AN ART FIX, CONNECTIONS AND MAJORLY GOOD FOOD.

From Mary’s desk:

I can’t believe I used the slang word majorly, but, like, I’m from California, I can get away with it once, right? I needed an art fix and my partner isn’t an art kinda guy. I insisted we had to go to the Blue Dog Cafe to see George Rodrigue’s paintings. Everyone recognizes the Blue Dog. She’s omniscient.

But lets start at the beginning.We stopped at the visitor’s center first and voila! A wonderful sculpture called Miss Rose’s Bar created by Al Lavergne stood on the grounds. This image is meant to commemorate the corner bar, where black folks (not allowed in Country Clubs or Recreation Centers,) found their social life in barbershops, churches and corner bars. He has a very interesting past you can read about, and see more of his art work at: http://allavergne.com/galleries/gallery_set.htm

At the visitors center we learned about Pelicans On Parade and a location of several murals around town. So, off we went. Found some murals and a couple pelicans. Glittering glass caught my eye on Jefferson St. at Whoojoo Gallerie. Artists were working on a couple of huge glass pieces, but Richard Whiting’s carved steel trees beckoned to me.

You can learn more about Richard Whiting at the web address below.

http://www.plgart.com/Whiting/WhitingFrameset.htm

The Acadian Cultural Heritage Center (Number 5, for us,)  was our next destination. It told the story in pictures of the Acadians hunting and trapping alligators, turtles, muskrats, and certain birds nearly to extinction. One Cajun man replied, “We didn’t know. We thought it was an endless bounty.” He said his mother could skin 59 muskrats in an hour.

Interesting and well done, early pictures of Acadians were compelling. Their close knit families, subsistence living from the land, and their independent way of life that made them happy with what they had.

Two couples we chanced to meet in the museum were full time RVers, as is my partner Jim. They recognized him, had heard him speak in Yuma, and had purchased his book.
Minutes before, two French cousins of mine, that I’d never met before, were also checking out their French Heritage at the museum.  Lawrence D’hon, a Lafayette local, and his cousin from Nova Scotia told me where to get more information about the D’hon family history, Prejean, Nova Scotia.   Serendipity!

We flitted over to the Sans Souci Arts and Crafts Center then bee lined for the Blue Dog Cafe. Too late for lunch but open for Happy Hour, an affable bus boy routed us through the restaurant, allowed me to take pictures of the Blue Dogs, and sat us down at the bar for appetizers and beer. The Portabella Mushroom Pizza was, as they say, to die for.  I asked him for the recipe which Derek, the bartender supplied, sort of. He’s not the chef.

If that wasn’t enough, Katie Bird-Brupbacher happened in. She is Louisiana Regional Sales manager for Domaine Napa Wine Company. I heard Napa and Two Buck Chuck and instantly went over to say hello.

As I remember it, one of those years when the reds came in strong, wine prices were dropping.  Wine maker Charles Shaw sold a  million bottles of his Cab and Merlot to Trader Joe who put it on his shelves for $2 a bottle. Everyone began calling it Two Buck Chuck and I drank my share of it .

What more can you ask of a day than good art, serendipitous connections, and majorly good food and beer? (Shiner Bock and Albita Pale Ale.)

You can see more pictures on the link below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/1579penn/3910LafayetteLA#

Derek’s recipe for Portobella Pizza:
“I don’t know the amount of each ingredient, but, it contains, artichoke hearts, jack cheese, shrimp & crab broilled on a portobella and served with a butter, lemon, white wine sauce.”
It was crusty on the top and may have had some bread crumbs, I’m guessing. I love cajun food but this reminded me of California Cuisine. Yum!