anyone who wants to make healthier food choices,” Vinet says. “People know what to expect from Fully Fit Meals, and I like that. I want to be a trustworthy person and a brand that people know they can always rely on.” Reliability is built on more than creativity and quality, though. People need access, too. And that meant expanding to seven delivery drivers last year. Fully Fit Meals now offers fresh food far across the greater Capital Region, from St. Francisville to Sorrento, and Denham Springs to downtown Baton Rouge and across the river to Plaquemines. To serve exercisers making last-minute decisions when they are hungriest, Vinet positioned two Fully Fit Meals coolers in local gyms, each continually stocked with healthy grab-and-go meals. After tracking those sales for a few months, more may roll out, she says. If Vinet can bring calm and assurance to someone’s health journey, that is her ultimate reward. With so much noise on social media, and conflicting advice from too many directions, feeds can be stacked with influencers pushing products, unproven diets and misleading workout methods. Vinet wants Fully Fit Meals to cut through all that like a knife. “I just want it to be easier for people to stop overthinking what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle,” Vinet says. “I want to make it convenient for them. And most of all, I want them to really look forward to eating their next meal.” For the latest weekly menus, ingredients information, and ordering details, visit fullyfitmeals.com

What’s one dish or ingredient that you think is very underrated, and what do you personally love about it? The way limes can elevate so many dishes and sauces is kind of insane. I recently ate at Moon Rabbit, a Vietnamese restaurant in Houston, and they served a dipping sauce with their shaken beef that was just lime juice, salt, and pepper. I was mind blown. It was so simple, but absolutely delicious. If there’s a lime on my plate, I’m using it. When you have time off, what do you love to do? I love exploring restaurants and sharing food experiences with friends. It’s not just about eating to get full — it’s about being in an environment where you know someone has poured their heart into creating dishes and building their dream. BLDG 5 in the Garden District Baton Rouge is one of my favorites. Also, Sazon Latin Grill on O’Neal Lane. I’ve been really into Cuban food lately. And I always love working out and spending time with my daughter.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

ART

Illuminated Dreams Light and Life in the work of Baton Rouge Artist Margaret Humphris BY JOHN R. KEMP

T H E S W I S S P S YC H I AT R I S T C A R L J U N G , the father of analytical psychology, once said a dream “is a little hidden door in the innermost and most sacred recesses of the soul.” Baton Rouge artist Margaret Humphris, through her dreamlike paintings, gives viewers a glimpse behind her “hidden door.” At first glance, Humphris’ paintings seem like pages lifted from a medieval or Renaissance illuminated manuscript with their beautiful and colorfully painted detailed borders surrounding ethereal images that often invoke some inner spiritual message. And they do. A conversation with Humphris, a retired clinical social worker at LSU Mental Health Service, fittingly turns to a discussion about her art and Carl Jung and his philosophy that says we all have a “drive toward wholeness.” Humphris’ dreams and paintings help inform her drive to wholeness. “It’s a form of prayer, I think,” says Humphris, explaining her continuing drive to create art. “It’s how I keep myself in balance. I think it’s that drive to keep pushing oneself to express the joy and mystery of being alive in this world.” And then she adds with a little chuckle, “It’s also a great excuse to play with color.” Humphris, who was born in Jackson, Mississippi and grew up in Virginia and New Orleans, has played with color most of her life even as a child. Later, while working on degrees in art at LSU, she developed an interest in art therapy as a career. With that in mind, she went on to get a master’s in therapy and social work. Degrees in hand, Humphris spent the next eight years at the United Way in Denham Springs and another 22 years at LSU Mental Health Service. All the while, Humphris continued to paint. The illuminated “manuscripts” came later. Although she tried for years to perfect the style, it didn’t work. Not until the death of her brother in 2015 did she find that voice. It began with a personal and spiritual journey, a misty island and King Arthur. “When my brother passed, we were driving up to Virginia,” she says, recalling that awakening moment. “It

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

(Left, top) “Up for Air (Believe)” (Left, bottom) “Down” (Right) “Falling”

was a rainy day and we were in South Carolina, crossing this big lake. I saw this distant island lying in a foggy mist. And then suddenly like a lightning bolt, I said that’s Avalon from the myth of King Arthur. I was suddenly overwhelmed by this comfort in knowing my brother was okay because he was in Avalon. That was it. That series of paintings had to be done as illuminated manuscripts because they had to be done in gold. The gold symbolized the sacredness of the moment and the love.” As to the source of the imagery in her paintings, she says they simply appear in her imagination, in dreams, or perhaps from a poem she read, a movie or magazine article, or from a conversation overheard in a grocery store. True to her studies in psychology and the teach-

ings of Carl Jung, dreams are the richest resource for her images. She records them in her journal. “They are personal because they come directly from the subconscious,” she says. “It’s definitely me, and it’s universal because we are all human, and we all go through very similar experiences. We will all have loss. And we will all have joy and sorrow.” Humphris’ paintings usually come in a series that tell stories. Although the paintings could stand alone, she describes each as a “word in a sentence.” Symbols in the illuminated borders are part of that story. For example, she often includes images of birds for, as she says, “they are magical and spiritual messengers that connect heaven and earth.”

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

ART

Exhibits CAJUN

Nympheus Luminansis: Water Lilies of Light. Paintings by Laurence Saunois based on Monet’s water lilies at Giverny, Sept. 12 through Jan. 3. Historic City Hall, Lake Charles. cityoflakecharles. com CENTRAL

39th September Competition. Juried international contemporary art competition, through Oct. 10. Alexandria Museum of Art. themuseum.org NOLA

The Moss Mystique: Southern Women and Newcomb Pottery. Newcomb Pottery and ideas of place in the South, through Dec. 4. Newcomb Art Museum of Tulane. newcombartmuseum.tulane.edu NORTH

In her series titled “Unfinished Journey,” for example, six illuminated “manuscript” paintings tell the story of life’s ups and downs and life out of balance. These paintings, like most of her work, are about “transformation and spiritual growth” and moving from one phase of life to another. “We can’t move into the next phase of life without letting some things go, as painful as that might be,” she says. “If we keep trudging along, there may be this amazing gift and insight that come from something so much bigger than me. I want that image to be a gift that opens your mind and your brain and your heart. That doesn’t mean we can dance through every storm,

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

but if we can manage to do our best, one day the storm will pass.” Although Humphris intentionally includes vague spiritual undertones in her paintings that are meaningful to her, she enjoys listening to what viewers say about her work. “I like to leave it open for what others see in them,” she says. “I want them to feel what it’s like to be in the presence of something powerful and how to make sense of that.” But most of all, she continues, “I want viewers to question and see the joy in being alive and seeing the beauty.” Perhaps Jung would approve.

Grounds for Departure: A Historic House, An Art Museum. Features art engaging with the museum’s architecture, through Oct. 31. Masur Museum of Art, masurmuseum.org RIVER PARISHES

The South’s Most Elusive Artist: Walter Inglis Anderson. Artworks drawn from the Walter Anderson Museum and family, Sept. 17 through Jan. 3. LSU Museum of Art, Baton Rouge. lsumoa.org

Additional images online at LouisianaLife.com

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

K I TC H E N G O U R M E T

Mystery Ingredient The secrets that make food so special BY LIZ WILLIAMS PHOTOS AND STYLING BY EUGENIA UHL

