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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 louisianalife.com $4.95 CONTENTS IN EVERY ISSUE 8 From the Editor 26 Art Rah-Rah Ruffin Pea Patch Gallery BY ERROL LABORDE More than politics in Winnfield BY JOHN R. KEMP 10 Barometer A compendium of what’s 30 Traveler hot and what’s not The River Roads BY CAROLYN KOLB New Orleans to the Gulf BY PAUL F. STAHLS JR. 12 The Rural Life “Cheap” is Good – Sometimes 100 Christmas Travel BY MELISSA BIENVENU Dashing Through the Glow Visions of a Louisiana Christmas 14 Biz Bits BY LAURA CLAVERIE Business news from 18 around the state 106 Lifetimes BY KATHY FINN Our statewide calendar of events 16 Health 110 Quirky Places Medical news in Louisiana White Lake An ideal spot for hunters, BY EVE KIDD CRAWFORD fishermen – and whooping cranes 18 Traveling Gourmet BY MEGAN HILL Sweet Thoughts 112 Including visions of satsumas A Louisiana Life Julie Kane and sweet potatoes Northwestern State University professor BY STANLEY DRY is Louisiana’s new poet laureate. 22 Home BY MEGAN HILL Cane Country A new addition enlivens a ON THE COVER: Fertitta’s grand Natchitoches home. Delicatessen’s trademark BY BONNIE WARREN “Muffy” sandwich, p. 34 22 PHOTOGRAPH BY Cheryl Gerber FEATURES SPECIAL SECTION 34 Dining Around 94 Around Louisiana Our restaurant writer reveals Louisiana Life presents “Around some of his favorite stops. Louisiana,” a section featuring the BY ROBERT PEYTON people and places of North Louisiana, Central Louisiana, Cajun Country, 40 Can Bogalusa Baton Rouge and Plantation Country Save the World? and Greater New Orleans An endangered heart study BY JEANNE FROIS has tried to do just that. BY RICHARD MEEK SPECIAL EDITION 44 Best Doctors 79 Good Life 110 The latest survey Annual statewide retirement guide 2 | Louisiana Life November/December 2011 LouisianaLife NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 Volume 31 Number 6 EDITOR Errol Laborde MANAGING EDITOR Eve Kidd Crawford ART DIRECTOR Tiffani Reding ASSOCIATE EDITORS Alex Gecan, Sarah Ravits CONTRIBUTING EDITOR P aul F. Stahls Jr. FOOD EDITOR Stanley Dry HOME EDITOR Bonnie Warren INTERNS Minh Dang, Victoria E. Rodriguez SALES MANAGER Kathryn Beck [email protected] SALES ASSISTANT Erin Maher PRODUCTION/WEB MANAGER Staci McCarty PRODUCTION DESIGNER Annie Drummond CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Todd Matherne PRESIDENT Alan Campell EDITOR IN CHIEF Errol Laborde EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Ferrante DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Christian Coombs CUSTOMER SERVICE Tona Sawyer NEWSSTAND CONSULTANT Joe Luca, JK Associates Renaissance Publishing 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 Louisiana Life (ISSN 1042-9980) is published bimonthly plus one annual in November by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380. Subscription rate: One year $10; Mexico and Canada $48. Periodicals postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Louisiana Life, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2011 Louisiana Life. 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. 4 | Louisiana Life November/December 2011 www.louisianalife.com Louisiana Life | 5 ENTREPRENEURS Education: Holy Cross in New Orleans; Bachelor’s in General Studies from the University of Lafayette. Enlisted Virginia ROWAN in the United State Navy from 1955-59. Family: Wife, Emma; children Kackie, 46; Tiné, 41; Owner, designer Pelican Coast Neckwear Mark, 48; Stanley, 35. America’s Wetland Foundation. Her Mentor: My Uncle Harold, my seventh grade school children drew images that reminded ( teacher Francis Murphy; Joe Gold; Bill Pearl. ) them of marshes and wetlands that were printed all over silk ties. Five years later, Pelican Coast n a state known for its laissez and attends mass at 7 a.m. Neckware has become a fashion staple faire culture and celebration of every morning. in New Orleans, being sold at Perlis, Irich food and hearty drink, it is He recently won a Lifetime Rubensteins and at the Historic New rare to find someone fully committed Achievement Award from Orleans Collection gift shop. More to health in Louisiana. Red Lerille is Club Industry, a media that person. For nearly 50 years, his source for professionals in than $35,000 has been donated to enthusiasm for health is evident in the fitness industry. America’s Wetland Foundation from his lifestyle, his family’s involvement the sales. Rowan also designs neckties in the business and through his What was the athletic club scene in for