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Summertime In Louisiana; Places to Eat and Things to Do!

Posted by Jessica Myers · June 04, 2018

This June we are sharing some of our favorite places to go and things to do in the summer around Louisiana. When we think of summertime in Louisiana we think of live music, great food, and making new memories. With the weather getting hotter, you might think you want to spend it indoors but in Louisiana, we love to embrace the heat and enjoy the outdoors even more! Whether you are a parent, a newlywed, or just looking for some fun in the sun ideas to do with friends, we have a list of amazing options for you to enjoy during the month of June!

Outdoor Fun:

Whenever the sun starts to come out this time of the year, we absolutely love to spend it outdoors. Going on a picnic is usually the first thing that comes to mind, and in Louisiana the options are endless! If you live in Baton Rouge Arsenal Park is breathtaking and the perfect picnic spot. If you are in the Lafayette area lay out your favorite picnic blanket, and check out Moncus Park! New Orleans natives should grab a muffaletta from Central Grocery and check out the iconic Audobon Park!

Jessica here, I personally love to pack an assortment of cheeses and pair them with fresh fruit, olives, meat, nuts & some delicious fresh baked bread. For the summertime if you're wanting to pair a little bubbly with your cheese and meat spread go towards a glass of Rosé or some Chardonnay. If you are in the Lafayette area, make your way to the wonderful locally owned Fresh Pickens. If you are in the Baton Rouge area, then make your way to the Southside Produce Market! Both offer a wide variety of fresh local produce that will be perfect for a picnic, and you are also supporting local farmers! Trader Joes and Whole Foods also are great options to grab some easy snacks for a picnic!

Photo by: Platings & Pairings Blog

Sneaux Balls:

Hansen's Sno-Bliz has been around since 1939, and it's the perfect summertime treat! If you ever find your way in New Orleans, this is a must-go-to spot! Choose from many of their flavors & toppings and enjoy the Louisiana sun and outdoors!

Photo by: Hansen's Sno-Bliz

Photo by: Louisiana Lemonade

Our Sweet Baton Rouge Insiders are also sharing how to beat the heat with their top 10 Sno-Ball stands in Sweet Baton Rouge, Click Here!

Poboy Round-up:

Living in Louisiana I have learned to appreciate a delicious Poboy! In Lafayette, the places to go are definitely Old Tyme Grocery for a classic Shrimp Poboy and Pop's Poboys! (Pictured Below: Hot Hot Chicken Po'boy with their signature Frozé). In Baton Rouge, you've got Dempsey's, Rocco's, and Poor Boy Lloyd's. We couldn't forget you guys up north, Marilynn's Place and Papa & Company in and around the Shreveport area! East of the Bossier/Shreveport area, we head out towards the Monroe area to scope out the best Poboys in town and found these local eateries, Sam's Southern Eatery & Magic Grill.

Photo by: blogger Just Simply Jessica

Landry-Poche Farms:

Some fun for the whole family is a trip to Landry-Poche Farms in Holden Louisiana. There you will be able to pick fresh delicious strawberries and once you bring them home you can make all sorts of strawberry filled treats. The kiddos will love to walk along the strawberry fields and enjoy the gorgeous Louisiana summertime!

Photo by: Landry Poche Farms

Upcoming Festivals & Concerts in June:

Photo by: Louisiana Peach Festival

Creole Tomato Festival New Orleans (June 9th) 32nd Annual Creole Tomato Festival in the French Market District!
Shania Twain, Smoothie Center New Orleans (June 10th)
Maroon 5, Smoothie King Center New Orleans (June 14th)
The Louisiana Bicycle Festival Abita Springs - (June 16th) Annual Louisiana Bicycle Festival with food, music, bicycle rides, and more.
The 68th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival, Ruston Louisiana (June 22-23)- Have a peachy good time in Ruston LA celebrating the amazing Peach Festival!
Gulf Coast Shrimp & Jazz Festival, Lake Charles (June 23rd)- Enjoy live jazz music and delicious food!
Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Bossier City (June 26th)
Beauregard Watermelon Festival DeRidder, Louisiana- (June 29th) Celebrates the harvest of the local Sugartown Watermelons.
Goo Goo Dolls, Lake Charles (June 29th)

We hope y'all enjoyed and wrote down some of our ideas for the upcoming month of June in Louisiana!

