2015 Iowa, Louisiana Rabbit Festival

There is a billboard which is on display all year on I-10 (east of Lake Charles) which advertises the Iowa Rabbit Festival.  The Rabbit Festival is the 3rd weekend in March every year.  My husband and I hopped over to Iowa (pronounced eye-oh-way) to celebrate the 29th annual Rabbit Festival.

This is where the festival is held in Iowa, Louisiana

The Anticipation

A few weeks ago, I was at JoAnn Fabrics. I was in the fabric cutting line with, you guessed it, fabric.  I was patiently waiting in line when I noticed that the young woman in front of me had a large bunch of white faux-fur ribbon.

Curiosity got the better of me.

"Hi.  I am sorry to bother you but I was wondering what project you are working on using the faux fur," I asked?

"I am making sashes for the Miss Bunny Pageant.  It's in Iowa at the Rabbit Festival.  I was Miss Bunny 2011,"  Miss Bunny 2011 said.

In my head I thought.  Oh my gosh.  There is a Miss Bunny Pageant!  This is a thing that exists?  Can I enter?

Just kidding.  It's the Miss Bunny Pageant, not the Mrs. Bunny Pageant....

The Day Of

On Friday, March 20, the Rabbit Festival commenced. 
Earlier that day I coincidentally ran into the Mayor of Iowa, Ms. Ponthieux.  I asked her about what to expect.

"The park is like a busy beehive...and that brings the analogy to our school mascots [the J.I. Watson Middle School Stingers and the Iowa High Yellow Jackets]," Mayor Ponthieux said.

I had to work late but all day I was so excited for the Rabbit Festival.  I was also excited about visiting a town I had never been to.

"Do you think I should bring a book?  I wish we had time to get the new Walking Dead [Graphic Novel]," I said.

Back when the husband and I lived in South Dakota, on Saturdays we would drive an hour from Brookings to Sioux Falls to get away, shop, eat at cool restaurants and have fun.  I miss that drive.  I would read the Walking Dead aloud while he drove.  I'd make all the sound effects.  My favorite?   "BRAKKA BRAKKA BRAKKA!"  (That's a machine gun....)

"How far do you think Iowa is," my husband asked?

That was a very excellent question...

I blame my Montana upbringing.  The nearest city or just about anything in Montana is AT LEAST an hours' drive.  Living in densely populated states is still so foreign to me....

Iowa is fifteen minutes from Lake Charles.

The Rabbit Festival Music

I worked late on Friday, so I couldn't make it to Iowa in time for the full musical lineup which included Geno Delafose, Wayne Toups and Tracy Byrd. 
Some friends told me I needed to see Wayne Toups. 

I mean this with all the respect possible--Mr. Toups is Cajun Hagrid.

I am so incredibly excited to have had this opportunity!  Mr. Toups won a very much deserved Grammy in 2013! You can read his story here:  http://www.waynetoups.com/bio.html   

According to Mr. Toups biography, accessed at the link above, Mr. Toups describes his style of music as a blend of Zydeco and Southern Rock and Roll.
Zydeco is a musical style my husband and I discovered we really enjoy.  I created an equation:
 French singing + Accordian=Awesome.

Mr. Toups is also an environmental activist.  He has raised funds for the Coastal Vision Foundation (CVF).  I really appreciate this organization.  The CVF is dedicated to preserving the Gulf Coast.   You can check out more about the Coastal Vision Foundation here:  http://www.coastalvisionfoundation.org/

The Rabbit Festival:  A Tasty Experience

I had the chance to see a Grammy winner at the Rabbit Festival.  I also had another unique opportunity.  I got check an item off my cullinary bucket list.

Rabbit.

Honestly though...I didn't really plan on trying rabbit until the fifteen minute drive to Iowa.  I never thought I'd try it.  I mean...Bunnehs.  Thumper from Bambi.  Cute fluffy critters....

But I ate rabbit and I liked it. 

I have these lovely people to thank for the experience.

Thanks Roberta and Jill!

 

 

 

 

 

The food here was a hole-in-one! (pun intended)

Rabbit Kabob close-up

Jill told me that the Rabbit Kabob consisted of rabbit, bell peppers, onion and sausage fried up in an egg and cornmeal batter.  All proceeds from this sale went to support the Iowa High School Golf Team!  I love supporting school organizations.

 But wait!  What else is that?  Catfish Courtbouillon?  I had never heard of this.

I had to find out more....

Mr. Justin and Mr. Joey Bourque--Catfish Cooker Extraordinaires!

Ms. Jill introduced me to Mr. Justin and Mr. Joey Bourque who were so kind as to explain to me what exactly Catfish Courtbouillon is.  It's catfish cooked in a red tomato gravy and can be served over rice.  I didn't try this because the rabbit kabob was filling.  I guess I'll just have to go again next year.

