Sweet Baton Rouge® Girls Trip to Natchitoches

My name is Melinda Morris – soon to be Melinda Buckner! I am from Oklahoma but recently moved to Baton Rouge. I love dressing up, but I also love dressing up my t-shirts! I’m thankful to have found the shop, “Sweet Baton Rouge,” because now I blend in and can associate myself with the Capital City, my new home!

My love for the beautiful story, “Steel Magnolias” started at a younger age. I remember watching the movie for the first time, in my grandparents’ basement. That’s what my sister and I did in the summers, when we were young. Our parents would drive the two of us to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, drop us off for a week and we’d have the best time! Swimming, drinking root beer floats late at night, going to the grocery store where they had teeny tiny shopping carts that were my size (at the time), packing all the sweets into “Grandma’s movie purse” (you know the kind of purse I’m talking about) and head off to the theater. BUT, my favorite moments were right after we showered in the evenings. That was when Grandma, Grandpa, my sister and I would pick out a VHS (yes, a VHS), pull out the blankets for floor viewing comfort and invest in a movie. 

The night we watched, “Steel Magnolias” was memorable for a few reasons. 

• One: My Grandpa loves “chick flicks,” which still makes me giggle.
• Two: My grandparents LOVE Dolly Parton, Sally Field and Julia Roberts. Which, at the time, I never knew how much I’d also grow to love them.  
• Three: How emotional the movie made me feel…even as a little girl. 

The emotions that I feel while watching, “Steel Magnolias” are all over the place, even today. I laugh during Ousier Boudreaux’s banter with everyone in the movie, especially Drum Eatenton. I feel the warm fuzzies with Shelby (Julia Roberts)  and Jackson’s (Dylan McDermott) love for one another. I feel sympathetic toward Annelle’s (Daryl Hannah) husband leaving her and the mental/physical changes she endured throughout the movie. However, the ending just gets me. It just flat out gets me. 

  “How can I feel so darn sad but end up laughing, too?” I ask myself, when M’Lynn loses all control at the cemetery after burying her daughter, Shelby. 

But, that’s what people feel when they go through what M’Lynn had. Terrible sadness. Unexplainable depths of loss. But, there’s only one way to go from there, and that’s up. There’s only one place to turn, and that’s your loved ones. Luckily for M’Lynn (and Drum), she had not only family to turn to, but the best group of friends you could ever ask for. I mean, Clairee even offered for M’Lynn to ‘knock Ouiser’s lights out!’ That’s true friendship! 

Now, I know I’ve brought the mood way down, but I just had to share the connection I have to this movie and shed some background beauty as to why I love it so much! 

If you have a similar story or love this movie for your own reasons, you have to experience Natchitoches Louisiana, in all of its glory. Did you know that you can actually go to the house where they filmed most of, “Steel Magnolias?” WELL, YOU CAN AND I DID!! 

I was blessed with the best experience because of my friend, Meredith Waguespack. 

 

Meredith owns and runs a T-shirt shop in Baton Rouge, Louisiana called, “Sweet Baton Rouge.” She invited me to go on a girls weekend trip to Natchitoches Louisiana to see the famous film locations from the movie and have a photoshoot with the t-shirts she makes/sells, from her “Sweet and Southern Collection.” Check those out, y’all!!

On our girls weekend in Natchitoches, we stayed at Maison Louisiane Historic Bed & Breakfast, two doors down from the Steel Magnolias house. 

After watching the movie again, I’ve spotted the exact B&B, in the background! This B&B had a fancy/French Provincial feel; A very gorgeous home. The manager of the Maison Louisiane also paid great attention to the types of food we ate, so that she could better prepare breakfast for us the second morning! We were fed all kinds of yummies! Yogurt parfaits, breakfast sandwiches on croissants, muffins, eggs and more!

On top of the amazing breakfast meals, I have to share the best parts!! 

Y’all, we took pictures INSIDE of the Steel Magnolias home, outside of the home, in “Ouiser’s backyard” (come to find out, it isn’t actually a house), outside of Truvy’s Beauty Spot, downtown Natchitoches where they filmed multiple scenes, and more. I was like a little kid walking down Main Street USA of Walt Disney World, for the first time!! 

Do you want to hear the best part? We were blessed with the opportunity to WATCH THE MOVIE, IN THE HOUSE! *Que girly freakout mode!*

Can you believe it? I couldn’t. I still feel like that was so surreal. I mean, how many people get to say that? Maybe when you go (because you will now) you can do the same! Here’s the key: make nice with the manager, Amber; She was wonderful! 

Taking pictures inside of the home was something I’ll never forget. Not only was I in awe that some lucky Bride-To-Be was having her wedding shower in the Steel Magnolias living room that afternoon, but I was also very impressed with the upkeep of the house, after all of these years. 

