Published August 25, 2010.
Mes amis, as you can tell this little blog has been en vacances this summer. And why not? The French get eight weeks of vacation; why can't a blogger? For those of you who follow these posting, please know that I am commited to sharing any French Louisiana encounters that come my way. Whether this happens weekly or monthly remains to be seen, but I'm doing my best to escape Baton Rouge and go into the la Louisiane profonde when possible. I hope you'll come with me!

As I haven't been able to escape lately, there's not much to report on at the moment. Except to say that I recently met (and spoke en français with) a nice man from the Congo. He said that when he was deciding on where to land here in the States, "They told me to go to Baton Rouge because everybody in Baton Rouge speaks French." Well isn't that a kick in the pants. Let's make that a reality, friends.

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Published June 17, 2010.
The following is an excerpt from a press release I just received:

"Southeastern Louisiana University will request approval to terminate its undergraduate degree programs in French and French education in order to help meet reduced state budget allocations, university officials announced today. The formal request will be presented to the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors at the governing body’s meeting next week."

Not too much to say about this, other than it makes my stomach hurt. Boo and hiss.

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Published June 9, 2010.
It's not too often that a top-notch Cajun band crosses the Atchafalaya to play for a Baton Rouge audience, so if you're in the BR this Saturday night give the Lost Bayou Ramblers a listen downtown at The Red Star. This band of musicians has been especially busy since April: they picked up the Big Easy award for "Best Cajun Band," played Jazzfest, and have since been touring in Europe. From Sweden, Germany and France (the Pontchartrain Festival no less!) all the way back to the Red Stick. The Lost Bayou Ramblers are: Louis Michot, fiddle and lead vocal; Andre Michot, accordion and lap steel; Chris Courville, drums; Cavan Carruth, guitar and vocal; Alan Lafleur, upright bass. www.lostbayouramblers.com

And on the subject of upcoming events, mark your calendars for "Toujours Français" on June 26. It's the annual wine fest and fundraiser for the Louisiana chapter of the French American Chamber of Commerce. I peeked at the participating restaurants, and you can count on haute cuisine. And a Jeanne d'Arc medieval parade adds the element of eccentricity that we all love about Francophone events. www.facc-la.com

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Published May 28, 2010.
Yesterday I had the great honor of sitting down to speak with M. Olivier Brochenin, Consul General of France in New Orleans. And let me tell you something: Louisiana has a great friend and advocate in this man. (I left his office singing—in my head only—Allons enfants de la patrie....) His optimism and praise for our sweet state were just refreshing, and I actually learned a lot about my own attitudes (and adjustments needed) during our conversation. As I collect my thoughts, sift through notes, and pursue interesting "leads" that came up yesterday, expect much more on this interview from this blog, a web article, or in an upcoming issue of the magazine. Or all of the above. A big thank you to M. Brochenin et Etienne Dages-Desgranges for carving time out of a busy schedule for little ole me. Une journée inoubliable. http://consulfrance-nouvelleorleans.org

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Published May 25, 2010.
When you get a chance, be sure to read this article by Joel Millman for the Wall Street Journal about immersion programs in Acadiana. News like this makes me so hopeful for the future of La Louisiane. Thank you CODOFIL, thank you foreign governments, and most of all, un très grand merci to the teachers who leave their homelands to come to our little corner of the world.

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Published May 19, 2010.
With two trusty companions, hubby and  meilleure amie Maggie, I went to Lafayette's Blue Moon Saloon last Saturday night for Archive Aid, mentioned in the last blog post. I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but oh my gosh I love Lafayette. A culture that values music and dancing is a culture that's worth getting to know, right? A good crowd of all ages came to the Saloon—at one point I looked on the front porch and saw four different generations of people, from baby to cane-bearing.

As the night rolled on, the three of us stiff Baton Rougeans watched as young and old locals cut a rug. And why wouldn't they? When we arrived, Cedric Watson and Daniel Coolik were on stage, then came Jones and the Giants, Carol Fran and David Egan, and Feufollet. By the time Feufollet took the stage the crowd was worked up into a real frenzy, and we saw all kinds of stepping, spinning, and bending. By unanimous vote from our corner, the best dance moves of the night were exhibited by an "older" lady who you'll see in the photo gallery. She owned the dance floor, sang along with Carol Fran, and became our model for "When I get older I want to be just like that."