Okra Chips 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning or Cajun seasoning to taste 1 pound small fresh okra, cut lengthwise 2 tablespoons oil (for coating) Oil for frying 1 . FO R A N A I R F RY E R : Combine

cornstarch and seasoning in a bowl. Toss the cut okra first into the cornstarch mixture, then into the oil then back into the cornstarch mixture. Coat evenly. 2 . A R R A N G E the okra in a single

and deeply flavored. On its surface we have gumbo, meat pies and jambalaya. But in tiny corners, there is the food that comes to us from those pockets of people, sometimes immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Sometimes we know of the food, but not its origins. And sometimes things are hidden in plain sight, and we must rediscover them. But like all Louisiana food, we always hold it to the same high standard: It has to taste good. The former settlement of St. Malo, located in St. Bernard Parish, was the home to Filipino settlers and their descendants, who had jumped ship from Spanish galleons when those ships stopped in Louisiana. Destroyed by a storm, the settlement is hidden from sight today. The settlers developed the industry of dried shrimp in South Louisiana, based on culinary practices long in place in the Philippines. If you use dried shrimp in a Creole Italian tomato sauce instead of the more L O U I S I A N A’ S F O O D I S C O M P L E X

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. 3. FO R R EG U L A R F RY I N G : Pour

about 3 inches of oil into a heavy pot and heat to 350°F. Combine cornstarch and seasoning in a bowl. Toss the cut okra first into the cornstarch mixture, then into the oil, then back into the cornstarch mixture. Coat evenly. 4 . F RY the okra in small batches,

being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Cook until the pieces float and are golden brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Serve with your favorite dip. Do not crowd. Serves 4 to 6

Additional recipes online at LouisianaLife.com

traditional anchovies, you have a secret ingredient that enriches the flavor of the sauce thanks to those early Filipino settlers. There are other delicious secrets in Louisiana. Some things like absinthe were forced to be hidden for a time by law. Today it is no longer banned, but it is still not found everywhere. The mystery and slightly illegal vibe of absinthe makes it appealing to many. There are secrets in our cooking. For some the ingredients themselves are secret. For others the secret is an unknown ingredient, like Antoine’s Restaurant’s secret ingredient in oysters Rockefeller. They keep it secret by never disclosing the recipe, leading to endless speculation and suggested ingredients and myriad recipes developed by non-Antoine’s chefs and cooks. Did you know that there is a mystery about the mirliton? It is called chayote in most places. But it is only in Louisiana and in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) where the fruit is known as mirliton. We cannot establish which place is its origin. We don’t know where it was named. That is a secret that may never be resolved. But this conundrum does nothing to take away from the deliciousness of that fruit.

Quick Pickled Mirliton A small mirliton will fill one ½ pint jar, so you can calculate how much brine to make and how many jars you need using that measure if you have more mirlitons. 1 cup water 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon whole coriander 1 tablespoon coarsely cracked pepper 1 bay leaf, cut into 2 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons sugar 2 cloves garlic, peeled 2 mirliton, pitted and sliced long and thin 1 . PL AC E all of the ingredients

except the mirliton into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for one minute. Add the sliced mirliton and bring back to a boil. As soon as the liquid returns to a boil, remove from heat. 2 . PAC K each jar with about 1

mirliton and use a spoon to put some of the spices in each jar making sure to put one clove of the garlic and a piece of bay leaf in each jar. Cap the jars and store in refrigerator.

Death in the Afternoon This was a favorite drink of Ernest Hemingway, who recommended many glasses of the drink each day. It is very potent, so be careful to sip the drink. You can think of Hemingway while you drink it, but I don’t recommend that you take his drinking advice. 1 ounce absinthe 4 ounces champagne, chilled ½ ounce lemon simple syrup 1 . M A K E sure that all of the ingredients are cold before mixing and the champagne coupes are chilled. 2 . A D D the absinthe to the glass. Add the champagne, Add the lemon simple syrup. Swirl slightly before drinking. Makes 1 drink

Dried Shrimp Tomato Sauce No matter how you serve this sauce, people will be intrigued and love its flavor. Instead of the traditional anchovies, this version uses dried shrimp powder to add the underlying umami punch usually brought to the dish by anchovies. You can keep that a secret. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ ounces dried shrimp, ground 2 large onions, finely chopped 5 cloves garlic, minced – or sliced thinly with a razor blade 1 stalk celery, minced 2 carrots, grated 1 small can tomato paste 5 pounds tomatoes, put through a food mill or 3 large cans crushed Italian tomatoes 1 cup red wine 2 bay leaves, whole 2 tablespoons dried oregano or Italian seasoning blend Juice and zest of half a lemon Salt and pepper to taste 15 fresh leaves of basil, chopped Parmigiano Reggiano for serving at the table 1 . H E AT oil in a large, heavybottomed pot over medium heat. Slowly sauté the ground shrimp until it dissolves. Add onions and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and celery, and cook for for 5 more minutes. Add carrots and continue cooking an additional 5 minutes, stirring as needed. Do not let the vegetables stick. S T I R in the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and bay leaves, stirring to combine. Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour. 3. U N COV E R the pot and continue simmering for about 1 hour, allowing the sauce to thicken. If it becomes too thick, add a bit more wine. Stir. Add oregano, zest and lemon juice, and cook for 15 minutes more. Serve over spaghetti with a sprinkle of the chopped basil. Grate Parmigiano Reggiano over the whole dish with more cheese on the table. Serves 6 to 8

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

BY JEREMY MARSHALL PHOTOS BY MEGAN D’AQUILLA

Each year Louisiana Life magazine holds a contest for best town in Louisiana, where readers are asked to vote online for their favorite. The list of possible towns is long, and voters are passionate about their choices. This year’s winner was

ST. FRANCISVILLE, a community that captivates locals and visitors alike.

M Mayor Andrew “Andy” D’Aquilla says,

“We are deeply honored to be named Louisiana Life magazine’s Best Town in Louisiana. This recognition reflects the charm, history and natural beauty of St. Francisville, but most importantly, it celebrates the people who make our town such a welcoming and special place.” Established in 1807 and tucked away just 26 miles north of Baton Rouge, St. Francisville is perched atop Louisiana’s Hill Country. The heart of St. Francisville can be found not only in its small businesses and restaurants, its main street promenade and its nature trails, but in its landscape and people. Under a canopy of ancient trees, there is a charm here, as mysterious as it is inviting, a waypoint connecting all of Louisiana. April McGhee, executive director of the West Feliciana Parish Tourist Commission, has spent the better part of her life living in St. Francisville and has watched it evolve into a space that asks people to find comfort in the joys of the community. “I moved here in the fourth grade, married my high school sweetheart and

am raising two little girls here,” says April. “St. Francisville has always been welcoming and locally owned, with a small-town vibe that is authentic and pure. Everybody is connected and comes together in the community.” St. Francisville’s allure goes beyond the landscape. The Saint Restaurant & Bar, inside the regal St. Francisville Inn, has distinguished itself as one of the top brunch spots in the nation; an honor

solidified by Michelin’s recognition as a “Recommended Restaurant” in 2025. Along with The Saint, the Magnolia Cafe is a prime spot for locals, known for its family-first approach to fine food, and an iconic pig statue named Gustav that makes visitors feel like they’re dining where long-gone generations have before. That timeless cross section of today and yesterday is best exemplified in The Myrtles. Rumored

to be one of the most haunted locations in the continental United States, it is a lavish house steeped in history and myth. Then there is Port Hudson, the long-fabled battleground where freedom was hard won amid the smog of cannon fire. The Afton Villa Gardens, an enchanting garden listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, invites visitors to explore its 20 acres of blooming flora and singular fauna. St. Francisville leaves a lasting impression that beckons all who visit to soon return. “I hope people leave St. Francisville knowing how much they needed to live in the moment and reconnect with the people they love,” says April. “St. Francisville permits visitors to slow down and ultimately leave thinking, ‘I can’t wait to come back’.”

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

FOWL PLAY

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN RABAL AIS

Teal hunting in Jefferson Davis Parish

It’s

late September, 5 a.m. on opening day of teal season, and above a rice field in Jefferson Davis Parish, the constellations dangle like high-wattage chandeliers. Six half-awake hunters shuffle through the dark. They work methodically, loading decoys and shotguns into side-by-sides. “Who’s got the bug spray?” A moment of grumbling, followed by the tsk-tsk soundtrack of the Louisiana outdoors, and the can of repellent begins to make its rounds. On the other side of a fleet of pickup trucks, a screen door trills open. From the white wooden house spill several more camouflaged men. They saunter past rocking chairs, some pulling shirts over heads while others fasten straps and adjust pants. “Nice new hip boots.”