I think I was most giddy about figuring out exactly where in the house everything had been filmed. For example: “Which tree was Drum shooting at, to get the birds to fly away?” (That tree was so much smaller than it looked in the movie!) or “OH MY GOSH! This is the staircase that Shelby ran down, in the opening scene!” or “This is where Ouiser was struggling to tie up her dog, while having an altercation with Drum, at the front door!” 

  A big part of our shoot was in “Ouiser’s backyard.” I bet you’ll recognize the courtyard from the end of the movie, when Clairee jokingly tries to push Ouiser off of her bench! 

Have any of you ever seen a cotton field up close? They’re breathtaking! I know I’ve seen them before, but we all got so excited as we decided to jump out of the car and snag some photos, in the field!! As much as I will always hold onto the moments in the Steel Magnolias home, these are my favorite pictures from our time in Natchitoches!! 

After our spontaneous cotton field adventure, we found some great locations to work on Meredith’s New Louisiana t-shirts/Long Sleeves that just released! Some of those locations included more filming spots from, “Steel Magnolias.” Like the Easter egg hunting scene, the fair, and the final scene as Annelle gets rushed off to the hospital, to start her new life as a mother! These tees are super comfortable and you need one!! Actually, you need them all, so I’ll post the link for this collection here, check out all the Louisiana T-Shirts y’all!

      While in Natchitoches, we had many opportunities to interact with the community. Every restaurant we went to, people were pointing out our T-shirts! I can only imagine how proud and successful Meredith must feel, knowing that her Tees are loved by many! Each interaction we had with the locals were extremely pleasant; Warm, nice, welcoming individuals all over! 

  I will say, the food in Natchitoches was absolutely amazing. I’m sure I can find certain food items everywhere in Louisiana, but having just moved to this state, I was introduced to some great things, in the quaint town of Natchitoches!

For the weekend, our dinner stops were, Mayeaux’s & Johnny’s Pizza House (delivered to the Steel Magnolias house, while we watched the movie)

Mayeaux’s Steak & Seafood
512 Front St
Natchitoches, LA 71457
Phone: 318-5218080

           I had meat pies for the first time, at this restaurant. Let me just tell you, they are delicious and you MUST try them.

For my meal I tried their cheeseburger, which was VERY juicy and had great seasoning. I know, I know, that’s not very adventurous. 

1. I’ve never been a seafood fan, but now that I live in Louisiana, I should probably venture out and taste new things. 
2. I’m doing keto, so burgers are very acceptable! However, I ended up not doing so well with Keto during this weekend! Way too many new foods to try!

            Johnny’s Pizza House
            312 Dixie Plaza
            Natchitoches, LA 71457
            Phone: 318-807-1358
            (Sadly, I didn’t snap pictures of this meal!)

Our lunch spots were, Cane River and Hana Japanese Sushi Bar & Grill.

            Cane River Commisary
            4191-4197 LA-494
            Natchez, LA 71456
            Phone: 318-238-6361

 I had meat pies again!! Yay!!! 

or my main meal, I enjoyed Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions, with a side of sweet potato fries and of course, southern sweet tea! I usually drink water, but I went for the good stuff! 

            Hana Japanese Sushi Bar & Grill 
            750 Front St
            Natchitoches, LA 71457
            Phone: 318-356-0989

 One of our very last Steel Magnolias related stops was AT THE OFFICIAL TRUVY’S SALON! I was so excited to see it in person. At first, we were just going to take pictures off to the side of the home but decided to ask whomever owns the home, if we could possibly take pictures on the porch and in the lawn. The home owner ended up being the sweetest older woman. Her shirt said, “mama needs more wine,” so I knew immediately she was a character and would be totally fine with our question, which she was!! The home holds the same southern charm and beauty as it did in the film. I was absolutely in Heaven! We made the most of our little moment and I soaked it all in! 

Above all else, we ladies had a fantastic weekend! If you’re wanting to visit a town that has similar charm to what you think of when you picture Louisiana, but maybe you aren’t interested in New Orleans, I would totally go to Natchitoches!! 

  I would really love to take my Fiancé there because for the men who are wondering, it’s not just about Steel Magnolias! There’s plenty of other things to do, such as:

• Natchitoches is a small college town, where you can take in the sporting events or take a tour of campus! 
• There’s great food and tons of people in Louisiana speak highly of the restaurants, in Natchitoches! 
• Cane River Creole National Historical Park is an option! 
• Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana History Museum!
• Natchitoches Christmas Festival. This one could be for the entire family! 
• A bike trail that stretches from Alexandria to Natchitoches.
• Saline Bayou Paddle Trail 

 

          

Well, did I convince you to make a trip to Natchitoches? I definitely convinced myself to go again; except the next time, I’m packing more Sweet Baton Rouge T-shirts!