Developing Vernon, Beauregard, & Rapides Parishes

09/04/2024

Go get yall grub on at The G. Biscuit! 🤤😋

Top is POPPED here on ENTRANCE RD at FIRST COMMAND. 😃😃😃😃

Right outside the Main Gate next to McDonald's on Entrance Rd

09/04/2024

Big shout out to our newest top fans! 💎

Lori LeDoux, Steve Walker Camperguy, Kenneth Bailey, Sarah Longnecker, Emma Lilly Harvey, Amy Veillon Malbreaux, Darcella Barnes, Carlos Jefferson, Kaycee Martin LaCaze, Anjanette Turner

Drop a comment to welcome them to our community,

09/04/2024

✨New Business Coming Soon To Alexandria✨

CenLa Grill and Chill, a new dining establishment, Coming Soon to 5532 Jackson Street Extension, next to Johnny's Pizza, offering a diverse menu featuring barbecue brisket, smash burgers, snowballs, iced coffees, and more, with both drive-through and dine-in options available. Stay tuned for more updates on their grand opening date.

Cajunman Sneauxballs

09/02/2024

"It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things."

— Theodore Roosevelt

09/01/2024

Spirit Halloween Alexandria has announced its opening date. According to KALB News Channel 5, the popular Halloween retail store is scheduled to open tomorrow, September 2nd in the Alexandria Mall. Thier hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day until they close on November 1st.🎃👻

Our Original Announcement——
https://www.facebook.com/share/ttkwkACtSG3L8Vug/?mibextid=WC7FNe

08/31/2024

Burlington in Alexandria is having a moving sale; visit their current location at the Alexandria mall before they move to their new location in the macArthur Village shopping center. 

Photo Courtesy: Kimberly Brown

08/31/2024

Don't walk, run to Nichols parking lot in Leesville. D.N.A Snowcones is here until 6 pm. When we say delicious. 🤤 😋

08/31/2024

✨Annual Meat Pie Festival In Neighboring Natchitoches Parish✨

By Jeanni Ritchie

I love Natchitoches meat pies!

My mother-in-law, a Chopin native, attempted to teach me to make them from scratch when I was 20. It did not go well. It’s a science, rolling out the perfect dough then filling it with the perfectly seasoned meat mixture before dropping it in the oil at just the right temperature. The best I could master over time was perfectly frying frozen meat pies.

Even those only worked if they came from Natchitoches! Fortunately, a local frozen food supply store carried them while I was living in Pascagoula, Mississippi for a decade.

But now I’m back in Louisiana and can get them fresh once more!

Meat pies are the star of the show at the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival on the Riverbank September 13 & 14, 2024. But while they are the headliner, there’s lots more to do and eat!

Beginning Friday night at 6 PM, there will be live music, arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, hot air balloon rides, axe throwing, and a KID ZONE.

The kid zone is for kids of ALL AGES (I checked!) and an armband gives you all-day access. They have giant inflatables, face painting, a bucking bull, jousting arena, and magic shows.

There’s also a cash-prize co****le tournament where participants are paired with NSU athletes in a joint fundraiser with the University.

Saturday’s events begin at 9 AM, including registration for the 23rdannual River Run bike ride. The ride itself begins at noon.

Fireworks will light the sky Saturday evening after the Double Trouble Zydeco Twins and more take the stage.

To register to ride, call Tammy Dedon at 318-652-4737.

For info about vendor applications or general festival questions, email Jimmy Harper at [email protected] or call 318-652-0578.

For a complete schedule of events, including the music line-up and vendor applications, visit www.meatpiefestival.com.

08/30/2024

Leesville‼️

08/30/2024

Happy Labor Day Weekend! Party like the judge is away (oh wait, they are!), but don't get too carried away, or you'll have to face the consequences on Tuesday. Be Safe!🤭

08/28/2024

Movie: City of Dreams
By Jeanni Ritchie

From the Executive Producers of Sound of Freedom, comes City of Dreams, a based-on-a-true-story film about Jesus, a young Mexican boy whose dreams of becoming a soccer star are shattered when he's trafficked across the border and sold to a sweatshop making fast fashion in downtown Los Angeles.

Arriving nationwide in theaters tomorrow, you can get up to two free tickets by preordering through Atom Tickets while supplies last. Use the code ATOMDREAMS at checkout.

Visit atomtickets.com.