“You like my kit.” Pausing as though he’s reached the end of a fashion runway, the hunter lifts his heel. “They’re brand new.” Closer to the rice field, another hunter paces and mutters to himself. “I got my gun,” he says. “I got my shells.” Austin Bertrand approaches a side-by-side and slides his palm over his shotgun. “I got my gun. I got my shells.” After a brief pause, he repeats that last word, this time louder and as a question: “Shells?” Out of the dark, a muffled chorus responds in the affirmative. “Guns?” After further assents, the hunters decide to double check. “Y’all need any more spray?” Forgetting to bathe in bug spray before entering a flooded rice field in south Louisiana would be like forgetting to load the cooler with ice on Mardi Gras morning. And this morning, they’re not just preparing for the teal and togetherness that hunting provides even when the wild game won’t comply. They’re also here because of the spray. Evan Veillon, Joe Treme, Gabriel Fontenot, Josh Regan and Jagger Morvant approach Bertrand. Some of them have been hunting teal together as long as they can remember, gathering beside rice fields throughout the parish and setting out in the dark with visions of bagged birds and banquets. But this year, opening day carries another charge. It coincides with the inaugural Greater Pine Island Teal Festival, a rice farming and crawfishing community in Jefferson Davis Parish. Many of the hunters wear hats and shirts with insignia of the festival sponsor, the Elton-based manufacturer of DEET-free, EPA-approved bug spray, Hunt Repellent — the very name brandished on the can they pass like a baton. Later today, there will be all the things any self-respecting Louisiana festival provides: live music, dancing, enough food to make you wonder why no politician has introduced a bill requiring hammocks for post-feast naps on all festival grounds and a squadron of workers who will pluck and clean as many teal as hunters from the region manage to score, the latter courtesy of Hunt. The engine purrs in the predawn dark. Warm dogs press into one hip boot after another, and Bertrand calls for Teche, his black Lab, to sit. Beneath his patient preparations, Bertrand betrays an excitement that’s a near-match for Teche’s. While duck season means seasons, starting on the calendar with teal before opening to wood duck, mallard, gray duck, redhead, pintail and, later, conservation goose, for Bertrand, things might as well begin and end with teal. A good day during Louisiana’s annual teal season means that he’s carved enough time to hunt every morning and afternoon. And nothing compares to opening day. “They get smarter as the season progresses,” Bertrand says as he climbs into the side-by-side. The goal, then, that dream like a taste on the tongue for the other 350-odd days of the year, is to greet the teal while they’re still slow on the uptake.

Blue-winged teal are among the earliest ducks to migrate south in the fall and the latest to arrive on the prairies in the spring. As the LDWF reports, “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows zones and splits to provide separate hunting regulations in areas of states with different habitats, species composition, and migration chronologies.”

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

The second annual Greater Pine Island Teal Festival will be held in Elton on September 19th. Louisiana hunters often encounter the most teal in rice fields and in coastal marshes of the state’s southwest. River deltas also provide good teal hunting.

The hunters climb in, including Teche — Teche, from the Chitimacha for “snake,” name of the historic bayou, the original 125-mile superhighway in Acadiana. It’s not what Bertrand’s wife, Bailey, had in mind when she told him they needed a dog with a bona fide French Louisiana name, but it’s about as Louisiana as South Louisiana gets. Bertrand’s father always used Richard A. Wolters’ 1964 book, “Water Dog,” to train his dogs, so what was good enough then was good enough for Teche, who begins to pace and yelp in excitement a quarter mile before the hunters reach the blind. A month ago, crawfish traps peppered this pond, a staple feature throughout the region from December through July before rice becomes ubiquitous. Rather than drain these ponds to plant rice, the landowner here worked with Ducks Unlimited on a waterfowl population management plan to

In Louisiana, the first large flocks of migrant ducks appear in the coastal marshes in mid to late-October, the LDWF reports. Migrant ducks typically appear in the swamps and flooded forests of central and northeast Louisiana later in November or early December. Pintail, shovelers, gadwalls and green-winged teal generally migrate into coastal marshes earlier in the fall.

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

provide a healthy habitat for ducks to migrate. “It’s good for the ducks,” Bertrand says as he cuts the engine. “It also makes good hunting.” One by one, the hunters step onto a narrow levee between two flooded fields. With headlamps from the side-by-side lighting the way, they begin to check their motion decoy ducks. Within moments, wings begin to spin, mimicking pre-splash landing. Treme carries the first of four into the pond while Regan grabs two bundles of decoy ducks, a dozen in each, and wades out. “How much time we got?” Veillon turns to the first trace of light, nothing more than a faint brushstroke on the horizon. “Fifteen minutes,” he says. The pace quickens. Decoys tingle. Plastic rubs against plastic like ice inside a glass. Bertrand cuts the lights, and Fontenot and Morvant glance up to see a dozen ibises. They hurl the decoys underarm until all are afloat. “Guys, that’s a lot of model ducks,” Bertrand says. “Please don’t shoot them.” A thin blanket of dew covers everything as the hunters lower themselves into a metal pit blind. “That’s more manageable.” “First-class.” “Who knew there would be a bench?” “Anybody need shells?” “Face paint?” “Candy bars?” “Coffee?”

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

“How did you get your leg over this?” “If y’all want to put on a little subtle Justin Bieber, I’m good with it.” At that, Morvant places the duck call to his lips. “Keep your gun on safety.” “Effing mosquitoes.” “They want to get in my ears.” To the west, half a mile away, multiple shotguns resound, five seconds of relentless report. The hunters turn their heads and stare in a combination of envy and awe. “They’re going to war over there.” Morvant returns the duck call to his lips. “Last night, we listened to ‘Rooster.’ That song gets me pumped.” From the east, in a sky ribboned in pink and gray, they begin to descend, blue-winged teal, the second smallest duck species in North America. No one shoots. “Take the shot next time, son.” “Pass me that mosquito dope.” “Look alive.” “Right there.” Six heads swivel toward a coil of teal. One blast follows another. “How did we miss that?” “My scope must be off.” More blasts resound from the adjacent field. “How do I get in that blind?” Above them fly eight roseate spoonbills, a majestic formation. Another congregation of ibises follows in their wake. “They got too many other birds over here.” A pair of teal approach. The hunters raise their shotguns. After six blasts, one teal drops into the water. “That was an expensive bird.” “Single to your right.” “There’s another one.” “Keep the gun hot.” “Hot, right. I’m about to drink this pond water.” “I’m about to shoot this dragonfly.” Two hunters aim, shoot and miss. “He ain’t coming back.” Three more teal arc overhead. “Boys, get ’em.” They hesitate over who should shoot. “Y’all work it out.” “On three. One, two…” For the next 15 minutes, like clockwork, teal approach from all directions. The hunters aim, fire, and teal plunge into the pond. Teche works like a boomerang, unclenching his jaw in pride before Bertrand to offer one bird after another. In a brief lull, they fall back into memories of the previous night. “That shrimp creole was so good I tried eating somebody else’s.” “That maque choux.” “How many cans of corn was that?”

The LDWF reports that banding studies from 1986-2012 show that more than a third of the banded birds killed in Louisiana were banded in Saskatchewan. Smaller percentages were banded in North Dakota, Manitoba, Alberta, Minnesota and South Dakota.

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

“Everybody’s colon’s gonna be cleaned out.” More teal approach, more misses. “We some good shots in this group.” “There’s nothing worse than hearing ‘no’ after you shoot.” “Sometimes I like to miss so I can shoot again.” “I’m going to get an ear infection.” “That mosquito dope works good.” “I think it stopped the birds.” Rapid gunfire echoes from the nearby field, another sustained rumble. “Man, what are they doing over there?” “I think something died in this blind.” “Something’s gotta go, either this smell or me.” “I hope I can hear my accordion later.” “I have that song ‘Rooster’ in my head right now.” “How did we shoot so many when we missed so much?” “How’d I get so dirty? I’ve been sitting on this bench the whole time.”