Blog Contributor to SFT - Jessica Myers

Sweet Baton Rouge Date Night Roundup with Blake Guichet

Posted by Blake Guichet · December 19, 2017

Every year at Christmas, my husband and I have the same conversation. What do you want for Christmas? I don’t know, what do you want? I don’t know either, but let’s not spend a ton of money. And inevitably, we always come to the same decision - a Christmas date night. Rather than buying small things that we’re not even completely sure the other is going to like, we get a little dolled up and go out for a fancy night in Sweet Baton Rouge. And let me just tell you, it’s one of my favorite things we do all year. Life is extra crazy around the holidays, y’all. I know you know it. Especially with two small kids, a couple of jobs, and a million families thrown in the mix. I’ve grown to really covet this carved out time every Christmas season, where I know the love of my life and I are going to be able to sit across the table from one another and let all the madness fade out, just for a few hours.

Another thing we like to do (we do this year round) is hit one restaurant for dinner, and then another for dessert. It may sound a little crazy, but we’re kind of dessert snobs - aka sugar fiends - so we can be a little picky about the dessert situation. And look, sometimes a piece of frozen pie just isn’t going to cut it for these sweet tooths. So, just in case the idea of skipping the trinkets and using Christmas as one more excuse for a date night appeals to you, I thought I’d round up some of our most favorite Christmas date night spots we’ve hit over the years, and share them with you so you can enjoy a night out with your boo. And as an added bonus, I’ve also given you our favorite dessert spots to hit along the way - so be sure to save room (just kidding, we never save room. We just end up miserable. It’s Christmas!) Just to be clear: these are not our “usual” date night spots, we’re not quite that fancy. These are our once-a-year, splurge on time together rather than stuff spots.

All of these places really put on the Christmas ritz, if you know what I mean. Whether it’s a gorgeous fireplace or twinkle lights strung through the restaurant, they each just make you feel a little bit more in love (if that’s even possible).

Ruffinos - Okay, is it just me, or am I the the only one who didn’t know Ruffino’s has incredible steaks? I always thought it was an exclusively italian restaurant. Come for the bread, stay for the cotton candy.

Monjunis - Fun fact, my husband tried to take me to the Highland location for our first date, not knowing it had closed down. While we’re talking about my husband, he may fight you if you try to tell him there’s better Italian food anywhere in the tri-state area.

Flemings - I’ll be honest, this is my husband and I’s #1 choice most years. Between the service and the atmosphere and the amazing food, we just keep circling around to Flemings. This one is also on the dessert stop list!

Galatoire’s - It’s New Orleans come to Baton Rouge! Get a little taste of the city without the hour drive and the terrible parking situation (and be sure to get the turtle soup).

Nino’s - Possibly the smallest restaurant I’ve ever been in, be sure to make a reservation before you head this way. But y’all - it’s worth it. Don’t tell my husband, but they have some menu items I like better than Monjunis.

Dessert Stops:

Louisiana Lagniappe - Pizookies may be one of my love languages, and here they bake them immediately before they send them out. Excuse me, my mouth is watering.

Flemings - We have a repeat offender, that’s how much we love this place. But the chocolate lava cake is worth driving from one restaurant to another. I pinky promise.

Sammy’s - White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Pudding. While Sammy’s isn’t quite the ambiance we’ve gone for on this list, those four words qualify it with no contest.

Rock n Pops - If you’re looking for something a little more low-key, we love to run to Rock N Pops after our date nights. Added bonus, it’s completely understandable for you to each get your own!

And that’s the round up! I hope you take some time to be intentional with your loved one, without distractions (aka kids) during this season, and that you have the most wonderful, peace full end to 2017. Merry Christmas, y’all!

Meet Emily Ford, Blogger behind Limerence And Luck

Posted by Emily Ford · November 17, 2017

Hey y’al!

Emily Ford here, gal behind fashion and lifestyle blog Limerenceandluck.com. I’m excited to share with you my SFT November Lagniappe Box experience.

For those of you who don’t already know, the Lagniappe Box is a monthly subscription box curated by SFT. What’s even better about this particular subscription box is that you have the option to purchase one month at a time or subscribe monthly. What I consider the best part of the box is how downright original it is! The theme of this month’s box was ‘Louisiana Thanksgiving.’ From the Louisiana-printed kitchen towel to the homemade pepper jelly, I felt exactly like I was sitting at my Mamaw’s house catching up with cousins taking turns stealing marshmallows from the bag she was using to make pistachio pudding.