Click the image to open a photo gallery.

A few memories stick out: We met a couple from Germany there who were on vacation (they're on the edge of the porch in the photo gallery). Don't you just love when tourists find good places to go and experience authentic things? They're probably still talking about the bar, the laid-back people, fun music and wild dancing.

The "coolest" people at the Saloon—meaning hubby, Cedric Watson, and the majority of people there—were drinking LA-31, a bière from a new brewery in Arnaudville. The folks in Arnaudville are always up to something.

We also met Dyann and Rick Arthur from Seattle, who are traveling the country for seven months to record oral histories and performances by women in the roots music world, from Blues and Cajun to Appalachian and Maritime. Bookmark their site and expect a glorious final product from the MusicBox Project. They let us know that a Roots Music concert is being put on TONIGHT (Wednesday, May 19) at the Whirlybird in Opelousas. Catch it if you can.

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Published May 13, 2010.
I'm currently in the throes of calendar of events writing, which leaves no time to find French Louisiana. But here are a three things that I'm really looking forward to exploring when life allows...

1. The kind attaché de communication for the Consulate Générale de France in New Orleans contacted me to ask if I'd like to set up an interview for my blog. I played it cool when I responded with, "I'd be delighted," but I'll let you guys know that I did a little dance in my corner of office space. J'en suis ravie!!  

2. J'adore this group and can't wait to get to know these movers and shakers a bit better. www.techeproject.com

3. This Saturday May 15, a fundraiser for the Archives of Cajun and Creole Folklore will take place at Lafayette's fun Blue Moon Saloon, and with any luck yours truly will be there. The archives were created in 1974, and it's the most comprehensive collection of recorded and transcribed materials on French in Louisiana, as well as the Upper Mississippi River Valley, French Canada, the West Indies, and Africa. Doors for Archive Aid open at 4pm, and there'll be free red beans and rice provided by Broussard's Cajun Cookin'. Local performers—some of whom have dug into the archives to record obscure songs—will include Joshua and Claire Caffery, Kelli Jones and the Giants, Cedric Watson and Daniel Coolik, Carol Fran and David Egan, and Feufollet. On va faire la fête this weekend for a great cause! More on the archives at the Center for Cultural & Eco-Tourism. www.bluemoonpresents.com.

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Published May 4, 2010.
Last Friday, my francophile cousin and I attended Visions, a fashion show fundraiser presented by the LSU Department of French Studies. As a proud alum of that department, I was thrilled to see such a great turnout (looked sold out to me) and people of all ages.

I've been to Paris fashion week only in my dreams, so I wasn't sure what to expect. What we experienced was a professional production, full of attention to detail, serious-looking models, and with great music provided by DJ Otto. Big thanks to the evening's artistic director, Jean Xavier Brager, who coordinated this tribute to Yves Saint Laurent. Look at these lovely ladies and ensembles... oh la la! 

And if you happen to read this today (Tuesday, May 4) consider another great Francophone event happening tonight in New Orleans. The critically-acclaimed Moutin Reunion Quartet will be at Snug Harbor with two shows, 8 pm and 10 pm. Only $15! www.snugjazz.com

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Published April 28, 2010.
I went to Festival International over in Lafayette for the very first time in my life (la honte!) last weekend, and just call me the festival's #1 fan from now on. Parking was a breeze, the food—including the sublime duck fat french fries from Pamplona—was excellent, and the admission... what admission? It's all free! I purchased some earrings from a very nice man from Africa in the Marché du Monde, while other friends bought home accessories. And the music, the festival's raison d'être, was so enjoyable. We weren't familiar with any of the bands playing on Friday night, so we just bounced from stage to stage, catching a little Euro-French gypsy music here, a little music from Mali there.

