Romancing the Roads (3 page)

There is so much to see, admire, and learn at Houmas House. You will definitely enjoy. Admission is approximately $20 per adult. Group rates are available, and the property is wheelchair accessible. Hours: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

2010 Addendum:
I spoke with Kevin Kelly, who, it is obvious from his voice, is a very proud owner. A teahouse has been opened. The surrounding gardens, fountains, ponds, and Japanese bridge are beautiful. The gardens are being touted as among the best in the South. The teahouse, at a twenty-foot elevation, overlooks the plantation. Visit the
Turtle Bar
for your choice of libation and then the award-winning
Latil’s Landing
Restaurant
(225-473-9380). Reservations are required. Hopefully I will see all of these new additions when on tour. It all sounds fabulous.

Shopping

Bella Bella

3064 Perkins Rd.

225-343-2352

This is an attractive shop for fashionistas. Owner Elise Decoteau now has two other shops It’s best to call for directions (252-923-1505 or 225-757-0090).

Imelda’s

7865 Jefferson Hwy.

225-923-3737

Owned by Sally Fowler, Imelda’s has lots of wonderful shoes—some, of course, pricey. This shop is open every day of the week. Check for hours. I saw on the card that Imelda’s has two other stores in Lafayette and Shreveport.

Personal Input to Share

Via Moda

This great little store has shoes, pocketbooks, and small accessories, all sensibly priced. The owner was so bubbly and friendly, and when she learned I was coming to visit, she made a large bag with
Curves on the Highways
(a previous book of mine) embroidered on the front. Was that not the most original? So very thoughtful! What a super surprise. I admit I found a pink and orange jelly bag on sale that I had to have. Sadly, I called to verify some details and find that the shop has closed, hopefully only temporarily.

Real Life:
I share this cute story, which could happen to anyone—especially young mothers. While I was at Via Moda, a young woman ran in. She was obviously dressed up for an event—except for her shoes. It turned out that her child had hidden or misplaced one of the shoes that she was going to wear to a wedding that afternoon. The owner, as well as everyone in the store, pitched in and found her the perfect replacement pair—not too expensive—that she could wear with lots of different kinds of attire. Oh, the trials of wonderful motherhood.

Dining

Coffee Call

3132 College Dr., Ste. F

225-925-9493

This is
the
spot for breakfast. Whoa! Just try to set limits as to how much of a standard Louisiana breakfast—beignets and café au lait—you are going to consume. It’s not easy. Coffee Call is a Baton Rouge landmark and gathering place for all Homo sapiens. The Cannatella family opened the business twenty-seven years ago. It’s delicious, superclean, and below reasonable in price, with great atmosphere. Can I rave more?

Juban’s Creole Restaurant

3739 Perkins Rd.

225-346-8422

www.jubans.com

Acclaimed as one of 1984’s best new restaurants by
Esquire
, Juban’s, I am glad to emphasize, is owned by two women. Yes! The exceptional menu made choosing what to eat difficult. My selections included

Cajun popcorn:
This dish consists of fried crawfish tails served with spicy cocktail sauce. Don’t get put off by what Cajun popcorn is. It is delicious.

Filet Juban:
The dish of beef tenderloin with maître d’hôtel butter, crabmeat, and béarnaise sauce, was absolutely delicious. I think I split a small salad, and dessert was sweet and decadent.

FYI:
One of Juban’s signature dishes is Hallelujah Crab, which consists of fried seafood-stuffed soft-shell crab topped with sauce creolaise.

Prices are standard high-end. The atmosphere is upscale casual and definitely friendly. Juban’s is located in the
Bocage Shopping Center
, a small but upscale collection of shops, and after dinner I walked around and checked them out.

Paper N Things

7649 Jefferson Hwy.

225-924-7725

What a delightful shop. I purchased some very “me” cards. There were many selections. I discovered, as I spoke with owner Stacey Miremont, that the store does deluxe complimentary gift wrapping. How helpful!

Beausoleil

7731 Jefferson Hwy.

225-926-1172

www.beausoleilrestaurantandbar.com

Also in the Bocage Shopping Center, this delightful place—then called the Silver Spoon—served a delicious, sensibly priced lunch. The Beausoleil is owned and operated by Michael Boudreaux, Jeff Comaway, Nathan Gresham, and Kenny Juban.