It happens in a flicker. By 7 a.m., less than an hour after they slipped into the blind, each hunter has reached his daily limit of six. There’s something about their pace, as they gather the birds, that makes it seem like whatever else happens next, the best part of the day has already faded, the anticipation upon waking, the venturing out with friends in darkness to wait for the sun to rise, and nothing to do but talk and wait some more — and to do all of it together. Then another impulse takes over. They begin taking pictures of one another holding teal. “Y’all make sure you get Hunt in the picture,” says Fontenot, co-founder of the repellent company with the slogan “DEET is Dead.” And one by one, they pose all over again, this time laughing for the camera.

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

Two hours later, a Hunt Repellent-branded limousine, complete with camouflage exterior, pulls into the parking lot at Bon’s on Main Street in Elton. Beyond the limousine, gathered around blue garbage cans, a dozen men and women pluck teal. Feathers swirl like snow in the humid morning. Forty seconds per duck, 50, and they pass the birds to three women who wash the meat at an industrial sink. Hunt co-founder Burns Mulhearn moves among the workers. They started at 8 a.m. An hour later, festivalgoers, many of them still in camouflage from the morning’s hunt, have begun to spill from the doors of Bon’s. They carry beer and cracklins, sharing their bounty with the pluckers and washers before stepping back inside to enjoy the music. After a few songs, their cleaned teal are ready. Noon comes and goes, and then it’s 3 p.m., 90 degrees in the September shade. By now, the crew has been working for seven hours. Mulhearn records the tally: 1,015 blue-winged teal; one lone green-winged teal. All the while, Bertrand, Morvant, Fontenot, Treme, Regan and Veillon stop to chat with friends and family. Fragments of conversation fall, much as earlier in the pit blind, only now the hunters stand in this baking parking lot. A minute here, another there, and they weave through the swelling crowd.

Wood ducks and black-bellied whistling ducks are also common during the September teal season. As the LDWF reports, “Mottled duck populations are declining in our state, and they are particularly vulnerable during September. The USFWS has made it clear they will not consider adding black-bellies or any other species, to the September teal season bag limit.”

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

NORTH

IE WARNER S

COZY TOWNS Louisiana does a lot of things well. Music, food and festivals, to name a few. But small-town charm is also high up on the list. In honor of fall, we’re leaning into the Bayou State’s coziest places to hole up, sip hot beverages and enjoy the cooler temps.

MONROE MONROE TENDS TO GET

overlooked in Louisiana travel conversations, which is either a shame or an advantage, depending on whether you’re a local. Situated on the banks of the Ouachita River in the northeastern part of the state, it’s a twin-city destination with West Monroe, and together they pack a surprising amount of character into a place that most people drive through on I-20 without stopping. They should stop. The anchor attraction is one of Louisiana’s most quietly magnificent: the Biedenharn Museum & Gardens, the original residence of Vicksburg candy store owner Joseph Biedenharn, who in 1894 became the first person to bottle Coca-Cola. The elegant Victorian home is beautifully restored and the Elsong Gardens — named

Families

Adventurers

Don’t Miss

Black Bayou’s boardwalk and the visitor center’s wildlife exhibits are accessible and engaging for kids.

Paddle the refuge’s cypress lake or hike the Edgewater Trail. Fall fishing for largemouth bass and crappie is excellent here.

The Friends of Black Bayou Fall Celebration on Oct. 17 features canoe and kayak opportunities, a nature book sale, and the ceremonial turning of the Blue Goose Migration Marker.

Fall Birding at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge Fall migration makes Black Bayou one of North Louisiana’s top birding destinations, drawing warblers — prothonotary, hooded, magnolia, black-throated green and more — through the bottomland hardwood forests and cypress swamps. Over 280 species have been recorded at the refuge throughout the year. The 1-mile Nature Trail boardwalk is the most accessible entry point; the 7-mile Edgewater Trail rewards more serious birders. Bring binoculars; plan for early morning. The refuge is located at 480 Richland Place Drive, Monroe. Admission is free. Visit fws.gov or friendsofblackbayou.org for trail maps and event listings.

for Biedenharn’s daughter Emy-Lou, an internationally acclaimed opera singer — is a serene spot that earns its reputation among Louisiana’s finest. Print history enthusiasts and medievalists won’t want to skip on the on-site Bible Museum, which houses a Gutenberg leaf from a mid-15th-century Bible. But fall’s true gift in Monroe is Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, just a few miles from downtown. The 5,300-acre refuge surrounds a 1,600-acre shallow lake studded with bald cypress and water tupelo trees, and fall is one of the two peak migration seasons for warblers here. Prothonotary warblers, hooded warblers, magnolia warblers and blackthroated green warblers move through the hardwood forests and cypress swamps, along with cormorants, ducks and a rotating cast of shorebirds. The refuge’s network of trails includes a one-mile boardwalk through wetlands (ideal for families and first-time visitors) and the 7-mile Edgewater Trail along both Black Bayou Lake and Bayou Desiard, which is serious birding territory. Canoe and kayak rentals are available from the Friends of Black Bayou, and the visitor center — housed in a beautifully preserved late-1800s plantation home — adds a layer of history to what is already a layered experience. For “Duck Dynasty” fans, Duck Commander The Tour in West Monroe is a 10,000-square-foot museumstyle attraction with 15 galleries of Robertson family artifacts, vehicles and set recreations. Be sure to plan a meal at Chef Cory Bahr’s Parish Restaurant & Bar. Expect thoughtfully and innovatively prepared local veggies, seafood and meat and loads of Southern hospitality from the conservation-minded, award-winning chef.

JUN COUNTRY

BREAUX BRIDGE BREAUX BRIDGE SOUNDS

like a town with a story behind its name, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. In the late 1700s, Acadian pioneer Firmin Breaux built a suspension footbridge across Bayou Teche so his neighbors could reach his property, and locals started saying “go to Breaux’s bridge” when giving directions. The name stuck, the town grew and today it’s the self-proclaimed (and Louisiana Legislatureconfirmed in 1959) “Crawfish Capital of the World” — a title taken very seriously by the people who live there, as evidenced by the crawfish painted on nearly every available surface. Fall is low-key the best time to visit. This time of year, the summer heat lifts and the Atchafalaya Basin turns gorgeously moody. When you go, start in the historic downtown area, a walkable main street lined with antique shops, art galleries and local boutiques where you can spend a slow morning without a plan. Then head to Lake Martin — or, more precisely, the Cypress Island Preserve at Lake Martin, a nearly 10,000-acre Nature

Families

Adventurers

Best-Kept Secret

This is one of those rare places where an 8-year-old and a birding-obsessed adult can both be completely riveted — the alligators alone will do it. And for solo travelers, early mornings on the levee road at Lake Martin Levee Trail are transcendent.

For adventure travelers and those who want to get on (not in, y’all, because, gators) the water, swamp tour operators depart from nearby Henderson. Kayak rentals are available for a serene paddle into the cypress stands.

The sunset view at Lake Martin’s boat launch. You don’t need a boat. You don’t need anything but a parking spot and 20 minutes.

LIVE MUSIC WORTH DANCING TO

Birding at Lake Martin in Fall

Conservancy property a few miles south of town. The 200-acre lake sits inside a cypress-tupelo swamp, and in fall, the ragweed thickets and levee roads come alive with migrating painted buntings, indigo buntings and warblers making their way south along the Mississippi Flyway. Over 250 bird species have been documented here, which

makes it a legitimately worldclass birding destination that most people haven’t heard of outside of Louisiana. When hunger hits, visit Poche’s Restaurant & Market for boudin or pull up a chair at Cafe Sydnie Mae for everything from crawfish étouffée, grillades and bread pudding to filet mignon or brunch fare, such as fried shrimp tacos.