Me and my Rabbit Kabob

Reflections on the Rabbit Festival

I expected BUNNEHS!  LOT'S OF LITTLE WHITE FLUFFY BUNNEHS!

I received no bunnehs :(

But I ate rabbit.  And I liked it.

The Whitney Plantation

This story begins earlier than my actual visit.
It all began with a chance listening to NPR in February, 2015. My Mother-In-Law, is a teacher in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.  While she was driving home from work, she was listening to NPR on the radio.  NPR was featuring a radio story about The Whitney Plantation, a very special museum in Louisiana. You can listen to the same story online on NPR now.
On Sunday, March 22, 2015, my husband, his parents and I traveled to the Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana.  The Whitney Plantation is about an hour from New Orleans.

When I thought of plantations, I always thought of a Big House.  However, there is much more to the story.

The Whitney Plantation opened in 2014 and is currently the only plantation museum in the state of Louisiana where slavery is the focal point.  
I am not sure whether it was luck, fate or coincidence but the same tour guide who was featured in NPR was our tour guide.
This is our tour guide Mr. Sakura Coné, (pronounced Kohn-AY) who kindly reminded me of my French Studies and the importance of the accent aigu.

He is an incredible tour guide

 “I need the accent [aigu]. I can't go through life being a cone,” Mr. Coné said.
The tour begins in The Antioch Church, which was originally built in Mississippi and moved here to Wallace, Louisiana.The church was donated to the Whitney Plantation to help teach individuals about slavery from the perspective of the slaves. 
 

There is a bell in the steeple which visitors are invited to "ring."

Once inside the church, almost immediately tourists are greeted by statues created by Artist Woodrow Nash.  Mr. Nash looked to Civil War photography for his inspiration.  Specifically, Mr. Nash used photographs of freed child slaves.  The clothing depicted on the statues are tattered, their eyes are hollow.  I found them powerful and heartbreaking.

Statues of slave children are seated and standing throughout the church

After a short video presentation which gave a background of the Plantation and the Federal Writers' Project (which I plan to do my own personal research on), we were lead to three memorials: The Wall of Honor, The Allées Gwendolyn Midlo Hall and The Field of Angels.

The Wall of Honor is dedicated to the individuals enslaved on the Whitney Plantation

The Wall of Honor is made of granite slabs which are etched with information retrieved from original records kept at the plantation.  
There is stunning artwork included on the Whitney Grounds.  

Sculpture created by Contemporary Artist, Ed Wilson

Longboats are also known as Pirogues

At the heart of the Field of Angels is this bronze statue created by Artist Rod Moorhead

The Field of Angels commemorates the 2,200 Louisiana enslaved children who died before they reached the age of three.  Disease epidemics, drowning and other causes claimed the lives of young children.
One other common cause of death for slave children was due to accidental burning.

These iron sugar cane pots are lined throughout the plantation grounds

Slave children were expected to use these pots to make cane syrup.  The process requires boiling water to "cook down" harvested sugar cane to create sugar cane syrup.  If a young child had an accident while doing this job and was burnt, it would almost certainly lead to death due to infection.
When Mr. Coné brought us to the "Slave Jail."   The "Slave Jail" is an iron cell where slaves were kept as a punishment. I found this very poignant on a personal level.  I am "a Northerner."  Until visiting Whitney, I had not understood the role some Northerners played in slavery.

There were companies in the North which provided manufactured goods used to aide slavery such as this jail and the iron sugar cane pots pictured above.

 

This cell was manufactured and purchased from a company located in Philadelphia

No matter the weather, slaves were stripped nude and lashed 50 to 100 times and put into the cell.  The punishment was meant less for "the offender" and meant more as a deterrent for other slaves. The cell as well as the iron sugar cane pots were manufactured by Northern companies.

After learning about the jail, we visited the cabins where slaves were housed in cramped conditions.  

 

 We also learned about several structures on the plantation called "Outbuildings." 

A scene from the movie Django was filmed here.

The Blacksmith Shop was where torture devices were created.  One of these devices was a branding tool.  Slaves who were thought to be trouble makers were branded with the fleur-de-lis symbol.

The Carriage House could fit five carriages

Mr. Coné described carriages as, "The BMW's of the day." The Haydel family was incredibly wealthy.

This is the back-side view of "The Big House" where the Haydel family lived

 We ventured inside the Big House but I am going to save those images for you to discover on your own.

 "I'd like to encourage you to do your own research,"Mr. Coné said at the conclusion of the tour.

At the end of the tour, I ventured back into the Welcome Center.  Visitors are encouraged to write their thoughts about the tour on post-its and stick them to the wall.  This is an incredible way to create and share a dialogue about what the museum means to each visitor.  The post-it testimonies are transcribed and uploaded daily to the Whitney Plantation Facebook page.

  

I encourage you to visit the Whitney Plantation and experience the memorials in person. I hope you get the chance to visit and write your own post-it testimony.  The Whitney Plantation is one of the best museums I have had the privilege to visit. 