Calandro’s Supermarket

4142 Government St.

225-383-7815

12732 Perkins Rd.

225-767-6659

www.calandros.com

In case groceries are needed, I recommend this store, also in the Bocage Shopping Center. It supposedly carries great cheeses, meats, and the like.

The more I saw of Baton Rouge, the more I liked it. I would enjoy returning and discovering more of this Louisiana city. I saw several standard shopping malls. This is a university town, so you are going find a great deal of clothing and items for the college life.

The next day held serendipities of many sorts. I had until 3 p.m., when I would be driving to the next destination. It was Saturday, and I walked around the Main Street Market at Fifth and Main.

Main Street Market

501 Main St.

225-267-5060

www.mainstreetmarketbr.org

The market was in full swing. This is definitely a place to go for everything freshly harvested, preserved, or handmade. The ad card states, “Downtown’s Freshest Address.” That seemed accurate to me. I would not hesitate to “go to market alone.” Everyone was very friendly.

Nottoway Plantation & Resort

31025 Hwy. 405, White Castle

866-668-6929

www.nottoway.com

The drive from Baton Rouge to Nottoway is about one and a half hours. The drive through rural areas puts you in a plantation frame of mind. I found the famed historic Nottoway to be everything that you could ever imagine a plantation to be. It has bed-and-breakfast accommodations. Here are my observations about my Nottoway Plantation experience. I then include what has been added to this most special plantation, which happened to be the largest remaining antebellum mansion in the South with overnight accommodations and restaurant.

As you approach via the long and impressive driveway, this magnificent, enormous, white, Greek Revival mansion looms. One parks in the lot in front and walks into the mansion. A small check-in desk is manned by a competent young man who also helps with my luggage.

All overnight guests, upon arrival, are told the schedule of the complimentary tour and informed that a full plantation breakfast in the
Breakfast Room
will be awaiting them in the morning! Go for this wonderful breakfast. Lunch will not be a consideration.

I recommend a walk around the gardens and up to the levee. The tour of the plantation will be the next morning after breakfast, but all overnight guests can walk through the main house by themselves at night (more on this below).

I was shown to my room, which immediately took me to a place back in time. The four-poster bed, the decor, the ambiance, the carafe of port with sparkling glasses on the table—I wanted to be wearing a full hoop-skirted dress with a corseted waist.

Dinner was scheduled for 7 p.m. in
Randolph Hall
. I had no idea what I was to discover and so thoroughly enjoy. I walked through a small garden to Randolph Hall and was greeted by a hostess. Almost immediately, a chef joined us.

Although chef Johnny “Jambalaya” Percle has retired from Nottoway, he is still involved in his culinary endeavors. I will relate my experience, which was special.

Of course, I let him choose my meal and when I could not decide what to choose chef gave me a sample of each. The Zydeco Salad was so crisp and flavorful that I didn’t want to finish it too quickly.

The entrée was a sample of two: a shrimp specialty and trout crisped just right, resulting in one of the best trout dishes I have ever tasted. Dessert was a sampling of several decadent delights. My notes do not seem to include a description of them. I must have been so plied with the outrageous selections that I was too weak to write. With a cup of “guaranteed” decaf coffee, I rate this meal as pretty darn perfect. Thank you!

Randolph Hall
is now for meetings and special events. There is the
Mansion Restaurant
on the main level of the plantation. Chef Daniel Thompson is at the helm. There is
Le Café
in the original warming kitchen. Here you can find a collection of decadent delights, creative drinks, and more. Although I have not seen the latest additions, I would not hesitate to say that from all my investigations, everything is only first-rate and done with care and talent.

Two special features:

1. Overnight guest are allowed to go into the big house, walk around, look, and enjoy. I decided to do that, but I confess I was a smidgeon hesitant as I opened the large heavy door and entered the main hall. I felt dwarfed by the largeness of all that surrounded me. What an experience to walk around, alone, in this magnificent, huge plantation. I didn’t meet any ghosts, but I think I did sense a spirit or two. I wondered what it would have been like to be a child on this plantation or the mistress of the manor. You can imagine life in a different time and play mind games as you take your private tour.
   