Fall migration at the Cypress Island Preserve at Lake Martin runs roughly September through November, when the nesting season has ended and the real avian road trip begins. The levee road and foot trail around the lake’s edge are your best bets for spotting painted and indigo buntings, and a variety of warblers (allergy sufferers, the ragweed thickets are particularly productive, bring hankies to stifle those bird-startling sneezes), among other birds settling in for winter. The open water of the lake’s center hosts more than two dozen species of waterfowl in fall and winter. Ospreys are present most of the year; bald eagles become more common as temperatures drop. Binoculars and patience are the only gear required. The preserve entrance is located at 1264 Prairie Highway, St. Martinville (about 18 minutes from Breaux Bridge). Admission is free.

Breaux Bridge is one of those places in South Louisiana where Cajun music isn’t a tourist performance — it’s simply the thing to do on Saturday night. La Poussiere Cajun Dancehall has been hosting live music and two-stepping locals for decades and remains a point of civic pride. To find what’s happening when you’re in town, check the City of Breaux Bridge events calendar at breauxbridgela.net.

CENTRAL

NATCHITOCHES FEW LOUISIANA TOWNS

have a name as enjoyably disorienting to non-locals as Natchitoches. (It’s NACK-atish, for the uninitiated.) The oldest permanent European settlement in the Louisiana Purchase territory, Natchitoches was founded in 1714 and wears its age beautifully: 33 blocks of National Historic Landmark District, brick-lined streets,

French Creole, Victorian and Queen Anne architecture and stately oaks edging the Cane River Lake. It’s the kind of downtown that looks like a movie set. In fact, many know it from the iconic 1989 movie “Steel Magnolias.” Fall is ideal here for the same reason it’s ideal most places in Louisiana: the temperatures and outdoor life are pleasurable again. Start on Front Street, loaded with boutiques, art galleries and the occasional tuckedaway café. Stop into KaffieFrederick General Mercantile, Louisiana’s oldest general store (established in 1863 and still operational), where a 1917 cash register and original freight elevator coexist with a nostalgic and modern gift inventory and hardware in a way that shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. Lunch, naturally, is a meat pie from Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant, which has been serving the city’s signature dish — a flaky turnover stuffed with spiced beef and pork — since 1967. Get one. Get two. Consider your life choices over a Cane River Cream Pie for dessert.

Find all your favorite “Steel Magnolias” hotspots with

local tour operators who run itineraries through filming locations, including Beau Jardin, the lush riverside garden used for the Easter egg hunt scene. History seekers should head to Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, where guides in period dress bring 18th-century colonial Louisiana to life inside a replica of the original French fort. For those who’d rather be on the water, the Cane River Queen offers leisurely cruises along the calm, glassy Cane River Lake. Kayak and paddleboard rentals are available for solo exploration. Natchitoches is also the southern gateway to the Cane River National Heritage Trail, a scenic byway that winds 71 miles through plantation homes, pecan orchards and Creole architecture all the way to Cloutierville — once home to one of this writer’s favorite writers, Kate Chopin.

Hiking and Birding the Cane River Region The Kisatchie National Forest surrounds Natchitoches and offers some of the most varied terrain in Louisiana — longleaf pine forests, creek bottoms and the 17-mile Longleaf Trail Byway. Birders come for red-cockaded woodpeckers and an array of breeding and wintering species, including broad-winged hawks and Eastern towhees. Closer to town, the Cane River National Heritage Trail’s quiet country roads are prime territory for birding by car. Toledo Bend Reservoir, about 50 miles west of Natchitoches, is a massive 185,000-acre lake popular for fishing, hiking and camping, with several access points and outfitters along the Louisiana side.

Families

Adventurers

Solo Travelers

The combination of Fort St. Jean Baptiste’s costumed guides and a Cane River boat cruise makes for an unexpectedly rich and fun history lesson.

Rent a kayak and paddle the Cane River; the water is calm enough for beginners.

Walk Front Street in the morning before the day gets going, then spend an afternoon on the Cane River National Heritage Trail by car, stopping when something catches your eye — it will.

THE NATCHITOCHES MEAT PIE FESTIVAL Held each September in the historic downtown district, the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival is exactly what it says it is — and a little more. Local restaurants and vendors compete for the title of best meat pie in a celebration that also includes live music, arts and crafts, cooking demonstrations and more variations on the meat pie than you thought possible. It’s one of the most genuinely local fall festivals in the state. Admission is free and the event is scheduled for Sept. 18 and 19 this year, but be sure to visit natchitoches. com for current information.

ER NEW ORLE

COVINGTON COVINGTON IS SITUATED

about 40 miles away from New Orleans, just across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway — the world’s longest continuous bridge over water, a fact that remains astonishing no matter how many times you hear it. This impossibly charming town sits at the confluence of three rivers (the Bogue Falaya, the Abita and the Tchefuncte) in the pine-scented Northshore country of St. Tammany Parish. For visitors, it offers the particular pleasure of a walkable downtown with serious food and serious art, plus enough outdoor infrastructure to justify a full weekend. The historic downtown district is anchored by Columbia Street and Lee Lane and is home to galleries, boutiques, antique shops and the St. Tammany Art Association, which consistently exhibits some of the region’s strongest work. H.J. Smith & Sons General Store & Museum has been a Covington institution

Families

Adventurers

Best-Kept Secret

The Tammany Trace has playgrounds and splash pads at the Abita Springs trailhead. Add the Abita Mystery House in Abita Springs — a spectacularly weird cabinet of curiosities that children and adults find equally mesmerizing — for a full day.

Kayak the Bogue Falaya or bike the full Tammany Trace. The terrain is flat and forgiving; the scenery, especially in fall, is lovely.

The Covington Farmers Market at the Tammany Trace trailhead on Saturdays, with live music and local food vendors — “Gilmore Girls” fans will get Stars Hollow vibes.

Biking and Paddling the Northshore The Tammany Trace is Louisiana’s only rails-to-trails conversion — a 31-mile paved path running from downtown Covington through Mandeville to Slidell, with equestrian trails paralleling portions of the route. The Covington-to-Abita Springs segment is the most scenic stretch, crossing the Bogue Falaya and passing through quiet, wooded terrain that’s especially beautiful in the fall. Bike rentals: Brooks’ Bike Shop, Covington. For paddling, launch a kayak or canoe from Bogue Falaya Wayside Park in downtown Covington, or venture to Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville for bayou kayaking with cypress backdrop. Rental outfitters operate in both locations; check visitthenorthshore. com for current options. Note: As of April 2026, part of the Tammany Trace near Abita Springs Park is closed for bridge replacement — verify current status before your visit.

since 1876 and houses a free museum that effectively freezes the general store of the 1920s in amber — a cast-iron casket, a hand-operated wooden washing machine and a 20-foot cypress dugout canoe among the highlights. If you can’t make it to town until November, you’ll be rewarded by the Covington Three Rivers Art Festival, which brings artists and visitors from across the region for an outdoor showcase in the historic district. For outdoor enthusiasts, fall is the best possible time to get on the Tammany Trace, a 31-mile rails-to-trails conversion that runs from downtown Covington through Abita Springs and on to Slidell. (Note: check stpgov.org for any current partial closures before your visit, as sections have been under maintenance.) Rent a bike from Brooks’ Bike Shop in downtown Covington and pedal to Abita Springs, a manageable 3.5-mile ride across the Bogue Falaya River bridge that rewards you with a stop at Abita Brewing Company — Louisiana’s most well-known craft brewery, and a place where the taproom pours drinks you won’t find anywhere else. Kayakers will want to launch from Bogue Falaya Wayside Park, where the river is clear, shallow and peaceful. For dinner, Del Porto Ristorante — a James Beard Award nominee run by husband-and-wife chefs David and Torre Solazzo — makes a compelling case for Covington as a dining destination in its own right. The Southern Hotel, a meticulously restored 1907 property in the heart of the historic district, is the most atmospheric place to stay and the Cypress Bar is worth a nightcap even if you’re sleeping elsewhere.

