Issues
Issue : May 2012
From corn and jambalaya to pirates and riverboats, there’s something for everyone to celebrate at a festival on the streets of Louisiana this month!
Rodeo fans will appreciate the LRCA at the MAC (Morehouse Activity Center) in Bastrop, bird lovers will congregate for Migratory Bird Day at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Ouachita Parish, and music enthusiasts will fill the streets in downtown Ferriday at the 2nd Annual Soul Survivor Festival where entertainer Jerry Lee Lewis will make an appearance in his hometown for the ceremonies.
As temps rise and gas prices drop a bit (two cents a gallon at this very moment), why not plan to enjoy the various cultures right here at home? Attend a festival, grab a fishing rod, cook up some local fare – that’ll get you in the spirit! Then gather some friends and travel to other sections of the state to see how the locals there eat and live. You just might be surprised to find that even though we’re all basically the same, it’s those subtle differences that make us all unique. Viva la Louisiane!!
Don’t just smile this month, laugh out loud – and let’s keep in touch.
Mona L. Hayden, Editor
Issue : April 2012
April is a beautiful month to be outdoors and enjoy all things ‘Louisiana’, like eating crawfish on the deck at Cypress Inn on the Bayou in Monroe or touring the grounds of Jim Bowie’s Relay Station in Enterprise after relishing a great meal of seafood and steak.
Can you believe the number of Louisiana festivals this month? With only 30 days in April, I wonder how they’re going to pull this off but they always do. Let’s see, there’s the Lake Charles Contraband Festival as well as the Arnaudville Etouffee Festival, the Winnfield Forestry Festival, the Grand Isle Cultural Events, the Leesville Mayfest Festival, and the Marion Mayhaw Festival, just to name a few. From garden tours and plant sales in the Minden area to the Catfish Festival in Winnsboro and The Cracklin Cook Off in Cutoff, if you don’t find yourself knee-deep in fun and entertainment, you only have yourself to blame because they’re all featured in this issue.
Have a blessed Easter and let’s keep in touch.
Mona L. Hayden, Editor
Issue : March 2012
I recently had dinner at one of my favorite places, Jim Bowie’s Relay Station in Enterprise, Louisiana. While enjoying some great seafood and live music, another guest stopped at my table to tell me how much he enjoyed LRT. He said he and his family picked up a mag at Jim Bowie’s last year and read it on their way home, laughing out loud. I remember getting an email from his daughter about that time telling me this same story and ordering a subscription for her father. I can’t tell you what a pleasure it was to meet this man and his wife, as kind words from readers always make me smile!
I’m pretty sure this issue will make you smile, too, as March kicks off the festival season in Louisiana. The photo on our cover and the calendar inside should have you planning for several road trips filled with fun, friends, and food so have a wonderful time, be safe, and let’s keep in touch.
Mona L. Hayden, Editor
Issue : February 2012
February always gifts us with mid-winter celebrations such as Mardi Gras, Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine’s Day, and more. From beads and King cakes to tailgating fare and candy hearts, it’s a spirited month full of food, friends, and lots of fun. Maybe we should bring that merriment and joy well into the year by not just limiting our love and affection to Valentine’s Day. What could it possibly hurt to dole out hearts, flowers, and kisses (both smooches and the chocolate ones) to those we cherish? Especially if it includes a road trip!
In the meantime, let’s rest up and enjoy this month’s celebrations as we prepare for the kick off of the Louisiana Festival Season. That’s one continuous event that’ll take us to the holidays. Be safe and let’s keep in touch.
Mona L. Hayden, Editor
Issue : January 2012
Celebrate in Natchitoches!
New water feature and garden provides perfect venue
Beau Jardin is a brand new water feature and garden area located on the downtown riverbank in Virginia Baker Park, located within the heart the Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District.
Beau Jardin, French for “beautiful garden,” is a formal garden specifically designed to host weddings and receptions of all sizes. The highlight of Beau Jardin is an exquisite waterfall beginning at the top of Front Street and cascading down the riverbank to flow into Cane River Lake. Large stones frame the waterfall as it flows throughout the garden that is surrounded by terraced flagstone plazas, native Louisiana plants and other landscaping.
Beau Jardin is the perfect venue for weddings, rehearsal dinners or setting for any outdoor special event such as concerts, wine and cheese receptions, bridal or baby showers and much more. Beau Jardin makes a stunning backdrop for wedding, engagement, senior or family portraits.
The venue will help compliment the growing wedding industry in Natchitoches. The Natchitoches area is rapidly becoming a popular wedding destination not just for those in Louisiana but people from around the country. Named in 2011 as one of the Most Romantic Main Streets in the United States by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Natchitoches is a romantic getaway for those seeking to become engaged, married or take a romantic getaway.
Beau Jardin will be showcased at two events this March – the annual Natchitoches Bridal Extravaganza on Sunday, March 11, 2012 and Bloomin’ on the Bricks on Saturday, March 24, 2012. The calendar is filling up rapidly in 2012 for weddings and events in Beau Jardin and adjoining Roque House gardens.
For more information about Beau Jardin or the Roque House gardens, call the Natchitoches Main Street office at (318) 352-2746 or email Lisa Cooley at lcooley@natchitochesla.gov.
