You will find this Bible verse painted on the wall at Alicia’s Kitchen: Kind words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. -Proverbs 16:24 It all started at an early age being raised in Minden. I was the only child of a single mother, Shelia Hill. Growing up in the projects, I spent my days at mama’s house on Cherry Street, or my grandma’s house on Fulton Street when Mama was working. I loved riding my scooter through the neighborhood and playing dolls with my …
Q&A with Donesa Walker: Launching of The BrainTrain Learning Solutions
Q: Tell us a little about you. A: I am a lifelong educator passionate about the learning process for all people. I believe learning should be fun, engaging and full of experiences. I worked in the public school system for over 20 years in addition to several years in administration in charter/private school settings and within the homeschool community for over 10 years. Most recently, I have worked in the cognitive training industry for the last 11 years here in the Shreveport-Bossier area as the owner/director of LearningRx of Shreveport-Bossier. …
Out of the Pool and Back to School
Getting off the summer slide and getting the brain ready for the academic prowess of school is an important part of July. Celebrating the July 4th holiday, then beginning to purchase school clothes, backpacks and supplies consumes our time and minds. But backing away from the brain drain of summer means more than just gearing up with supplies. It means that the brain must be made ready once again for a fantastic year of learning. Here are a few tips to avoid the dread of another school year and instead …
Recipe: Very Berry Blueberry Muffins
I think this recipe is right on time for Blueberry season in northern Louisiana. Whether you pick them yourself or buy them from your local farmers market, now is the best time to enjoy them. This recipe calls for two cups which makes for a very tasty blueberry muffin. Blueberries are a part of the fruit salad listed on the Official Meal of North Louisiana. written BY Chef H.D. Harris, Private Chef Services www.foodtourslouisiana.com #usupnorth Very Berry Blueberry Muffins 1 stick of butter 1 ¼ c sugar 2 eggs 1 …
Audiobook Review: Educated A Memoir
Educated, a memoir by Tara Westover, details her unusual upbringing and the monumental journey to a new life, leaving the bizarre world of her youth behind. Westover takes the reader along as she describes her life growing up with her fundamentalist parents in the rural mountains of Idaho. The youngest of seven children, she was born at home with no documentation whatsoever. She wouldn’t get a birth certificate until she was seven years old. Her parents were distrustful of the government and never allowed their younger children to attend public …
From Friendship to Family
Tiffany is an amazing young woman — raising her son as a single mother, holding down a full-time job, and completing her education to become a registered nurse. Hers was not an easy road, however, as she endured the painful absence of nurturing parents and suffered the sting of an adoption gone wrong. She has battled leukemia as an adult and emerged the victor. Tiffany’s story of resilience is beautiful on so many levels, but most notably as it replenishes hope for those who have loved and lost. The oldest …
Ruston Strong
Ruston residents went to sleep on the evening of April 24 with no prediction that an F3 tornado would strike during the early hours of the next day. And like a thief, the storm took its toll: two lives and millions in damages to the city and surrounding areas. Dozens of homes were destroyed and hundreds of others were damaged. Business, too, were also hard hit. It came like a thief in the night, with little or no warning. The tornado was a part of was a bigger weather system …
Shreveport Little League takes the title of Champion for 7/8 Coach Pitch
Congratulations Shreveport Little League State Champions! Thirteen baseball All-Stars battled their way against stiff competition to earn the title of 7/8 Coach Pitch State Champions in Alexandria, Louisiana, on Sunday, June 23rd. Head Coach, Chris Cox guided his team believing in his boys to take the title of champion for his players. Strong hitting off of seasoned pitcher Coach Alexander Mijalis, smart base running from 1st Base Coach Travis Hart and 3rd Base Coach Brock Restovich coupled with solid defense had these players outscoring their opponents in both District and …
Savvy Travels: Packing Tips for Family Vacations
I once read a quote that said, “I’d rather have a passport full of stamps than a house full of stuff.” This is something that my husband Eric and I believe in. We love to travel and see the world, and we do so with our twin girls, Ruby and Mable, age 8. We’ve established our own family motto: “Collect memories, not things.” Over the years of traveling as a family of 4, I’ve come up with a system that decreases the likelihood of me becoming stressed out (or losing …
I am My Fathers Daughter
I often wondered where I got my love for the English language and prose from. And just recently, it hit me-from my parents. Neither of my parents are considered professional writers, nor have they been published. However, they are both indeed writers in their own right. My mother is an avid reader and journaler. Every night my mother chronicles her day. She documents her thoughts and feelings, what she ate, what she wore, or what the family did that day. She even has a special designated desk in her upstairs …