The spacious rooms are truly grand, and feeling dwarfed is to be expected. The interior design and furnishings are perfection to the max. The dining room table is set. The bedrooms are readied. The living room is inviting.

1. Four rooms at the plantation can be reserved to spend the night.
   

Suggestion:
Visit Nottoway Plantation on the Internet (www.nottoway.com). Even via the computer screen you will be in awe.

FYI:
When the draperies hang full and long to the floor, it is called “puddling” and denotes wealth.

Nottoway History

Virginian John
Hampden Randolph designed and built Nottoway for his wife, Emily Jane, and their (ultimately) ten children. How did he get to Louisiana? His father had been appointed a federal court judge in Mississippi, and the family had moved from Virginia. Randolph married Emily Liddell from a family of wealth. The young couple and children eventually moved to Forest Home, a beautiful plantation. John Randolph decided to change from raising cotton to planting sugar cane. He was extremely successful and decided to build a home befitting his prosperity and station in life. In 1855, he purchased 400 acres and 620 acres of swamp. Part of the property faced the Mississippi, which allowed for watching the steamboats and showboats. Not a penny was spared on the construction of his new home.

The main house has 3 floors, 64 rooms, 6 interior staircases, 165 doors, 200 windows, 15.5-foot ceilings, 11-foot doors, and a total of 53,000 square feet of living space. John Randolph’s favorite room was the semicircular ballroom, which was white to show off the natural beauty of women. He put a mirror in the ballroom so that women could see if their hoops or their ankles were showing.

This gives just an idea of what went into this palatial plantation. Many of the original furniture positions are what you see as you visit each room. When the Civil War erupted, John Randolph went with many slaves to Texas and grew cotton to keep solvent. Emily maintained Nottoway as the surrounding area was ravaged. We learn of the events, struggles, and happenings that the family at Nottoway endured from daughter Cornelia’s diary. I reiterate that it was a woman, Emily Jane, who kept and preserved the property. After her husband’s death, she sold this magnificent home. It has had several owners since, but today its owner is doing it proud and pleasing the Randolphs. Visit and, even better, stay for a night.

Nottoway has undergone major renovations and now has added a spa to the property. Prices range from about $135 to $275 per night, which includes the carafe of refreshment when you arrive, the guided tour, the prebreakfast coffee and hot muffins delivered to your room, and a full plantation breakfast. I discovered how much I like plantation life, but, alas, back I headed into the modern world.

Lafayette (Population Approximately 110,000)

Note:
It was a little difficult to find the various destinations in Lafayette recommended to me as there are restrictions on signage. It was not my imagination that signs were few or very small. Many agree.

It was the Fourth of July. Traffic was not bad to Lafayette. I had been told to go first to the Jean Lafitte Acadian Cultural Center operated by the National Park Service and then on to Vermilionville, where I would visit the replicated exhibits of life in the Attakapas area between 1765 and 1890.

Jean Lafitte Acadian Cultural Center

501 Fisher Rd.

337-232-0789

www.nps.gov/jela

Vermilionville

300 Fisher Rd.

866-992-2968

www.vermilionville.org

I was short on time, but I did make total rounds and quick visits of the above. Both were informative and interesting. Leaving one of the exhibits, I heard live music coming from one of the more modern buildings. Lo and behold, I found a lot of happy people dancing to great music (my type of place!). I don’t know if there is a name for the big barn of a building or even the event—maybe it was a Fourth of July celebration—but it certainly was a happy happening.

Bois des Chenes B&B

338 N. Sterling St.

337-233-7816

www.boisdechenes.com

By 5:30 p.m. I had found Bois des Chenes. My immediate first impression was blah, but I was quickly proved so very incorrect. Upon arrival, I was greeted by Coerte Voorhies, who showed me to my accommodations—a cottage away from the main house. He informed me of the property’s history and how Bois des Chenes had hosted so many dignitaries, and he said his wife looked forward to meeting me in the morning at breakfast, after which I was scheduled to go on a swamp tour.