Jan Risher

1 week ago | theadvocate.com | Jan Risher

For nearly 35 years, Frenchie was the circus ringleader at Louie's Cafe, the Baton Rouge institution just north of LSU. Early on a Saturday night two weeks ago, about 50 people gathered at Louie's to remember Frenchie, the longtime chef who loved to sing and dance. Frenchie's real name was Marcus Cox. "Frenchie was the frontman. He was the face. He was the guy who always greeted you," said Jimmy Wetherford, owner of Louie's. "He remembered people's names. He remembered what they wanted to eat.

1 week ago | theadvocate.com | Jan Risher

Fathers shape us in ways both big and small. Their words, actions, silences — even their absences — leave lasting imprints that ripple into the next generation. In celebration of Father’s Day, the newspaper invited notable Louisianans and their children to write letters to their fathers — some still living and others long gone.

1 week ago | nola.com | Jan Risher

My dad coached high school football for nearly all of my growing up years and many years beyond that. In his early coaching years, he had three players kick extra points after touchdowns — but after that, his teams always went for two. For one thing, he didn't nurture or develop kickers. But mainly, he wanted to do everything in his power to avoid a tie. His aversion to games ending in a draw was legendary. He equated a tie to "kissing your sister."He would rather win or lose.

2 weeks ago | theadvocate.com | Jan Risher

Ellie Hebert insists credit for restoring Plaquemine’s old lockhouse belongs to others — especially the Friends of the Lock, the local group that worked for years to save the 114-year-old structure. Last week, I met Hebert and Dan Mooney, president of Friends of the Lock, for a behind-the-scenes look at the lockhouse and to learn more about the locks and how the structure was saved. Mooney has a lifelong connection to the locks, and he likes to point to the area's cultural roots.

2 weeks ago | nola.com | Jan Risher

The mint taking over my backyard offered two options: pull it out or throw a party. In keeping with the pledge I made a month ago to plan a gathering each month, I opted for the latter. It started in May with a Saturday lunch — a gathering of six friends, some of whom didn’t know each other. Guests came ready to share a reason to celebrate. We went around the table, sharing large and small personal reasons to revel. It was simple: we met at a restaurant.