COVINGTON THREE RIVERS ART FESTIVAL Held in November in historic downtown Covington, the Three Rivers Art Festival draws juried artists in fine art, photography, sculpture and crafts from across the region for an outdoor showcase along the town’s walkable streets. Live music, food and a generally festive atmosphere make it one of the Northshore’s most beloved seasonal events. Check the St. Tammany Art Association or Visit the Northshore for current dates and programming.

IDA PARISH

ST. FRANCISVILLE THERE IS A VERSION OF

Louisiana that has more in common with the Appalachian foothills than the Gulf Coast — where the land actually rolls, where bluffs drop to creek bottoms, where ancient beeches and magnolias crowd the ridgelines. That version of Louisiana is West Feliciana Parish, and St. Francisville is its small, enchanting seat. The town itself is barely a mile long, lined with galleries, shops, independent restaurants and historic homes. Arrive without a rigid plan and you’ll leave wanting to come back. Fall is arguably the finest season and you’ll even catch a little seasonal color when the hardwood forests along Tunica Hills go gently golden (Louisiana’s version of fall foliage), and the birding reaches its autumn peak. The Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area northwest of town encompasses more than 5,000 acres of steep slopes, bluffs and creek bottoms where woodpeckers, vireos, thrushes, warblers and herons congregate. The terrain is unlike anything else in Louisiana — deep ravines, wooden bridges — and the trail system accommodates everything from casual walks to heartrate-elevating mountain bike routes like the locally legendary, 8-mile Beast Trail. John James Audubon

spent four months at what is now the Audubon State Historic Site in 1821, hired to teach drawing to the daughter of the plantation owners and spending his free time completing 32 of

the paintings that would eventually become “Birds of America.” The 100-acre site remains a birding destination — red-bellied woodpeckers, brown thrashers, cardinals and migratory warblers move through the trails. Guided tours of the Oakley House are centered mostly on Audubon and the Pirrie family, with a basic overview of slavery. For ghost enthusiasts (this is Louisiana, after all), The Myrtles Plantation offers both daytime tours and evening mystery tours, and has been called one of America’s most haunted houses so often that it’s either a genuine phenomenon or excellent marketing — probably both. In November, the St.

Francisville Food & Wine Festival,

a weekend event centered at The Myrtles, is a highlight of the season, featuring a jazz brunch, barbecue and bubbles event, visiting chef dinner and grand tasting.

Families

Adventurers

Best-Kept Secret

Rosedown Plantation’s grounds are beautiful and accessible; the Audubon site’s easy 0.9-mile loop trail is a gentle first hike for young visitors. Birdman Coffeehouse + Eatery downtown has a Louisiana book selection that will keep everyone occupied.

The Beast Trail in Tunica Hills is no joke — steep bluffs, deep ravines, and wooden bridges make it one of Louisiana’s more demanding and spectacular rides.

The 3 V Tourist Courts — a collection of quirky, cozy cabins downtown — is one of the most charming places to sleep in the state. Book early.

Hiking and Birding in Tunica Hills The Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area is Louisiana’s topographic outlier: hardwood forest over rolling slopes, bluffs and creek bottoms. In fall, woodpeckers, vireos, thrushes, warblers and herons move through in abundance. Trail options range from gentle walks to technical mountain biking on the Beast Trail. Nearby, the Audubon State Historic Site offers an easy 0.9-mile loop through the same landscape that inspired Audubon’s “Birds of America” — excellent for casual birders and families. Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge adds kayaking, fishing and wildlife viewing to the mix, along with the Champion Bald Cypress. For directions and maps, visit wlf.louisiana.gov.

ST. FRANCISVILLE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Each fall, The Myrtles Plantation and surrounding venues host the St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival, a weekend affair that draws chefs, sommeliers and food lovers for four events: Bubbles & BBQ, a jazz brunch, a visiting chef dinner and a grand tasting. It’s an intimate, high-quality festival. Dates and ticket information at stfrancisvillefoodandwine.com.

SPONSORED

catch a glimpse of a former jailer’s spirit still haunting the porch and building. In October, the jail becomes the “Gothic Jail After Dark” Haunted Attraction, welcoming all visitors for a night of spooky fun. Learn more about Day Tours and “Gothic Jail After Dark” dates and tickets on Facebook @ Gothic Jail After Dark.

Natchitoches CVB

you close to the action but far from the bustle. Our little parish has two Mississippi River bridges. The Horace Wilkinson Bridge will take you to the home of Death Valley Stadium to cheer on the nationally acclaimed LSU Tigers. Just a few miles away, the Huey P. Long Bridge leads you into Southern University Jaguar territory to savor the sounds of the famous “Human Jukebox” band! Stop by and visit our West Baton Rouge Museum in October to experience our popular Sugar Fest, where we celebrate our sugarcane harvest and regional heritage with live music, food, and tons of activities for the kids. When you stay and play in West Baton Rouge, you come as a visitor but leave a local. Discover more at westbatonrouge.net.

Beauregard Parish

The Gothic Jail (also known as the “Hanging Jail”) is a historic landmark right in DeRidder, Louisiana. Constructed in 1914 in the “Collegiate Gothic” architectural style, the jail was the only penal institution in the country to use that style in the first decade of the 20th century. Built from reinforced concrete with walls 13 to 21 inches thick, poured into wooden molds, the jail is also known as “The Hanging Jail”, based upon the 1928 double hanging of two men who were executed for robbing and murdering a local taxi driver near DeRidder. Today, the Gothic Jail is considered one of Louisiana’s most haunted sites, and a hub for ghost seekers and the supernaturally curious from across the Gulf South hoping to

Fall arrives with unforgettable experiences in Natchitoches, where every September weekend offers something new to discover. Labor Day Weekend, September 4–5, kicks off the season with three unique festivals happening simultaneously. Dance along the Downtown Riverbank during the Cane River Zydeco Festival, celebrating Louisiana’s rich musical heritage with live performances, local cuisine, and an energetic atmosphere. At the 3rd Annual Bigfoot Festival, families can enjoy guest speakers, themed vendors, exhibits, and activities inspired by the legendary creature. History comes alive at Renaissance Comes to the Cane at Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, where costumed reenactors, artisan demonstrations, live entertainment, and interactive experiences transport visitors to another era. Later in the month, September 18–19, the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival returns to the Downtown Riverbank, celebrating Louisiana’s official state meat pie with live music, local vendors, and two days of delicious tradition. This fall, discover why there’s always something to celebrate in Louisiana’s oldest city. Plan your getaway at Natchitoches.comT

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

N AT U R A L S TAT E

Storied Reflections Manresa House of Retreats STORY AND PHOTOS BY KEVIN RABALAIS

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

LOCATION

St. James Parish I N E A R LY F E B R U A R Y, a storm along the south coast

of Iceland destroyed part of Reynisfjara, a black sand beach famous for its sea cave formed from hexagonal basalt pillars. Reynisfjara is also infamous. Walk too close to its shoreline, and you risk getting trapped in one of its “sneaker waves.” Signs warn of the dangers of these walls of water that rise and collapse abruptly at the shoreline. In August 2025, a sneaker wave captured a 9-year-old girl from the beach and carried her to sea, the most recent of six deaths and dozens of emergencies at Reynisfjara this century. A 2023 poll revealed that 70% of Icelanders will not rule out the possibility that mythological figures known as Hidden Folk live in the country’s rocks, hills and lava deserts. These stewards of the land are embedded in the population’s environmental consciousness. “They look like us. They are the same size. Do them a favor, they will do you a favor,” says folklorist and Icelandic saga translator Terry Gunnell. One theory among Icelanders, some of whom speak of the recent death at Reynisfjara much as Louisianians recall hurricane trauma, is that the Hidden Folk summoned the storm that eroded the beach. Margrét Lára Pétursdóttir explains the theory as we stroll far from Reynisfjara’s shoreline. “Mankind has not respected nature. There have been too many sacrifices here. Now, there will be no more.” Like many Icelanders, Pétursdóttir considers the sagas her heritage. Those tales of early settlers in Iceland were told for 200 years before scribes recorded them. The Gospels of the New Testament came much faster. The first, the Gospel of Mark, appeared approximately 40 years after the death of Christ. “We have to locate our own sacredness,” explains Gunnell. Or, as Joan Didion writes, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.”

