Food on the street

How about a breakdown of the new places that have opened recently then onto where we love for the last dozen years.
Orangeleaf is a new yogurt place in Joe Holyfield's shopping center "Shoppes on Tower" on Tower Drive in Monroe,La. You walk into a orange and white shop and are given a quick tour and tasting before you "self serve' yourself. It is so good, that I have been almost every day. You get a container that you can fill with as many flavors as you want, then take it to the toppings. Keep in mind that you pay by the weight so don't go crazy. The most I have spent is 4.50. I have been doing the fruit flavors with fresh strawberries and berries. Hours are actually pretty late so you can go after dinner.

Ironhorse BBQ Cafe on 7th street in West Monroe. This cafe is in the Freds / westgate shopping center and is open until 8pm. We had a taste of Brunswick Stew then had to have a bowl. Prices are good, the owner came to the table and gave us a run down of the menu. The pork was good, he cooks everything from scratch and makes the sauce. We will go back for the burgers. The owner just moved back from Atlanta where he had a restaurant. He moved back here to be closer to his children. Give it a try, even the service was good.


Ok back to the old standbys:

Cypress Inn of course on DeSiard has a huge deck on the bayou for the warm evenings to dine on catfish, fried huge shrimp or when in season crawfish. Crawfish is in season now. They also have great gumbo,thick with seafood.

We went to the Waterfront Grill a few nights ago. I had a baked catfish poboy and Gerald had the samburger. Both were good. One day I want to go on the cruise on the bayou.

The angus burger at the West Monroe Coney Island is also worth waiting the extra few minutes. If you call Harry ahead he can have it ready. Of course the hotdogs with chili,cheese and onions are still my favorite.


Well that is it for tonight! I am getting started again being dark for a few months.

Thia and Ben

Thia and Ben

Thia and Ben , daughter of Helen and Jim Geisler just got married. Here is a little video of the evening before the big event.

Art Crawl Tonight Downtown Monroe

Tonight's the 3rd year anniversary of the Downtown Art crawl. My friend Angie and I will be making our way into the galleries. Yes it is going to be hot , but I also know how much time each of these artists has put in towards making this a great show.

So we are going to dress in the coolest, air flowing clothes we can find and enjoy being out. Think of it as a spa night.

Make sure and go 'Upstairs" to see Arley and Anna's work and the top of the pen Hotel will be open.

Enjoy! hope to see you there.

Starr Homeplace Community Day this weekend

This Saturday , June 12th is a community day for Starr Homeplace in Oak Ridge, La. So want to escape the city and take a short drive in the country this is the trip for you. A staycation destination for Monroe , Ruston , Vicksburg and around is making the trip. The cost is $5.00 for entrance and a $8.00 lunch donation if you decide the homemade lunch on the grounds is for you. This is family friendly, the plantation property has 19 museums that can be toured along with having several interactive displays and people to visit with in the different areas. located two miles north of Oak Ridge , la 71264, LA133 / US 425. www.starrhomeplace.org 318-244-5700 no smoking or pets inside the actual compound itself. RV's and bus travelers welcomed. Just let them know if you have a large group coming so they can make extra for lunch.

Seafood still available in North Louisiana

Talking to my friends that own seafood restaurants; seafood is still available and price has not gone up much yet.
Vic Hendricks at Cypress Inn (318-345-0202) said, " He has oysters,shrimp,crab,catfish and crawfish now. The oysters are the biggest concern , but all the beds west of the Mississippi river are open except one after being tested. The one still closed was not an oil concern , it was a bacterial one. My prices are still standing on the menu, I am just riding with the extra cost which so far has not been too much. if it does go up a lot then we will have to reprint menus."

Jamie Cormier of Cormiers said,"They are going to be open two more weeks for crawfish season and then close for their summer retreat as usual. we always plan on closing to just do catering and enjoy our families during the hot summer months anyway. We are seeing a small increase on Shrimp, but we are still serving boiled shrimp for the next two weeks. The oil is a concern for everyone."

Dr. James Cofer final of Missouri State presidential finalists – News - Missouri State University

Dr. James Cofer final of Missouri State presidential finalists – News - Missouri State University

so is Dr Jim Cofer staying or going

Dr. Jim Cofer is a finalist for pres of Missouri State u. HE WROTE A 'DEAR COLLEAGUES'LETTER YESTERDAY" A short one , more info on MSU website. I am going to be watching the news at 5pm. KNOE I know has the info....the media has been all a buzz all day!

Starr Homeplace Oak Ridge

Starr Homeplace Oak Ridge

Dancing with the Louisiana Stars may 1st and If Pigs can fly May 1st

Ok so may 1st is going to be very busy, two big events that day , lucky for you both can be attended.

Cormiers on Forsythe is having their annual anniversary party... it is an all day throw down of crawfish and all the fixings and also the once a year crawfish pies. I always go early and get the pies. Katie loves them.

That night is more Cormiers with a live cajun band , better than a dead cajun band ...huh ..... This year for two saturdays they are having two different cajun bands, so May 1st or May 8th.

Next is that night at 7pm at the Monroe Civic center is the second annual dancing with the Louisiana Stars for the Louisiana Delta Ballet. Fun fun and funny. Lots of local celebs..... all in their rare form of dancing. This year each local is partnered with a ballet professional dancer to help.

Plus drum roll.... it is my birthday , another year younger.....