By far the musical experience that "stole the show" for our time at the fest was a group called Mucca Pazza. I'm not sure how to describe this band of about thirty musicians. Their Web site says "circus-punk marching band," and I guess that's about right, but they also reminded me of local brass bands. The band members range in age from twenty to, oh I don't know, sixty, and the lot of them swarmed and circled in the streets of downtown Lafayette surrounded by enamored listeners. I'm sure they practice their "formation," though you can't tell; the band members, each dressed in a unique uniform, seem to march and stomp aimlessly as they blast out their tunes. And they even have a few cheerleaders to keep spirits high. It's hard to catch a good photo of them since they move about so quickly, but here are a few of my better ones.

Another great event for Francophiles arises in Baton Rouge this weekend. The LSU French Department's annual fashion show fundraiser is this Friday, April 30 at 7 pm. Yours truly will be there with bells on. The event poster is below, or you can read about it in the Country Roads calendar. Reservations are required, so reserve your spot near the catwalk ASAP. 

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Published April 22, 2010.
I found it! French Louisiana in my backyard! Last year, my wine lovin' hubby planted several grapevines along our side fence, and we watched incredulously as they actually sprouted from the ground and grew tall. Well, after the winter we just had, which the two of us barely survived, we were certain that the young vines wouldn't reappear this year. Miracle of miracles—they're back and as precious as ever (well, four of seven are back). Quelle joie! Who knows if they'll ever give us grapes, but they give us roots that run all the way back to the old country and that's why we love them. And they share some dirt with a lovely rose bush. Check out those colors! 

In other news, we brought a guest last weekend to Houmas House for a tour. She wanted nothing more than for the tour guide to be dressed in costume, so imagine our glee when we pulled up to the plantation to find hundreds of youngsters (Greek system revelers from Ole Miss) dressed in tails and colorful antebellum dresses. It was a beautiful glimpse into the olden days. As we waited for our tour to begin, we strolled through Houmas House's amazing gardens and spoke to a chef who was clipping herbs from the kitchen garden.

Here's an interesting tidbit from our guide at the plantation: the word "dixie" has its origins in the pre-Civil War ten-dollar notes with the word dix (French for ten) printed on one side. The notes were called dixies, and the south became known as the land of dixies. Just one of many theories.  

Last but not least, clear all of your plans for this weekend and go to Festival International in Lafayette instead. Check back next week for more on the festival. 

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Published April 15, 2010.

Wow. What else can one say after attending the International Heritage Festival? It's an authentic presentation of cultures, made by smiling people who want so badly for you to ask them a question about their homeland. Along the Mississippi River waterfront the Ottoman Empire tents were my favorite (and I'm pretty sure that some international business deals went down under one of those tents; lots of hand-shaking from the suits gathered there). The Taiko drumming of Japan and folkloric dances from Cordoba, Mexico were crowd-pleasers on the outdoor International Music Stage, and I watched as four dancing men from Turkey brought the house down inside the River Center with a high energy performance. Also inside the River Center, booths representing scores of countries were mobbed by festival-goers looking for cultural insights and travel tips (we picked up travel brochures for Austria and Peru—can't wait!), plus everyone wanted their festival passport stamped. As you can see from the photo at left, the France booth was an explosion of bleu blanc rouge, Provence, sunflowers, vin et fromage. I was drawn to my peeps over in the Lebanon booth, while hubby and his parents connected with the folks in the Ireland and Celtic Society booths. Unfortunately, other obligations drew us away from the festival before the Parade of Nations began, but we'll be back next year.   

As we walked back to our car, we passed by the Sundays in the Park crowd next to the Shaw Center. I am so happy to report that Cedric Watson had everyone on their feet, dancing to his unique southern Louisiana sound. We bought his CD a few weeks ago while in Breaux Bridge—the first track, "Cochon de Lait," is my favorite. Of Watson's latest album, musician Michael Doucet said, ""These songs may well be early brushstrokes of a life’s worth of possibilities, not only for himself, but also for the identity survival of a culture.” Give Cedric a listen if you haven't already.