08/27/2024

Shyrine’s Filipino Cuisine Now Open! 🇵🇭🎉

Our Original Announcement— https://www.facebook.com/share/p/gH35iWnn7zzsYqEw/?mibextid=WC7FNe

08/26/2024

This week Nadine's Soul Food Restaurant and More will be having their soft opening Tuesday through Friday. Go check out this new establishment. They are located in the former Sandy Hill Café on Pitkin Road. 🤤😋

08/26/2024

HAPPY NATIONAL DOG DAY! Show us a picture of your pooch! 🐕🐩🐶❤️

08/26/2024

✨Our Business Of The Week✨

Top Axe 🪓🎯

Looking for a fun and unique activity to enjoy with family or friends? Consider visiting Top Axe in Alexandria! This locally owned and operated business offers a safe and entertaining environment for groups to try their hand at axe throwing - a competitive sport where players aim to hit the bullseye on a target. Visit Top Axe at 110 Versailles Boulevard, Alexandria, on Thursdays through Sundays. You can also book your spot online at top-axe.com. Get ready for a memorable experience!

08/25/2024

Congratulations Fox's Pizza Leesville for 15 wonderful years in Vernon Parish! 💪🏽🍕🎉😋

08/24/2024

Saturday Spotlight: Nova’s Breakfast & Brunch
By Jeanni Ritchie

They had me from the Coca-Cola sign on the door.

It’s often a deal-breaker for me but I’d already checked out the menu online the night before so I knew I had to visit regardless.

The first thing that had caught my eye was the Carolina Cathead Biscuits. Any recipe with a Southern state in its moniker is to be tried. I ordered the one stuffed with hoop cheese but left off the brown roast gravy.

Some of the menu was interesting but too adventurous for my tastes. The Spicy Monte was French toast with ham, Gouda, and spicy raspberry fig marmalade. They also had a dish with Korean fried rice with bacon, pineapple, and Tabasco fig pork belly topped with two fried eggs. It was called Getting Oriented.

There were traditional breakfast menu items as well: omelettes, pancakes, avocado toast, and a homemade breakfast lasagna.

Brunch gets a little heartier with The Benny BLT, The TurkeDilly, Shrimp and Grits, and the aforementioned Getting Oriented and The Spicy Monte.

Bomb Burgers include The Hidalgo, The Surf n Turf, and The Buoy. All are made with Wagyu Beef.

All menu items are available at any time.

In addition to Coke products, Nova’s serves French Press coffees, smoothies, milk, tea, and juices, including The Purple Arnie, butterfly pea flower tea with fresh squeezed lemonade.

There is a kids’ menu, Little Nova’s, available as well.

For a self-described foodie, I’m a pretty picky eater. Yet there will still many choices and I ended up having to eenie, meenie, miney, mo them. I ending up going with the Nova’s Traditionalist. In addition to the Carolina cathead biscuit I’d come for, I ordered two fried eggs, bacon, and grits. When a nearby diner insisted I try a waffle as well, I decided to add it to my order.

Taste, don’t devour, I was telling myself as I waited for my meal-for-four order to come. I can be quite the overindulger.

I knew within the first two bites there wouldn’t be much left on my plate. The eggs were cooked to perfection, the bacon crispy, and the grits cheesy and creamy. The homemade waffle was sweet and fluffy with a lightly crisped sugar coating. I thanked the nearby diner for the suggestion.

The Carolina Cathead biscuit was also delicious, reminding me of my Grandaddy’s biscuits when I’d visit in South Louisiana.

Halfway through my meal I noticed the worship music playing softly in the background. It fit the atmosphere of laughter and easy conversation flowing from the booths.

Opened in April 2024, Nova’s is located at 104 Mary Hill Road, Pineville. They are open from 6 AM-3 PM Monday-Saturday and occasional evenings.

“We are open for private parties and occasionally do open-to-the-public evenings,” owner Dustin Johnson explains. I’d seen on their page that they did an evening run while a campmeeting was held nearby. These are the kind of activities that turn a startup into a community cornerstone. Welcome to Central Louisiana, Nova’s.

For more information, call 318-704-0919 or visit Nova’s Breakfast & Brunch on FB.

08/23/2024

All Active duty service members, stop by Gilbert's Louisiana Pizza House and Festival Tacos today for free lunch!! Sponsored by Armed Forces Benefits Network Official. 🍕🌯

08/22/2024

Dear 50 Cent,

Do you have some blessings to Shower around VBR? We could use a little sprinkle over here! 😭

Congratulations Shreveport, Louisiana 🎉

08/22/2024

✨Attention Fort Johnson✨

Join the Fort Johnson community tomorrow for an outdoor potluck Playdate at the splash pad. Take the kids for some fun in the sun and socializing. Bring a side, hotdogs and hamburgers will be provided! 🎉