Information and photographs about Beau Jardin can be found online at:
www.natchitochesweddings.net or www.theknot.com
Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Beau-Jardin/199633846722339.
Issue : December 2011
Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself...
~ "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976
I’m betting we could all enjoy a little magic in our lives, especially at Christmas time. Like most blessings in life, it’s never too far away. All we have to do is open our minds and graciously receive these heavenly gifts. As our hearts grow tender with the true reason of the season, the birth of Jesus, let the real magic begin…
My holiday wish for you is a blissful Christmas season filled with love, peace, and joy and a most promising New Year! We at LRT are humbled by your loyalty and support and look forward to sharing even more Louisiana road trips in 2012.
Have a Merry Christmas and let’s keep in touch.
Mona L. Hayden, Editor/Publisher
(318) 547-1221
Issue : November 2011
As we enter this season of abundance and harvest, there are many reasons to be thankful. For me, I’m especially grateful as LRT celebrates its 8th year of publication with this issue. Thanks to you, our readers, for coming back each month and turning every page. Thanks to our incredible writers and contributors, our loyal advertisers, our graphics guru, and all the wonderful folks on the sidelines that cheer us on!
This month we’re gearing up for a fabulous holiday season with the 2011 Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights. Participating cities are Shreveport, Bossier, Minden, Monroe, West Monroe, Natchitoches, Alexandria, and Pineville. We’ve included a schedule of events in this issue but check their website for updates on additional entertainment.
Be sure to reserve at least one weekend to attend the Renaissance Festival in Hammond. What a production this is! Don’t take my word for it though, check out that cover photo and the article inside.
Then there are the Louisiana Main Street events in Winnsboro, Columbia, Bastrop, DeRidder, Minden, Springhill, and other cities/towns that are presenting “Remember November” – the month long celebration linking all Main Street designed locations for the holidays.
Don’t forget to set your clocks back for Daylight Savings Time, but even more importantly, don’t forget to take a Louisiana road trip!!
Happy Thanksgiving and let’s keep in touch.
Mona L. Hayden, Editor/Publisher
Issue : October 2011
Fall – as in falling temps and falling leaves – is a favorite time of year for festival goers and football fans. With crisp days and cool nights, our summertime ‘cabin fever’ (sometimes referred to as ‘shack wacky’) is officially over for 2011. Come on out and enjoy the many festivals, haunted and cemetery tours, and other celebrations statewide.
With a full line-up of historical, entertaining and jovial events planned through the holiday season in Natchitoches, Louisiana’s oldest city simply overwhelms and delights visitors and residents as they dress for the occasion. Get a glimpse of their schedule in this issue. Also, the designated Louisiana Main Streets are kicking it up a notch as they prepare for their Main to Main events in November. There’s lots to see and do as we enter a new season.
As hunters take to the woods, shoppers to the mall, fans to the stands, and festival goers to the streets, Louisiana comes alive with excitement and adventure this time of year. It’s a rebirth, a second wind, revived energy. No matter what, be safe, be kind, and let’s keep in touch.
Mona L. Hayden, Editor
Issue : September 2011
Get ready because here it comes – the Fall Festival Season! If you enjoy outdoor celebrations, you’ll really enjoy this issue. While we’re waiting on cooler temps to find us, peruse these pages as you plan some fall road trips. Get to know the terrain and traditions of different areas of the state as you savor authentic Louisiana music, food, and fun.
Thanks for all the great comments about last month’s Alligator Hunting issue. It obviously caused quite a stir based on your response! This month we’re featuring the Ladies Fishing Rodeo in Grand Isle, benefiting the American Cancer Society. It’s even more fun to fish when you’re helping a great cause so you just might want to wet a line with this group of fish wranglers.
We’re pleased to introduce two new contributors – Robert Lemoine and Sonny Harrington. Robert’s column is inspirational and motivational while Sonny’s column, In The Crosshairs, is all about guns, hunting, and the great outdoors.
Take a peep at our new website – www.laroadtrips.com. A work in progress, this format allows us to keep your favorite articles posted even after that issue has been updated. Let us know what you think by posting your comments on the site. With your feedback, we can continue bringing you the best content of most any publication.
This month we recognize the 10th anniversary of 9-11-01. Just know that WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER
Issue : August 2011
August is a transitional time of year as we take a well-earned break before the busy seasons ahead. Let’s see...there’s the fall festival season, the festive holiday season, and of course, hunting season. With this in mind, we’re featuring a sport rich in Louisiana culture – alligator hunting. Noel Kinler, Alligator Program Manager with LA Wildlife & Fisheries, was kind enough to share some great information for this article. After reading it, you’ll know enough alligator trivia to impress just about anybody!
As you sit in the shade this month perusing this issue, preferably indoors with cold air and a tall glass of iced tea, we’re going to take you on a few out-of-state road trips to places like Chattanooga, Tennessee and then for a drive along the East Coast before we cross the ocean to read about the best of the Mediterranean. As expected, we always look forward to returning home to Louisiana for the best entertainment, food, and stories. From the Gulf Coast to the Louisiana state lines and every stop between, there’s just no better place to pass a good time.
Enjoy these last sultry days and let’s stay in touch.
Mona L. Hayden, Editor
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