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Published April 9, 2010.
I am so looking forward to the International Heritage Festival coming up on Sunday! There are a zillion events and festivals this weekend, but this is my pick. I'm going with my camera and my fork in my back pocket. Check back next week for discoveries and photos.

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Published March 31, 2010.
Realizing that the look of le Vieux Carré, or the French Quarter, actually has more to do with the Spanish, I propose a temporary blog name change to "Finding Euro Louisiana." The Roadfood Festival brought me and hubby to the Quarter last weekend, and though most of my photos were close-ups of food, I took a few of some courtyards and other lovely sights. What is it about courtyards? I fell under their spell in Cordoba, Spain a few years ago, and now a locked gate is needed to keep me out of them. 

Two bands managed to pull our attention away from all of the delicious food. One has a name that makes me blush, G String, and the other's named The Smoking Time Jazz Club. We purchased a CD by G String and haven't stopped listening since; it's oh so Eastern European / Yann Tiersen (of Amelie fame) / Beirut's Gulag Orkestar and Flying Club Cup albums. As for The Smoking Time Jazz Club, they were captivating on the street and brought their own singing siren and dancers. Always a great day in the Vieux Carré.

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Published March 21, 2010.

New Orleans' Ecole Bilingue had its annual Fête Française this past weekend, so hubby and I cleared our Saturday schedule and drove down for the festivities. For the kiddos, there were plenty of fun outdoor games, puppet shows, inflatables, and storytelling; for the older crowd were moules frites (mussels in either a tomato or cream sauce—delish—with a side of fries), huitres grillés (grilled oysters), beer, wine, a special festival cocktail featuring la champagne, du fromage from the St. James Cheese Company, and so many more food options. And to the delight of young and old, as evidenced by the long line all day, was the Crêpes à la Cart booth, where a young man from the Ivory Coast was making fresh nutella crêpes—poor guy didn't get a moment's rest. (If you've never tasted a nutella crepe, stop reading this and make one right now. Nutella-banana makes a great combination; sprinkle with some coconut shavings, and you'll be on cloud neuf.) 

Festival highlights: 1) hearing groups of children speaking fluent French amongst themselves- bravo bilingual school!; 2) les moules; 3) winning a book about Laura Plantation in the silent auction; and 4) la musique. Despite the impending rain and the ever-decreasing temperature, hubby and I stuck around to see the festival's final music act—a performance by Tété. We've been listening to his music for the past couple of years upon a friend's recommendation.

Tété is super popular in France, so imagine our surprise when we noticed him just strolling around the festival grounds before it was his time to take the stage. It'd be kind of like seeing Ben Harper just loose amongst the crowds, walking around unnoticed. After stalking the appropriate amount of time, I finally got up the nerve to tap him on the shoulder and ask for a photo, and he graciously acquiesced. I was completely star-struck. (As I type this, Tété is playing the Blue Moon Saloon in Lafayette. I hope there's a good crowd for him since the rain had thinned out the New Orleans crowd.)

The other huge musical moment was hearing the New Orleans-based group Wazozo for the first time. What a discovery! Gorgeous music—check them out here. 

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Published March 10, 2010. 
I'm super busy this week and next compiling and writing not only our monthly calendar of events (hint: you will not be bored in April), but also our summer day camp guide. I stumbled on this French Louisiana gem just a few minutes ago: Cajun and Creole Summer Camp for the kiddos!

Now I don't have any children myself, but if I did, they'd certainly be quickly enrolled in this cultural camp. Organized by Louisiana Folk Roots, it's a week of guitar, accordion and fiddle playin'. Plus French singing, dance classes, more workshops, and a field trip. Can I go? Please? Past instructors and guest artists have included Corey Ledet, Kristi Guillory, and Christine Balfa Powell, so you can bet your children will be in capable hands. Get the details and get your French Louisiana lovin' children registered at www.lafolkroots.org. (337) 234-8360.

Know of other programs like this one?