Integrate Your Health: Relationships for Longevity
There is a small town in eastern Pennsylvania named Roseto that was settled by Italian immigrants in the 1880s. It was named after the village in southeastern Italy from where the immigrants originated. In the 1950s, it was noted that the residents of Roseto had a dramatically lower rate of heart disease compared to their neighboring towns, despite the fact that its citizens did not follow what would be considered a heart-healthy lifestyle: They smoked cigarettes, drank wine, consumed sweets, and cooked with lard. The striking difference between Roseto and …
From Her Perspective: Renewing Lives & Reducing Stigma
May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. One in seven new moms may suffer from a perinatal mental illness, such as postpartum depression. Although there has been a decrease in recent years, infant mortality rates are troubling in the state of Louisiana, child abuse and neglect cases have also significantly increased in the state and I can’t help but think that some of these cases could have been prevented by raising awareness and offering resources to those women who were dealing with a perinatal mental illness, which resulted in the …
Shirley the Elephant: An Unlikely Lola Lady
They say big things come in small packages, but that is not altogether true. Often very wonderful things come in big packages. The elephant is the largest living land mammal. Like its body weight, this creature has tons of meaningful insight to share with us. She speaks to us in terms of sensitivity, loyalty, and determination. The elephant is a superior guide when we are on a journey that requires our patience and devotion. As a child, we all dreamed of joining the circus. Under that “Big Top,” we were …
Ultimate Customized Facial Rejuvenation Technique the new ‘Super Facial’
As a cosmetic facial plastic surgeon, the mainstay of my practice is staying up to date on the most cutting-edge technology to help my patients look and feel their best. I do have to be cautious and weed through all the trends and hype and make sure I’m providing high-end, safe procedures that have proven outcomes. I must admit when first learning about the AquaGold Fine Touch and seeing all the celebrity endorsements, such as Kim Kardashian in her prep for the Met Gala, I was initially thinking this is …
Coffee Talk
Nothing says,“I’M GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS DAY” like a good cup of joe. Lucky for us, our area has some of the best brews you can find. Be sure to check out all of our local coffee shops complete with good vibes and friendly folks ready to serve up your favorite caffeinated concoction. SHREVEPORT Rhino Coffee Uptown: 721 Southfield Rd. Shreveport, LA 71106 Downtown: 624 Texas St. Shreveport, LA 71101 rhinocoffee.com Bon Temps Coffee Bar 450 Clyde Fant Memorial Pkwy #700 Shreveport, LA 71101 marcus-mitchell-4zmp.squarespace.com Lyon’s Pride Coffee …
Recipe: Crispy Green Beans and New Potatoes
“An old-fashioned simple favorite in the Harris household. This was one of our favorite dishes my dad (Welton Harris) used to make, straight out of his garden. Good times and great memories.” –Chef H.D. Harris, Private Chef Services www.foodtourslouisiana.com #usupnorth Green Beans with New Potatoes Serves 8 2 medium ham shanks 3 garlic cloves minced 1 onion large chopped 3 lbs green beans fresh cut in half 1 ½ lbs new potatoes small cut in half 1 TB all-purpose seasoning. ½ tsp garlic powder Salt & pepper to taste Directions …
Audiobook Review: ‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama
Because I knew so little about our former First Lady, I was really looking forward to reading her autobiography. During the time she and President Obama were campaigning and actually living in the White House, I was up to my eyeballs with a newborn and family life. Politics was not something to which I could devote much time or interest. The much-anticipated “Becoming” by Michelle Obama was released last year and quickly became a bestseller. It is now on pace to become the best-selling memoir of all time. After listening …
From Brain Injury to Brain Trainer
Life happens. Some life circumstances we think are tragic truly are a blessing in disguise, rich in learning and rewards. Fifteen years ago, my life turned upside down. I woke up one morning full of dreams and eager to begin an exciting career. I recently had earned my bachelor’s degree summa cum laude with a New York City internship under my belt, and I was ready to take on the world. My trip back home to Louisiana was supposed to be temporary as I searched for competitive employment in a …
Derby Day 2019 photos are here!
Special thank you to Jeremy Hernandez for capturing these high resolution, professional images. Y’all feel free to download and enjoy!
Your Voice Matters
Keeping it Real with Teri Netterville About a month ago, and out of the blue, my sister Kimberly sent this text to me: Hey T, I’ve had this subject matter on my heart to send to you for some reason. I don’t know why other than maybe this would be a good subject for you to expound upon in one of your articles for Lola Magazine or maybe a subject for you and Denise to talk about on the radio one night. I’ve just been thinking so much about the impact of …