The Daiquiri Shack

Imagine it's 5pm on a Friday after a very long week. You've worked hard, you've paid rent, you've fixed a leaky sink, kept the laundry and chores under control. You dear 21 years-old-or-above friend, deserve a treat. Where do you go? You've got dinner plans so the treat you oh-so-deserve needs to be quick. Should you get a Cherry Limeade from Sonic? A Pumpkin Spice Latte (if it's in season) from Starbucks? How about something a little more grown up.

For the people of Lake Charles, there is an answer. The Daiquiri Shack. The Daiquiri Shack at 2451 Ryan Street, Lake Charles is a drive-through Daiquiri service and is also a non-smoking bar for those over the age of 21. In Lake Charles, there are several drive-through adult beverage drink spots to choose from but I can tell you from personal experience, the Daiquiri Shack is very special. 

Sweetie, where'd ya get your glasses and lipstick?

 

I have driven through a few times, and placed my order, always the same, “A small Mudslide, Please.” I have, and always always will, responsibly wait to sip my drink. I wait to try my drink even if I am the passenger in the vehicle. I wait until I have reached my final destination.

Last week, for the first time, I parked my car and went inside the shack and may I say a cliché? Never judge a book by it's cover. 

Inside, I felt like I had stepped into, part swanky cosmopolitan bar, part temple devoted to the Louisiana State University Tigers.  There is a beautiful granite bar top lit-up by blue pendant lights.  The walls are decorated with LSU items as well as some fun quirky signs.  

Granite and blue pendant lights?  I want these in my home.

I walked in and was immediately greeted by two wonderful Daiquiri Shack employees who were so sweet to let me ask them a little more about the place.

This is Ms. Layah and Mr. Nathan. Layah has worked at the Daiquiri Shack since 2007. 

 

First, I introduced myself and I asked a little about the history of the place. I learned the Daiquiri Shack was not always as, and where, it now appears. Originally, there was a smaller version of the Daiquiri Shack. The new Daiquiri Shack opened in 2005 after Hurricane Rita.

“After Hurricane Rita, this was the only place selling alcohol [in Lake Charles]...I heard the line was busy,” Nathan said.

The Daiquiri Shack has a variety of drink options for patrons to select from. Layah and Nathan agreed that the most popular drink is The Killer.

[The Killer is] “A fruity punchy Rum Vodka drink,” Nathan said.

Yo ho ho and a Killer to go.  Aaaaaargh.

While The Killer, which is a Rum and Vodka combination drink made with Hawaiian Punch and 3 different rums is the most popular with customers, Layah's favorite drink is the Mango Margarita.

“We have the best Margarita's,” Layah said.

Nathan has worked at the Daiquiri Shack for four years. He told me about his favorite Daiquiri Shack beverage, the White Russian.

“Our White Russian is made with ice cream milk so it tastes delicious,” Nathan said.

The drinks are excellent. The non-smoking atmosphere is  awesome. The customers and employees treat each other like family.

“We are all family. We've all known each other forever. We get really friendly people and have customers who are down-to-earth people,” Layah said.

“It's really a great place to decompress after a tough day at work,” Nathan said.

Nathan and Layah also told me another part of the Daiquiri Shack that customers love are the very clean bathrooms.

This is the Women's room (what gave it away?).  For some reason, I was too shy to get a picture of the Men's room.

“Everybody says something about [how clean] the bathrooms are,” Nathan said.

A bell rings, alerting Layah that there is a drive-through customer. The drive-through window opens and she takes their orders. 3 drinks. She mixes and pours the beverages into 3 Styrofoam cups. She grabs three straws and tapes the lids shut with thick,white masking tape.

“The tape makes it legal. It is considered a closed container with the tape,” Layah said.

The other part of the legality aspect has to do with presenting a photo id such as a drivers' license.

“If there is five people [in the vehicle] and they order four drinks we need to ID four people,” Layah said.

I know the concept of a drive-through Daiquiri Shack is surprising for many. Honestly, it was very surprising for me but once I tried it I really enjoyed it. I am not a bar person and I rarely drink alcohol. However, should the mood strike me, I like being able to quickly get a well-made Daiquiri without leaving my car. I like that I have the opportunity to enjoy a professionally mixed drink in the comfort of my own home. Unfortunately, abuse is an awful reality. However, I believe we shouldn't necessarily take away something because of those who abuse the privilege.

I am also not yet a football person, but I enjoyed my time on the inside of Daiquiri Shack so much that I foresee myself coordinating a gathering with friends to go enjoy an LSU game at the Shack. 

 

Geaux Tigers!

So, if you have the chance, I recommend trying the Daiquiri Shack. The prices are very reasonable, the drinks are tasty and the employees are as nice as they come.

and of course, a Mudslide to-go