Published March 2, 2010.
The event last Friday night at the Manship Theatre was like a dream, un rêve. Hubby and I arrived at the Francophone movie marathon—which lasts from sunset to sunrise—planning on staying for only the first of four movies. But then there was cheese and wine after the first film, so you understand why we stayed for the second. After the second movie, they strategically brought out the big guns—French pastries. Napoléons, millefeuilles, éclairs, and more mocked us as we contemplated going home, so we partook in the sweet buffet, downed some café, and found ourselves giddily watching the third film, which began at 1:10 am. We left at the end of the third film, but that's not bad for two first-timers. We'll surely be there until the bitter end next year, though there's nothing bitter about a French breakfast after a night of great cinema. This year's films were "Les Choristes", "Ce qu'il faut pour vivre", "J'ai tué ma mère", and "Tanguy."

LSU's Center for French and Francophone Studies (Director of the center, Dr. Sylvie Dubois, pictured above) has put on Nuit Blanche for five years now, and it's been sold out since the very first year. Why? Because la Louisiane lives! There were people there of all ages—children (who by the third movie were cozily sleeping under blankets in seats and on the floor), teenagers and college students (all eagerly practicing French between movies), all the way up to le troisième âge, or the elderly. Hubby and I were amazed at how many of the conversations overheard were in French, I'd say nine out of ten. Baton Rouge often takes some verbal abuse for having less international flair than Lafayette or New Orleans, so a big merci to LSU for creating an event for film lovers, food lovers, and Francophiles right here in the BR.

A little lagniappe: Nuit Blanche is an all-night arts celebration concept that goes on in cities all over the world. In Paris, museums stay open all night, and churches, parks, and other venues offer installations of art, lighting, and video. Paris. St. Petersburg. Sao Paulo. Rome. Baton Rouge.   

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February 23, 2010.
Hubby and I were in Mulate's in Breaux Bridge when we ran into an old friend of mine who invited us to this dance hall on the other side of town. The evening offered perfect blog material for two reasons: 1) this friend, Jessica, is the real deal Cajun, and 2) La Poussière, the dance hall in question, is a collection of real deal Cajuns dancing to real deal Cajun music. Voilà la Louisiane!

First, the existence of people like Jessica is just so encouraging—a young Cajun who is truly bilingual. She grew up in St. Landry parish in a Cajun household, speaking French with her father mostly. She currently lives in Lafayette, teaching French to preK students (hooray for the future!) at Alliance Française, tutoring, and working at CODOFIL (more on this French Louisiana organization in a later post). The night we ran into Jessica, she was hosting a group of Québécois undergrads in the area to film a documentary (an annual project/trip according to their professor). I met Jessica when we both interned in France as undergrads at LSU, and it had been almost ten years since the last time I saw her. She immediately slipped into speaking French after our initial shock of seeing each other. As the night went on, I asked Jessica if there were a lot of other Cajuns our age who speak French as much as she does. "Come to Lafayette," she said. "I'll introduce you." 

From Mulates—itself vibrating from all the dancing and live music inside—Hubby and I followed the caravan of Canadians and Cajuns to La Poussière.

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February 14, 2010.
My husband and I spent this weekend in Pont Breaux (Breaux Bridge) and used the town as a base for experiencing some Cajun Carnival. Hubby, as he will be called from now on, thoughtfully took me to Chez Jacqueline for our Valentine’s dinner. Jacqueline hails from the Versailles area of France and opened ce resto about six years ago, she told us. (I ask if this is cheating because Jacqueline is not Cajun or Creole. She's "standard French," not "Louisiana French." Well, a blog's gotta start somewhere.) 

Apparently, life in a small bayou town agrees with Jacqueline, and her cooking certainly agrees with locals and the others who drive from afar to dine here. This is how good our meal was: I didn’t take a single photo of our meal. Didn’t even think about getting out my camera, so engrossed I was in the buttery sauciness of it all.

A dozen escargots arrived first, swimming in butter and covered in fresh parsley and garlic. That dish was empty within seconds. Simple green salads in a great homemade vinaigrette materialized next, with what were, according to Hubby, some very tasty tomatoes (according to him because je déteste les tomates). We could/should have stopped eating at this point.

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