BLcontents

28 / WATERMELON SALAD

This mouth-watering watermelon salad is perfect for hot summer days. With red onion, balsamic reduction and feta, it’s the perfect mix of savory and sweet.

30 / SANDAL SEASON

Treat your feet with these comfy and cute summer sandals. From brightly hued flats to raffia wedges, these shoes are the season’s bests.

40 / BAYOUBUZZ AWARDS

For the last seven years, BayouLife Magazine has published the Bayou Buzz Awards, or “Buzzys” as we like to call them. Nominations were open to the public, where the top ten were selected to be voted on.

53 / SHIELD YOUR SKIN

Protect your skin from damaging sun rays with a high-quality sunscreen. Find these and others at area retailers.

68 /

We picked up these beautiful, fresh figs from our local farmer’s market. This seasonal treat is easy to make and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

78 / BAYOU TRENDS

Local retailers are celebrating the colors of freedom with an assortment of items that can be worn, displayed, and collected!

126 / BAYOU EATS

This year Flying Tiger Brewery welcomed Victory Pizza Bar, quickly snagging a victory with their distinctive menu.

90 / MY PICKLEBALL SUMMER

With a daring attitude and a few willing friends, you’ll quickly realize that pickleball is chicken soup for the stressed-out soul.

110 / BAYOU ARTIST

Energy is a common theme of Hooshang Khorasani’s art. He declares it in the first line of his artist statement — “Energy in nature and the world around me, in moving colors that show power, in the inner life of my subjects.”

140 / BAYOU ICON

Choudrant, Louisiana, is the center of John O’Neal’s world. He loves to recount that small town’s history and is proud of how the O’Neal family has played a part in its development for nearly 200 years.

156 / THE ST. JUDE DREAM HOME

This year’s St. Jude Dream Home, built by BRACO Construction, is a beautiful testament to the Northeast Louisiana community’s generosity and love for those in need.

169 / BAYOU FASHION

From jean cut-offs to straw hats, these cute outfits will bring out the cowgirl in you. Coastal inspired, these looks are perfect for summer fun. Find these and more at area boutiques.

This weekend I went to Pineville to watch my little play softball. I’m an older mom, so I’ve heard my friends all tell me to savor these days, as one day I will miss it. I love seeing my daughters play ball; selfishly, it’s a release from the grind of owning a business. And while I secretly want them to look like college athletes at age 9, I took a minute to reflect on all they had accomplished this last year. One conquered her fear of pitching an entire game, and one showed tremendous growth in her attitude and sportsmanship. I can’t wait to see what these little girls end up doing with their lives. I can only hope to be able to cheer them on for years to come.

I do want to say a huge “thank you” to my husband for coaching our 8u BayouLife league ball team and the group of volunteers that helped: Bradley Hall, Dr. Elliott Nipper, Hope Miller and Konesha Webster.

I’ve always considered myself a patriotic gal, my birthday has always been celebrated on Independence Day and this year I plan on being with my family, eating barbecue and maybe having a ranch water...or two (see page 14). Taylor Bennett pulled together some delicious recipes that are perfect for a summer party. Find a chocolate dipped figs recipe on page 68 and a watermelon salad recipe on page 28.

It seems like pickleball is everywhere these days, so we thought it fitting to write about this fast-growing sport. Vanelis Rivera met up with PPR (Professional Pickleball Registry) Certified Instructor Jeananne Antoinette Larsen for a quick lesson. Read about it on page 90.

How much more patriotic can you get than Victory Pizza and Flying Tiger beer? Vanelis meets up with James