A month before the storm at Reynisfjara Beach, Mark Mossa, S.J., offered mass at Manresa House of Retreats in Convent, Louisiana, to a group of faculty and staff from Loyola University New Orleans. From the pulpit at Sacred Heart Chapel, I listened as he read the story that many know as the miracle of the loaves and fishes. A crowd of 5,000 gathered before Christ. As crowds do, this one grew hungry. With only several loaves and fish, Christ fed everyone. “We can consider this a miracle,” said Mossa. “Or we can choose to look at it another way. Witnessing the generosity of Christ, the crowd chose to share what little they had.” In the latter version, the miracle becomes

DID YOU KNOW?

Manresa House of Retreats offers 57 retreats each year, one every weekend except for Christmas, and several during the middle of the week. One hundred and nine men attend each retreat, totaling 6,000 per year. Retreatants must be at least 18 years old and typically arrive on Thursday afternoons. They have one communal dinner in which they are allowed to speak. Then silence starts. Over the next three days, retreatants attend 11 presentations, 30 minutes each, in which, to foster inner reflection and inspiration, as a retreat master guides them through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Several buildings on Manresa’s campus date to the 19th century. St. Mary’s Hall is the primary housing facility for retreatants.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

N AT U R A L S TAT E

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

Additional images online at LouisianaLife.com

tangible, a human act of kindness, and what are stories if not reflections of who we are and who we can be, privileged glimpses that reveal our responsibilities toward others?

Located on the Mississippi River nearly equidistant between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Manresa was established in 1831 as Jefferson College, a boarding school for boys of nearby sugarcane planters. It shut down during the Great Depression. Jesuits, who had a retreat house nearby, bought the property in 1931 and began hosting retreats that same year. Today, more than 6,000 men attend silent retreats annually at Manresa. (The Cenacle on the Lake in Metairie hosts retreats for women.) Retreatants engage in the Spiritual Exercises, the compilation of prayers and meditations that St. Ignatius of Loyola developed to help others deepen their relationship with God. “For St. Ignatius, ingratitude was the greatest of sins,” says Thomas F. Ryan, university chaplain at Loyola. “He believed we should be grateful for every breath.” The group from Loyola had gathered to do just that, also to write, build community, and engage with Ignatian values such as the “appreciation of things both great and small.” Doing so becomes second nature in the 130 acres of Manresa’s pristine live-oak-lined campus, where retreatants can stroll or sit in Adirondack chairs to contemplate questions from the Spiritual Exercises, among them “What do I want?” “What do I need to let go of to be a ‘person of others’?” or the one that Loyola

Between the Civil War and the Great Depression, Marist Fathers ran a Catholic school on the current site of Manresa House of Retreats. Their students were the sons of plantation owners on both sides of the Mississippi River.

Professor Allyn Schoeffler posed for her colleagues: “What is there to be awestruck by?” Schoeffler’s question, while simply put, is anything but simplistic. As Ryan says, it echoes what St. Ignatius continually reminds us in the Spiritual Exercises: “Do not yield in the search.” In “The Moviegoer,” his National Book Award-winning novel set in New Orleans, Walker Percy puts it this way: “To become aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something. Not to be onto something is to be in despair.” There is, whether in the lava desert, in scripture or beneath the swaying moss, always a source greater than ourselves. .

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

LA RAMBLER

Small City, Deep Roots Marksville packs 2,000 years of history, indigenous culture and outdoor adventure into one surprisingly rich central Louisiana day trip STORY AND PHOTOS BY MELANIE WARNER SPENCER

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

Additional images online at LouisianaLife.com

I F, L I K E M E , YO U A R E A F O N D L O V E R of driving backroads, I recommend Marksville for your next day trip. There are other reasons to go, but on the way, cane and hay fields, as well as the scenic, flooded Bayou des Glaises area near Moreauville on Louisiana Highway 1 North will give you an eyeful. After that pleasant drive, proceed directly to Marksville’s Courthouse Square. There, you’ll find the 13-foot bronze statue “Hope Out of Darkness” by sculptor Wesley Wofford, which was unveiled earlier this year. The statue marks the place where, on Jan. 4, 1853, Solomon Northup — the free Black man from New York kidnapped and sold into slavery whose memoir became the basis for the Academy Award-winning film “12 Years a Slave” — was legally declared a free man. There’s a lot more Marksville history to dig into, but first, lunch. I’d had every intention of starting my morning at La Petite Affaire, a downtown breakfast and lunch spot on the square with a devoted following, until I discovered it’s closed on weekends. File that under:

Restored to perfection, the vintage Sinclair station on Main Street serves as an open-air museum. On Courthouse Square, Solomon Northup, the free Black man sold into slavery whose memoir became the basis for the film “12 Years a Slave,” is memorialized with a bronze statue.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

LA RAMBLER

plan a weekday return trip. Before proceeding to my backup lunch locale, I walked over to the nearby Bloom & Company boutique and florist for a browse. Bloom is a well-edited shop and proof that you don’t have to drive to a bigger city to find something worth buying. Casual and dressy children’s and women’s clothing, shoes and accessories are displayed alongside a tightly curated selection of tableware, décor and bath and body products, as well as fresh florals. It would be easy to shop for a lot of people on your annual gift lists and grab a cute outfit for yourself. When I allude to Marksville being a small city, I mean it has a population of about 5,000. Situated in the heart of Avoyelles Parish, Marksville was founded in 1794 when — according to local lore — a Venetian trader named Marc Eliche (known in Italy as Marco Litche) set up shop after his wagon broke down and, well, he never left. The city sits atop one of the most archaeologically significant landscapes in North America. The Marksville Prehistoric Indian Site, a National Historic Landmark within the city limits, preserves a C-shaped earthen enclosure and six mounds built by the Marksville Culture. This prehistoric Native American civilization flourished in Central Louisiana between 1 and 400 CE. According to 64 Parishes, the pottery styles that defined the culture have been found at sites across Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin — meaning that this small central Louisiana town lent its name to a prehistoric cultural tradition that stretched across the continent.

For this trip, I made the mistake of visiting on a Saturday and missed having breakfast at the highly recommended La Petite Affaire on Main Street. All was not lost, however, as I found delicious sustenance and companiable locals at Broken Wheel Brewery & Bistro. The TunicaBiloxi Museum and the Paragon Casino Resort, both owned by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, afford opportunities to learn more about history and culture. Yes, even at the casino, which is home to an alligator habitat where you can see rare albino alligators.

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

Now back to my mission to feed myself, which continued to get delayed, because en route to lunch, I had to pull the car over to check out the vintage Sinclair service station on Main Street. Impeccably restored and operating as a kind of open-air museum, it is a delightful piece of American roadside history. After taking about 234 photos from every angle of the service station, I hopped back in the car and proceeded to lunch at Broken Wheel Brewery & Bistro. Finally, I had a chicken salad on a croissant with sweet potato fries in front of me and not a moment too soon. It was simple, satisfying, flavorful, chock-full of onions, pecans and pineapples, and paired well with a non-alcoholic beer. Burgers, fried seafood and classic Cajun fare are all on the menu. For imbibers, there are plenty of brews — from pale ales to stouts — crafted on-site. The vibe is relaxed and welcoming, as were the locals I struck up conversation with at the bar. About 1.5 miles from Broken Wheel is Paragon Casino Resort, owned by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, which is an attraction unto itself — even if you’re not there to gamble. With 65,000 square feet of

LOCATION

Marksville

2,000

According to a report in 64 Parishes, the Marksville Culture, a prehistoric Native American civilization based in the lower Mississippi River Valley and for whom the city is named, flourished between 1 and 400 CE — making its distinctive pottery styles roughly 2,000 years old.