Cofer cans hawkeye reporter and also faciltiy advisor

Cofer letting people go off hawkeye Staff ? Check back on article 'Why Cofer should share blame with Jindal" written by Joseph Roberts student reporter. Now Dr J.Eric McNeil is shown the door.... what's up ..... let's not teach freedom of speech at ULM. I went to Northeast myself and Journalism was taught that we should be good reporters and get facts.

KTVE upset today

last week I am sure everyone heard the news director was canned at KTVE (after Griffin Scott won his unemployment), today at this moment Cheryl Olive, General Manager is cleaning out her desk. She is the next one out the door. They were the firing team of Griffin.

So where will this leave Griffin Scott , maybe his job back. Keep in touch ! Go Grif, maybe your passion will be returned. I know you really loved your job. But where does that leave everyone else. What a mess.

media stream or scream

Ok congrats to Griffin Scott, looks good for him finally. melissa Klinzing is gone as of last week. She was the news director at KTVE that fired Grif over the facebook comment. What ever happened to telling it like it is ?

Movement is daily. i turn on the tv and am always amazed. Cynthia Mileage is now at KTVE from KNOE on the news.

Meg Smith is still at KNOE , she is good, and really researches her stories. Bill Elliot is also still there in the promotions and psa side.

The News Star is going thru yet another band of furloughs without pay. Must take a week off within the next few months. That is everyone. Only trouble is the crew is already working themselves to death.

Wish Griffon a happy birthday this week! Big Jim is on vacation. That's all for this moment .....

Update on food the last two months

Been of course going to lots of restaurants so here is the count of what each was like;

Athena's is back and we are eating there at least twice a week. BYOB is not a problem. We always do the pasta dish for one of the choices, hummas and ask for a 59 cent votive cup of their olives. The restaurant was full a few nights ago. Plus now they are open seven nights a week.

Cypress Inn ---still into the spicy crab legs and a pitcher of an adult bev on the deck. Today is a great afternoon on the deck watching the bayou and the fisherman.

Cormier's is right behind our house so that is hard to keep away. Plus the smells are wonderful. my cats are so excited about crawfish again. They bring in crawfish into the yard. they are now open every night. I am very partial to the Cormiers bowl and boiled shrimp but the crawfish and beer flows.



Copelands has our vote for the new sampler plates . We like the shrimp and grits and the steak and angel hair. Barbara and John Clarks (actually Johns) son works there. Gabe.


Creamery greasy spoon hamburgers are melt in your mouth goodness. they have a method down that is wonderful. Plus while you are there icecream follows. It is funny so many people walk in my neighborhood to Cormiers then onto the creamery for ice cream. The parking lot is full during the crawfish season.

Grilled oysters at the west monroe mohawk are too die for ! We went and ordered one dozen and then another. They are grilled over a flame and then have cheese on them.


We have tried three times the new bayou bistro , can't seem to get a good night. i like that they are open late late but the other night our salads came with the dessert. The taste is just not there (yet), I will continue to hope.


IHOP in West monroe need I say more ....... we are back at the 165 North waffle house where the service and food are always good. the IHOP waitress told me they don't use shelled eggs unless you ask , they are IHOP packaged eggs with extra protein.



Rawz good for thai, and being very casual. We have even brought in out own adult bev quietly.

Plug in phones for the artic Blast -smart

"Go buy a plug in phone to prepare for this bad weather. In the rural community of Collinston, Bonita and Jones we are braced for the ice with buried lines since the 70's." said Mike George with the Northeast Louisiana Telephone company in Collinston, la. "We tell our customers to keep an old fashioned plug in the wall in case of power outages. Wireless phones need a power source, plug ins use the phone company's lines and power source." Mike George , Northeast Louisiana Telephone Company 318-874-7011

Roundup of restaurants

it's a New Year and I hear so much is coming..... Athena's is opening again in January--lot's of activity going on there. They had had a small fire that closed them up, after the sale sign went up--- a lot of rumors started. I stopped by and talked to someone looking for another location of a Spice style restaurant. I am hoping that it will be Athena style food again. I really miss it !

Saw today that the old Italian restaurant next door to Strauss Theatre on lamy is reopening as the Jarrito Mexican Grill , Aviles LLC / Manuel Aviles Cubillo. Alcohol permit is in the paper today.

Stopped by to visit with Angie O'Pry Blades yesterday. Fiesta will be opening (softly) sometime next week. Look for the old Woman's Shop on North 18th Street to look so different and fresh. Easy to see with green awnings with Fiesta spelled out. It is a Trader Joes or a whole foods style now. She is going to have a cafe for lunch starting in Feb. Yah! You know with Angie it will be good and well thought out.

Cypress Inn has crawfish now, hot and spicy. Cypress Inn still has all you can eat entrees so check them out and also specials during the weeknights.

Cormiers is reopening late January with their Crawfish and pig sandwiches.

went to the Mohawk in West Monroe with my good friend Loretta this week. We tryed the grilled oysters. They were great, rich.... and had some cheese lightly in the shells. fresh on their grill ! Gerald and I will be back now.

Pieworks seems to be doing well. They served their Martinis at the 'ART with a VIEW' and it was a hit. They even perfected a holiday special drink for the event. We have been going and ordering a small pie along with sharing a Caesar salad and their wonderful unusual breadsticks. Plenty for two people, plus a bag to go home to Katie and her friends.

Well that is a wrap for now, Gerald just cooked me smoked spicy boudin from Marksville with eggs. Maryann Riddle brought it back on her trip home.

#30#