For more information visit Parents of Little Kids : at Fort Johnson

08/21/2024

Smalls Sliders Alexandria CAN Drop!! 🧡🍔

08/21/2024

National Senior Citizens Day! ❤️

By Jeanni Ritchie On August 21, National Senior Citizens Day recognizes the achievements of what’s now known as our nation’s Boomers. These are the pioneers of science, medicine, psychology, civil …

08/21/2024

✨New Restaurant In Beauregard Parish✨

Shyrine’s Filipino Cuisine has announced the grand opening of their brick-and-mortar restaurant, located at 1118 N Pine St., Suite F in Deridder. Since 2023, they have served and catered authentic Filipino cuisine in VBR. Join them on August 27 from 11:30 AM to 8 PM for the grand opening celebration and enjoy dishes like chicken curry, fried lumpia, vegetable fried rice, and pork adobo. Stop by and get a taste of the Philippines. 🇵🇭 🎉

08/20/2024

SMALLS SLIDERS SET TO DROP CAN IN ALEXANDRIA TOMORROW

By Jeanni Ritchie

Smalls Sliders, the cheeseburger slider brand that is painting the restaurant industry Smorange™, is set to drop its newest Can in Alexandria tomorrow morning, the 15th Louisiana location for one of the fastest-ever growing franchises. Smalls Sliders has expanded from 200 to 300 locations in the past six months across 24 states.

At the Can Drop, Smalls will officially recognize and name Peabody Magnet High School Coach Charles Smith as Smalls Town Hero for his positive contributions to the Alexandria community. Coach Smith’s accolades include nine state championships and 1,208 game wins, the most in Louisiana.

Smalls Sliders is expected to open for business later this Fall!

Smalls Sliders is located at 1400 MacArthur Drive, Alexandria.

08/20/2024

🫶🏽

08/20/2024

We love this for The City of Pineville, La ❤️

Pineville Mayor Rich Dupree is excited about the big improvements coming to the city. Details here ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/cjdrshep

08/19/2024

City of Alexandria, Louisiana - Government, will host their community-wide celebration, Party in the Park, Saturday, August 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cheatham Park.

The intergenerational event invites citizens to take part in a variety of free entertainment and activities including a splash pad, water slides, and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Music and food will be in full supply as well.

Bring the whole family for a free, enjoyable day of fun and festivities as we segue from summer to fall in Cenla!

Cheatham Park is located at 2956 Jones Street, Alexandria.

JR

08/19/2024

✨Our Business Of The Week✨

Steamboat Bill's of Deridder, a family-style seafood restaurant, established in 1982 in Southwest Louisiana, providing an authentic Cajun menu and casual riverboat atmosphere. They offer gumbo, po-boys, etoufee, shrimp, and crawfish. The chain offers two locations in Lake Charles, one in Pearland, Texas, and one in DeRidder, which opened in 2014 at 735 North Pine Street. We appreciate their investment and presence in Beauregard Parish. You can order ahead on their website or have them delivered through DoorDash.🎉

Steamboat Bills In Lake Charles, LA

https://www.steamboatbillsderidder.com

08/18/2024

Celebrate National Fajita Day
By Jeanni Ritchie

National Fajita Day is celebrated annually on August 18th to recognize the savory Tex-Mex flavor of fajitas. The restaurant chain On the Border is credited with coining the holiday to celebrate the dish.

While the nearest On the Border is in Baton Rouge, you can celebrate at your favorite Mexican restaurant or check out one of these:

In Rapides Parish:
*Mi Tio Mexican Grill, 1302 Texas Avenue, Alexandria
*Rio Rojo, 6340 Coliseum Blvd, Alexandria
*El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant, 6005 Monroe Highway, Ball
*El Paso Mexican Grill Alexandria La, 20 MacArthur Drive, Alexandria

In Vernon Parish:
*El Flamingo Mexican Restaurant and Bar, 1308 S 5th Street, Leesville
*El Patio Mexican Grill-Leesville, La, 205 Alexandria Highway, Leesville
*Mexico Lindo, 2503 McRae Road, Leesville
*Festival Tacos, 853 Entrance Rd, Leesville
*The G. Biscuit,local food Truck

In Beauregard Parish:
*Taqueria El Centenario, 310 W. 1st Street, Deridder
*El Viejo Tony Mexican Grill Deridder, 904 E. 1st Street, Deridder
*Los Mayas Mexican Grill, 804 N. Pine Street,
Deridder
*Festival Tacos , 19479 Lake Charles Hwy, DeRidder
*Taqueria La Mexicana, local food Truck

While you're celebrating the day, invite a friend to join you for these flavorful entrees! Whether you prefer shrimp, steak or chicken, there's a fajita for you. Pick your favorite from all the amazing flavors, and don't forget to use to share on social media.