Explorer's Guide Louisiana by Cynthia Campbell

Author:Cynthia Campbell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Countryman Press
Published: 2012-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

Cynthia V. Campbell

Downtown Alive! (www.downtownlafayette), Parc Sans Souci, 201 Vermilion St., Lafayette. Live music, including Cajun, zydeco, jazz, blues, rock, and Latin, is performed in Parc Sans Souci starting at 5:30 P.M. in spring and fall. This is a very popular local gathering. For information see www.downtownlafayette.org).

NIGHTLIFE The downtown Lafayette club scene generally draws a young crowd, although Tsunami, a stylish sushi restaurant with another following at its Baton Rouge location, is recommended for the over-30 crowd; find it at 412 Jefferson St. (337-234-FISH, www.servingsushi.com). Here’s where to find the music:

Blue Moon Saloon (337-234-2422, www.bluemoonpresents.com), 215 East Convent St., Lafayette. This is the place, a much-loved local institution devoted to the best in roots music complete with its own bunkhouse-ish guest house (see Lodgings) for when the night grows long.

El Sido’s Zydeco & Blues Club (337-235-0647, www.facebook.com /pages/Lafayette-LA/El-Sidos-Zydeco -Blues-Club/173522632458), 1523 North St. Antoine, Lafayette. The real deal if you want to hear the region’s true zydeco and blues musicians.

Grant Street Dancehall (337-237-8513, www.grantstreetdancehall.com), 113 West Grant St., Lafayette. This popular longtime local club brings in legends from near (Buckwheat Zydeco, Terrance Simien) and far (the Indigo Girls, Richie Havens). The calendar’s posted on the website.

Selective Shopping

712 Euphoria (337-233-2034, www.712euphoria.com), 712 West Congress St., Lafayette. Arrested by the façade of this funky emporium—clothing racks on the front porch, its operator kibitzing on the steps with a friend—we went inside to find vintage clothing, offbeat collectibles, and the chance to get furniture upholstered or a custom scent mixed from essential oils.

Artesia (337-232-8441, www.iloveartesia.com), 2513 Johnston St., Lafayette. This stylish clothing boutique has a second store in Lake Charles.

Mall of Acadiana (337-984-8241, www.mallofacadiana.com), 5725 Johnston St., Lafayette. The region’s major mall, with dozens of major outlets such as Aeropostale, Coldwater Creek, and Lady Footlocker. Chain anchors include Macy’s and JC Penney.

Reflections of Olde Antique Mall (337-593-8593, www.reflectionsofolde.com), 700 West Congress St. at the corner of St. John, Lafayette. Great old jewelry, garden items (the day we visited: a wrought iron fence that once surrounded a grave in France), and a tempting warehouse full of furniture fill this 7,000-square-foot operation.

Renaissance Market (337-234-1116), 902 Harding St., Lafayette. This large and gorgeous emporium of French antiques, garden and home items, and sweet-smelling accessories like fine candles, also houses a lunchtime brasserie that serves soups, salads, sandwiches (including panini), and Middle Eastern dishes such as hummus and tabouleh.

San Souci Fine Crafts Gallery (337-266-7999, www.louisianacrafts.org), 219 East Vermilion St., Lafayette. This is headquarters to the Louisiana Craft Guild, which means top-notch jewelry, sculpture, paintings, mixed media, pottery, and other distinctive works made by the wealth of artists who call Louisiana home. It’s all housed in the city’s one-time post office. Closed Mondays.

Whoojoo Stained Glass Studio (318-269-9310), 532 Jefferson St., Lafayette. The stained-glass artist Craig McCullen creates commissioned works, which have included pieces for churches and a recent collaboration featured on the Festival International poster. Works by other artists are also shown here.

Special Events

February: Mardi Gras season, formally known as Carnival, revolves around Lafayette’s traditional New Orleans–style krewes with parades for the public and a family-style carnival at the Cajun Dome.

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