Louisiana Insider

Louisiana Life Magazine
  • 4.7 (29)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A superlative guide to a great state’s destinations.

  1. DEC 11

    Episode 235: How a Lafayette Man Turned His Passion into Art

    It is said that if you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life. I believe that is true for Lafayette native Daniel Barousse. Barousse is a skateboarder and artist, who combines both of his passions into creating unique furniture pieces out of skateboards meant for the trash. Recently, none other than Aquaman himself found Barousse’s work through his robust social media channels and commissioned him for a chair. In this episode Barousse talks about his journey to finding his passion, making custom pieces for Jason Mamoa and his hope to change at least one kid’s life through his work and the skateboarding lifestyle. Follow Daniel and Barousse Works through their website and social media.

    32 min

  2. DEC 4

    Episode 234: A Mother/Daughter Duo Explores Haunted New Orleans

    It’s common lore the ghost and spirit-infused stories of New Orleans. The vast history of the area along with the endless amounts of tragedy leave behind a lingering spirit you feel the moment you step into the city. But what lead to the Big Easy’s cemented status as one of the most haunted places? Mother/daughter duo Rory O’Neill Schmitt and Rosary Hartel O’Neill took the time to dive into the story of the ghosts, vampires and spirits that haunt New Orleans. Their new book "The Haunted Guide to New Orleans" takes readers on a journey that goes beyond the scary stories and into the heart ofwhat makes the city so spooky. This week, the two chat with us about what it’s like to write a book together, why they moved their focus to haunted history and the details that went into the research behind the words. *See the duo for a book signed Dec. 20, 2025 at Garden District Book Shop.

    33 min

  3. NOV 7

    Episode 233: Beignet Fest's Community and Culinary Efforts

    On Nov. 15, Beignet Fest in New Orleans will host its 8th annual event. Not only is this festival highlighting a culinary fan favorite, the event as a whole was created to support the Beignet Fest Foundation and its mission to celebrate and support children with autism and their families. This week, we hear from festival founder Sherwood Collins, who tells us about the creation of Beignet Fest, the foundation’s many community endeavors and what everyone can expect at this year’s event.

    27 min

  4. OCT 30

    Episode 232: 119 Years of the State Fair of Louisiana

    Since 1906, the State Fair of Louisiana has been bringing Louisianians and visitors a like together for fun, food and the promotion of agriculture across our state. From the largest livestock show and carnival in the state, to lumberjack competitions and even a petting zoo - the state fair has a little something for everyone. The fairs marketing director Russell Adams shares insight into the festival, what people can expect and what the organization is doing to make sure everyone has a safe, fun time at the three-week event starting Oct. 30 in Shreveport.

    26 min

  5. OCT 23

    Episode 231: Shreveport-Native John Hoffman Joins the Band Primus

    In this week's episode, editor Reine Dugas takes over the podcast to talk to John Hoffman. The Shreveport-native is the new drummer for the band Primus. Hoffman won the spot in a long audition process that saw thousands of competitors. Hoffman shares with Dugas his experiences with the band, the long audition process and his life in Louisiana.

    29 min

  6. OCT 16

    Episode 230: Dustin Dale Gaspard is Putting Cajun Culture Front and Center on The Voice

    You may know him as a member of Team Niall on the current season of "The Voice" on NBC, but Dustin Dale Gaspard is helping to put Cajun music and language on an international stage. The artist, from Cow Island Louisiana has officially made it to the third round of the singing competition after going head to head in the knockout round with another member of the team. Reba McEntire says he’s fascinating, his coach thinks he could win the show and we’re just all rooting for a member of the home team. In this episode, Dustin shares why he’s advocating so hard for the widespread appreciation Cajun music, how he got his start and what it’s like to be part of a huge TV show like "The Voice."

    26 min

  7. OCT 10

    Episode 229: Ayu Bakehouse CoFounder Receives National Honor

    Each year, Food & Wine magazine shares their list for Best New Chefs in the country. Kelly Jacques – cofounder and chef of Ayu Bakehouse in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans – joins the ranks of Nina Compton, Anna Castro and Nicole Cabrera Mills as a Best New Chef. Jacques started the highly popular bakery following the COVID-19 pandemic and really made a splash on the famous Frenchman Street. In this week's episode, Jacques talks about her mission of bringing joy to the community and those who eat her food, plus what the honor means to her.

    31 min

  8. OCT 2

    Episode 228: Three Full Days of Festival Acadiens et Creoles

    In today’s episode, we’re highlighting this year’s Festival Acadien et Creoles in Lafayette with VP of Programming & Development Patrick Mould. The festival, as it’s known today, is in its 51st year of bringing Cajun and Creole culture to the masses. The three-day festival is set to highlight the food, music and art of the region and includes multiple stages, art exhibit and symposium, chef demonstrations and more.  For more information visit festivalsacadiens.com!

    20 min
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4.7
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

A superlative guide to a great state’s destinations.

Information

  • Creator
    Louisiana Life Magazine
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    228
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Louisiana Life Magazine
  • Show Website
    Louisiana Insider

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