The t-shirt that comes with the box more often than not is worth the cost of the box alone, yet you still get so many more goodies in addition to an SFT original shirt! I highly recommend the Lagniappe Box as a gift for a Southern woman in your life, or even if you just want to share some Southern hospitality!

They are still taking sign-ups for their December Box till November 23rd. YOU won't want to miss this box, sign-up at www.lagniappebox.com

Thanks guys xoxo, Emily!

Let's stay connected, follow me by @limerenceandluck via Instagram!

Meet Kerrie, Blogger of "All Things Considered" By Keki

Posted by Kerrie Kikendall · October 15, 2017

Meet Kerrie Kikendall, she's the blogger behind All Things Considered and we asked her to be our Lagniappe Box guest blogger. Read on to see what she says about her unboxing of our October Lagniappe Box.

If you are someone who enjoys trying new products, then you are probably already a box subscriber. A subscription box is a perfect way to try amazing new products without breaking the bank. Not to mention you save on gas and wandering the store as they get delivered directly to your house!

Sugar, spice, and everything nice- that’s what the Lagniappe Box delivered to my doorstep. Started by the owner of Southern Football Tee, the Lagniappe Box showcases a new t-shirt paired with other local goodies each month. The box takes great pride in curating a customized experience for their subscribers filled with incredible products made throughout the great state of Louisiana. The October Lagniappe Box is filled with great items and even has a spooky cajun voodoo theme. Included in this month’s Box are Zapps chips, Red Stick Spices Co’s Andy Roo’s seasoning, Southern Football Tees, Breed Love activated charcoal soap, Buddy’s Chili Mix, and my personal favorite, Poof Cotton Candy.

Lagniappe Box on All Things Keki Blog Post

October Lagniappe Box on All Things Keki Blog Post

Okay, so I’ll start with one of my favorites, Poof Cotton Candy!! The box features a new flavor, “spooky voodoo floss.” Not only was I excited to see the new Poof flavor, but I noticed the new packaging that will make your cotton candy last longer than ever. Check out the Poof website, www.poofcottoncandy.com, for retail locations and purchasing options! Poof also offers catering options for your party needs!!

Poof Cotton Candy Lagniappe Box on All Things Keki Blog Post

The Gris Gris activated charcoal soap is something I was very curious to try! Having only tried one charcoal soap before I was very new to this acne fighting, skin soothing product. The soap is made right here in Baton Rouge by Breed Love Beauty Company. Gris Gris charcoal soap helps rid off evil toxins that damage your skin, leaving it purified and glowing. Did I mention the lavender? The soap is blended with lavender essential oil adding an extra bit of calm to your daily routine. Breed Love not only offers this charcoal soap, but they also feature a variety of skin care products like bath salts and oils. The soap in this month Box retails at $13. Check out their website for more. www.breedlovebeautyco.com

Breed Love Lagniappe Box on All Things Keki Blog Post

Seasoning is something that Louisianans know a lot about. Red Stick Spice Co. in Baton Rouge also knows a thing or two about spice. The Lagniappe Box shares Red Stick’s Andy Roo’s voodoo seasoning in this month’s subscription. This seasoning is a custom blend of salt, paprika, onion, garlic, black pepper, and some additionally hidden spices with a really nice flavor. Common dishes to use this seasoning include Gumbo, Red Beans, Etouffees, and Jambalaya to name a few. Red Stick also recommends using the Andy Roo’s voodoo

seasoning in high heat cooking, such as fried fish or shrimp. Voodoo seasoning works well as a rub when you are smoking your favorite meat! Go to my blog allthingskeki.com for a fried pickle recipe using Andy Roo’s voodoo seasoning.

