The thought of Christmas Eve brings images of twinkling tree lights and sparkling ornaments. Hanukkah or Kwanzaa might conjure up images of candles, gold menorahs, or wooden Kinaras. Those celebrating Yule might think of the burning of a Yule log in their fireplace. However, take a drive down River Road through the River Parishes in Louisiana, and you’ll find a …

You might see a curious scene while driving westbound on Interstate 10 in New Orleans. In the distance, on 140 acres of land, looms the hulking remains of a time long gone. What you see from the interstate is the top of the rusted Mega Zeph rollercoaster peeking through the overgrowth of trees and weeds. Nature has returned to this …

Oh, autumn! The air becomes crisper, sweaters are pulled out of their summer slumber, and the leaves change color…well, not necessarily in south Louisiana, but definitely somewhere in the United States. South Louisiana autumns are often unpredictable. You may need a sweater one day, and sunbathe the next. The air is sometimes brisk, sometimes stifling, and the leaves don’t really …

Knights in shining armor jousting on their mighty steeds, proving their bravery and honor. Groups of revelers frolicking in petticoats and doublets among the trees. It’s the time of the year when we dust off our best fairy wings and pirate hats. The Louisiana Renaissance Festival (RenFest) has returned in November, as it does every year! Have a spare weekend …

If you ask anyone in southeast Louisiana where they prefer to get their iced coffee, the answer might surprise you. It’s probably not a large chain like Starbucks or Dunkin’, but a homegrown one. It started in the live oak-lined streets of Uptown New Orleans. In the fall of 1978, Phyllis Jordan was brewing something that would take New Orleans …

The early hours of Thursday, May 23, 1918, cling to your skin. Your body pushes against the heavy, muggy air as beads of sweat surface on your brow. The morning, like many others in New Orleans, is uncomfortable, humid, and all-encompassing. The street you’re walking down is mostly empty, save for a few stragglers. The street lamps make shadows of …