charity auctions and volunteers more than 16,000 members who the 1950s? There was the New for non-profit organizations. turn to Red’s as their place to get fit. Orleans Athletic Club, which The health club business is all Red had little weight equipment, the Why start this effort? I feel like it’s Lerille has ever been interested in. Lee Circle YMCA, and Joe Gold, something I’ve inherited — not only the He first started working out as an who started Gold’s Gym, also sense of duty, but the love of giving eight-year-old in his garage using opened AA Jacks Gym in 1953 back. It’s part of who we are. homemade gym equipment. When on Gravier. he joined the Navy, he joined the How did you get the first tie sold? David wrestling team; he returned and What was your first weight Perlis was in a class above me at Newman, entered body building competitions. machine? I put up a bar to do so I brought them to Perlis to get a In 1963, Lerille opened Red’s Health chin-ups and put two posts in professional opinion. He was blown away. Club in Lafayette with $250 the backyard to do dips. My I said, “You know, what’s the harm? I’ll do borrowed from his father. He has first weight machine was a a few, if they sell, great. If they don’t, it since grown his gym into a world- pulley machine. I made a toe- was worth a shot.” They were a hit. renown 200,000 square foot facility raise machine and calf machine offering three indoor tennis courts, out of wood. How do the ties raise awareness for Red racquetball courts, indoor and wetlands? When people wear the ties it outdoor swimming and everything What is an effective workout kind of opens the door to a discussion else one can imagine in a top-class routine? Weight training makes a on the plight. I’m not saying everybody’s gym. His 200 employees have helped phenomenal difference and “raisei will awareness to help protect our wetlands. an advocate, but it definitely gets the LERILLE make Red’s a household name in shapes you. The sooner you word out that these things are important Acadiana and a well-respected start and more often you do it, ” — our coastal ecosystem and our the better your life will be. Owner, Red’s Health Club company in his field. n 2005, Virginia Rowan attended the wetlands and our way of life. He credits his success with Times Picayune’s Loving Cup Award Why did you decide to stay in Education: Isidore Newman making an improvement to the gym ceremony, in which the newspaper What has been your proudest accomplishment? Lafayette? Because Lafayette is I School; Bachelor’s of Psychology, every month. At 75 years old, Lerille honored her father for improving the New The past two Presidents of the United the nicest town in the whole minor in Art History from Vanderbilt still does strength-training four Orleans community. He was the fifth States have worn my ties. One of them world. This is paradise. I feel University; continuing education times a week, rides his bicycle family member to receive the award. was actually purchased in New Orleans, about Lafayette how I felt about degree in interior design. everyday and has an active role in During the ceremony, her 8-year-old which was one of my daughter’s first the Westbank of New Orleans Family: Husband, John; running the business. If that isn’t son, Jack, said, “Mom, now it’s our turn.” design collaborated with her cousin. when I lived there as a kid. daughter, Avery, 15; sons Jack, enough, he opens Red’s at 3:00 a.m. Touched by his statement, Rowan came 13 and Liam, 10 Any designs you discarded? The funniest What music do you listen to when up with a unique way to give back that Mentors: My parents, Judith request I ever had was a cockroach. I riding your bike? Fats Domino – would involve her children: designing and Louis M. Freeman ) didn’t do it, but I looked into it. “ ( men’s neckties with proceeds going to i will I’m from New Orleans. pass along my passion for exercise.” BANKING ON THE FUTURE...BANKING ON LOUISIANA ENTREPRENEURS Education: Holy Cross in New Orleans; Bachelor’s in General Studies from the University of Lafayette. Enlisted Virginia ROWAN in the United State Navy from 1955-59. Family: Wife, Emma; children Kackie, 46; Tiné, 41; Owner, designer Pelican Coast Neckwear Mark, 48; Stanley, 35. America’s Wetland Foundation. Her Mentor: My Uncle Harold, my seventh grade school children drew images that reminded ( teacher Francis Murphy; Joe Gold; Bill Pearl. ) them of marshes and wetlands that were printed all over silk ties. Five years later, Pelican Coast n a state known for its laissez and attends mass at 7 a.m.