Louisiana Comic Con

The Louisiana Comic Con invited me to it’s second showing in Lafayette this weekend. I’m still fairly new to the convention circuit. There seems to be some skill involved in knowing how to make a fan’s experience fun and memorable and I’m still learning what to write on my different photos. I may not have always had the perfect inscription, but I genuinely enjoyed meeting so many film and TV lovers. And as a Comic Con, there were many people dressed as cosplay characters – which was a lot of fun. Suicide Squad‘s Harley Quinn was definitely a favorite. Hosting the Con at the Cajundome Convention Center in Lafayette meant that after cosplay characters, the second most popular “look” was Saints clothes. It may have been the Saints’ bye week, but the Who Dat Nation doesn’t take the week off from showing their devotion.

Farm to Table Chefs Taste Challenge

The first annual Farm to Table Chefs Taste Challenge pitted 10 chefs from across the country in a one-dish-each culinary battle at the Morial Convention Center. The chefs participated in a lottery to determine ingredients so there were a variety of proteins and and interesting takes on classic dishes made from fresh, sustainable ingredients donated by various State Agricultural Departments. As such, not all the ingredients were local to Louisiana but all were “farm to table” fresh from their donating states creating a culinary cross-country trip across America in one well-appointed room.

Riverwalk Reboots

I’m not in the habit of promoting big chain retailers when I so firmly believe in shopping local, but I just checked out the new and seriously improved Riverwalk and loved it. With 75 retail and food offerings, Riverwalk is the first outlet mall in the U.S. established in a city setting. But because the city is New Orleans, the mall has beautiful views of the mighty Mississippi and cruises can dock at it’s door. They even offer tax free shopping for international shoppers. What was once basically an air conditioned way to get from Canal Street to the Convention Center could now become a “destination shopping” venue.

Endymion Extravaganza – My First Ball!

Endymion is what’s known as a “Super Krewe,” with celebrity guests, mountains of throws and tandem floats as long as a train. Normally, the Saturday parade rolls and finishes its route with a loop around the venue of its Extravaganza. This year, however, the parade was rescheduled for rain. But, that didn’t stop the Ball from going on as planned, parade and all.