Redstick Spice Lagniappe Box on All Things Keki Blog Post

I think by now we have all been waiting for the cooler weather to come through, and when mother nature decides to let that happen, I plan to cook a big pot a chili using the Buddy’s Cajun Spice Mix. This mix makes about 8 cups of chili; perfect for my family of four and some! The mix has everything you need for creating the perfect setting with the family on a cool evening. Buddy even suggest using the mix for your sloppy joes or over chips with lettuce, tomato, onions, and peppers. Check out Buddy’s website for additional great recipes, www.shop.buddyscajunspice.com

Buddy's Cajun Spice Lagniappe Box on All Things Keki Blog Post

The best value of this box is the SFT t-shirt! Retailed at $28 (almost the price of the Box). Each month you will receive a new shirt from Southern Football Tee! This month is the Cajun Halloween edition which has adorable Cajun folklore sayings which glow in the dark which is perfect for Halloween. The t-shirt is made with a cotton and polyester blend, allowing more comfortably and creating a breathable quality shirt that won’t shrink. Each month’s box has something new! To see more shirts from Southern Football Tees, check out their website, shopsft.com

Lagniappe Box on All Things Keki Blog Post

Something everyone in Louisiana should know about is Zapps Chips! The spicy voodoo chips found in the Lagniappe Box are very popular all over the state. Made one batch at a time, Zapps uses premium ingredients which creates a crunchy New Orleans style kettle chip. Zapps can be bought almost anywhere, so if you have not tried the voodoo flavor featured in the box either pick some up at your local grocery store or subscribe to receive this month’s Lagniappe Box.

With the Lagniappe Box, you will receive so many great products delivered directly to your door! The value of this month’s box is worth almost $60!! That is a $20 saving on the goodies inside. I thoroughly enjoyed receiving and opening the Lagniappe Box this month. Big thanks to Lagniappe Box for giving me the opportunity to work with them and help promote local companies and what they do best!

Lagniappe Box on All Things Keki Blog Post

Photos by: King Developments

Follow Kerrie by clicking on her handles below:

Faces Behind The Blog Cold Coffee, Hot Mess

Posted by Hannah & Courtney Cold Coffee, Hot Mess · October 09, 2017

Hey y’all! We are Courtney and Hannah, the faces behind the blog Cold Coffee, Hot Mess. We are two mom friends who share a desire for encouraging other women, especially moms, as well as a desire to keep things real. Those two things were the driving force behind us creating our blog. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, work-from-home mom, working mom, or heck, even just an independent woman (hey, that’s hard enough some days), we are here to encourage you and do life with you. There are few things more powerful than women supporting each other, so we were thrilled when SFT reached out to us and asked us to share a little with y’all.

As two work-from-home mamas, our wardrobes are fairly simple; but there are two key requirements: cute and comfortable. It’s so easy to get in a slump of worn out stretchy pants and stained t-shirts, especially when you’re only seen from the top up in the carpool line most days, and work requires you to sit behind a computer. But dang it, we are still 30 year old women who want to not feel like perpetual burp cloths and kleenex for all of these kiddos (between us there are five boys and one baby girl on the way). This is where we throw up all the praise hands for our friends at SFT. Our days transition from carpool to work to play dates, with the occasional coveted girls’ night and date night thrown in. And SFT has us covered for all of it. Because “mom hair” is legit, and sometimes we can’t be exactly sure of the last day we washed it, our baseball hats come in clutch for carpool and errands. We can throw them on for walks around the neighborhood and still look cute!

Once the kids are all at school, it’s time to get to work. We have a small amount of hours to get all the things done - house work, blogging, photo editing, painting, etc. etc. Coffee is a must. While we prefer it hot, we aren’t too mad about drinking it cold out of such a cute mug. Yes! SFT even keeps us covered in the coffee mug department.

On our off days and afternoons, we are in full on mom-mode. So comfort is 100% key, but we don’t want to look like a full on hot mess at the park. We love the mom-inspired tees from SFT. They also serve as great conversation starters with our fellow mamas, because we all feel the need to wine down, amiright?

And because we actually do get the occasional break to just be US - we love having cute and casual clothes to take us where the weekend leads. Whether that’s a weekend girls’ trip or a date night, we know we always have something cute with SFT in our closets.

Thanks SFT for making cute and comfy clothing that we can do all of the things in. You’re our first recommendation and our first shopping stop when we are in search of the perfect hat or tee. We can’t wait to get our hands on the new fall and Christmas items!

A big thank you to Meredith and the SFT team for inviting us to share a little about ourselves and our “mom style”. If you’d like to follow along, you can find us at www.coldcoffeehotmess.com, on Instagram, and on Facebook. We hope you’ll stop by!