5,065

casino floor, more than 500 hotel rooms across three towers, a spa, an 18-hole golf course, a three-screen cinema, multiple dining options and a supervised children’s center, it’s quite the complex. The Bayou Atrium, an alligator habitat, has been a draw since 2007. The atrium got more exciting in July with the addition of two new (very rare) albino alligators to the indoor bayou exhibit. Alligators have deep significance to the Tunica-Biloxi tribe and its origin story, which features the tale of the Blue Alligator and Red Alligator, protectors of the tribe’s people. Near the casino, the Tunica-Biloxi Museum, which is housed in the tribe’s 40,000-square-foot Cultural and Educational Resources Center, is worth a dedicated visit. The centerpiece is the “Tunica Treasure,” a vast collection of Native American and European trade artifacts deposited as grave goods between 1731 and 1764 — and the subject of a landmark repatriation case that helped shape the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. Life-size dioramas, paintings and guided tours bring the story to life. The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana has called this area

home since the late 18th century, when they settled on the Avoyelles Prairie following the American Revolution. Their presence today is woven into the fabric of the city. For outdoor lovers, Spring Bayou Wildlife Management Area, just two miles east of downtown, encompasses more than 12,000 acres of the Red River backwater system, with about 40% of the land covered in bayous, oxbows, open lakes and sloughs. It is prime territory for fishing, boating, kayaking, birding and exploring into the wild Sportsman’s Paradise landscape. My day ended sweetly back downtown on Main Street at Doodles Sno Shack, a surf-themed snowball and ice cream spot. There was a cheerful little line going when I arrived around 2 p.m. on a Saturday — always a good sign. I went with a cookies ‘n cream on a waffle cone from their selection of hand-scooped Blue Bell ice cream and have zero regrets. It was the perfect punctuation for a day spent discovering that Marksville is a city that rewards curious travelers far beyond what its modest size might suggest.

Marksville’s official population from the 2020 U.S. Census.

12,506

The total acreage of Spring Bayou Wildlife Management Area, just two miles east of town. About 40% of that is blanketed in bayous, oxbows, sloughs and open lakes.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

FA R T H E R F LU N G

Hello Columbus Georgia city along the Chattahoochee delivers an ideal weekend getaway BY CHERÉ COEN

(left to right) Columbus, Georgia’s Chattahoochee River skyline; Coca-Cola Space Science Center; Sautéed Kvaroy salmon served over wild mushroom risotto at Millhouse Kitchen + Bar

GEORGIA’S SECOND LARGEST CITY, about two hours

south of Atlanta, sometimes falls under the radar — and that’s a mistake. Columbus offers the perfect blend of outdoors adventures, cultural attractions and nightlife paired with an innovative hotel and dining scene.

DAY ONE M O R N I N G Start the day with a full American breakfast, a unique eggs Benedict or the trademark Captn’ Crunch French toast at Ruth Ann’s Restaurant, a Columbus morning staple since 1959. It’s a family-style diner so the place to join residents fueling up for the day. Ruth Ann’s is open from 7:00 a.m. to mid-afternoon but breakfast is served all day long. The Chattahoochee River curves through downtown Columbus, and once served a roaring textile industry.

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

Those old mills have been repurposed into commercial establishments, such as the boutique hotel City Mills with its industrial but cozy ambience. Follow the Chattahoochee RiverWalk through town and enjoy downtown’s many restaurants, shopping and museums. Columbus was home to Gertrude “Ma” Pridgett Rainey, known as the “Mother of the Blues,” and Carson McCullers, author of the novel “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,” based in Columbus. The Carson McCullers’ House is open by appointment. Other museums to consider are the interactive Coca-Cola Space Science Center and the National Civil War Naval Museum featuring the massive hull of the CSS Jackson rescued from the waters of the “Hooch.” There’s an Animal Farm in the heart of downtown, but we’re talking exquisite dishes from South Georgia farms, craft cocktails and innovative artwork. After lunch, head to the Bo Bartlett Center at Columbus State University to view the renowned American realist’s work as well as exhibits by other artists. The center also serves as an experimental arts incubator and community hub. To view more artists who hail from Columbus, plus other American art and regional history, visit the award-winning Columbus Museum, one of the largest museums in the Southeast. AFTERNOON

Don’t Miss

E V E N I N G Watch the sun set over the Chattahoochee River (and Alabama on the other side) while enjoying drinks in Hotel Indigo’s Eighteen85 Rooftop Bar. The lounge offers unique cocktails and small plates with comfortable spots to relax before a night out. The RiverCenter for the Performing Arts in the historic uptown neighborhood brings in major productions to its 1,992-seat Bill Heard Theatre, but also smaller performances in the elegant 412-seat Legacy Hall and the intimate 155-seat Studio Theatre. This fall the Center celebrates 25 years with a full Broadway schedule and major musical artists.

DAY TWO MORNING Grab a breakfast of chicken and biscuits at

Plucked Up, a restaurant that not only specializes in chicken dishes but showcases poultry art throughout its walls — as well as some hippie memorabilia. Drive south of town to U.S. Army Fort Benning where the impressive National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center pays homage to the American Infantry Soldier. Within the 190,000-square-foot museum are artifacts, photography

PHOTOS COURTESY: COCA-COLA SPACE SCIENCE CENTER; MILLHOUSE KITCHEN + BAR

and interactive exhibits of eight landmark battles. Be sure to plan plenty of time to peruse all the museum has to offer. AFTERNOON After the textile industry disappeared,

city planners decided to remove the dams lining the Chattahoochee River used for powering the mills. Those natural rapids now allow for the longest urban whitewater course in the world, regulated by an upriver power plant that controls the river’s flow. Visitors can choose their water strength depending on the flow with guided trips through Whitewater Express outfitters. The fun begins downtown with a shuttle upriver, concluding with a paddle through the heart of downtown. Want more adventure? The company also offers a zipline that allows guests to sail over the river and back again.

For something unique, travel just outside of town to the nonprofit Food Mill café that serves up dishes straight from their garden and local farms. You can even bring home some of that Georgia goodness for sale in their market. Other items that may find their way into your suitcase are antiques and collectibles from the Columbus Collective Museums. This out-of-the-way spot includes the popular Lunch Box Museum, the Royal Crown Cola Museum, the Chero-Cola Museum, the Folk Art Museum, the Georgia Radio Museum and the Tom Huston Peanuts Museum. Yes, those were all created in Columbus.

E V E N I N G After a wild jaunt on the river, relax with an elevated Southern meal overlooking the Chattahoochee at Millhouse Kitchen + Bar of the historic City Mills hotel. Then take in a play at the Springer Opera House, built in 1871 and the official State Theatre of Georgia. The not-for-profit professional theater producing several shows a year is the largest theater training program for young actors in the Southeast and some say houses ghostly actors who refuse to leave.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

P H OTO C O N T E S T

See You Later Alligator A bubblicious afternoon in the Norco sun BY HOLLY PISCIOTTI, NORCO

LOUISIANA LIFE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026

Submit your images online at LouisianaLife.com

SCAN TO ORDER

In Louisiana, we love to eat and celebrate, and no matter the season or time of year there’s always a special occasion to mark with food, family and friends. This 15-month calendar of Louisiana’s finest cooking highlights a recipe for each month, plus two bonus recipes to keep you cooking all year.

SCAN OR VISIT LOUSIANALIFE.COM TO ORDER