Looking A Lot Like Christmas at The Dansereau House

To watch the video, click the photo

Every night a lone man sits on the front lawn of The Dansereau House. When darkness falls, and Saint Philip Street is quiet, he appears. One chair, one small table, and a laptop.  It has happened almost every night since the beginning of November. An occasional person passing may notice that Christmas lights go on and off in a silent dance. If they look closer at the man, they may notice that, beneath his beanie, headphones pulse out a song they cannot hear. “Boughs of Holly” by Trans Siberian Orchestra. That man is Paul, and he had a deadline: December 4, 2011. He can imagine the sound of the floats from the Thibodaux Christmas Parade as they come closer, Santa arrives at The Dansereau House, and the Christmas lights go on for the first time this year.

We love Christmas! The lights, the music, the excitement, but especially the ‘Reason for the Season.” The owner of The Dansereau House, Damon Baldone, loves Christmas too, so when it comes to decorating, we have his blessing. Christmas 2010 was the beginning. Of course, the lighting was the biggest push, and the snow machines were the lagniappe. This year our goal was to create movement and add music to the light show, something too big to attempt last year. In addition, we were honored to be asked to be the ending site of the Thibodaux Christmas Parade this year, to light up the house for the first time that night, and let Santa use the front lawn to listen to the Christmas wishes of the children. We had a mission!

Of course, research was the first step, and we began ours in the Fall of 2010! No longer just strings of lights operating on timers, but computer programs, controllers, and channels became a part of our Christmas vocabulary. After looking at endless options, Paul settled on a system from Revival Control Systems, and has been so pleased with his choice. Their motto is Matthew5:16.. Look it up; it will make you smile. Also added this year is what we fondly call The Mega Tree, which stands twenty feet tall in the front yard, and boasts over 6,000 lights. Again this year our friends from Florida offered us a week of their time to help. Between David and Paul, the Mega Tree went up, and the controller and all of it’s electrical installed. We could not have made it happen without David and Andrea’s help.

During the day Paul and I continued with the decorating, along with our regular routine of operating a Bed & Breakfast, with some weddings and special events as well. While Paul remained the Lighting and Technical Expert, I became the Chief Procurement Officer and Head of Moral Support. Many thanks to the wonderful people at Lowes for all their help and encouragement.  I will never forget the look on one gentleman’s face when I nabbed him late in the evening and said, “Your website says you have 23 boxes of light stakes in this store, and I can’t find them!”  He found them and asked how many I wanted. “All of them,” I said. I don’t know his name, but I hope he and all the helpful employees can come enjoy the show one night, and know they were a part!

The physical part of the project continued throughout November, and December came quickly. By day, Paul placed light strings with the meticulousness of an architect, and continued his nightly sojourns into the dark to program the lights to the music. In our initial research we read that it can take hours to program a single minute of music, and this is true. Note by note, light strand by light strand. We appreciate the patience of our neighbors!

So many people lent a helping hand, and we thank you all! What may have seemed to you like a small task was to us like extra hours in the day. We are blessed by each one of you!

Please come by to enjoy our gift to you! You can tune into the music with your car radio on FM 98.9. Please give your feedback on our website, our Facebook page, or by email. We would love to hear from you!

Most importantly: Merry Christmas!

Here’s a few photos. More to come!

Halloween at The Drinkery!

Our Spook-Tacular Halloween Costume Party was a laughter-filled success! Nerds, Famous Cats, Groucho Marx, and even Women of the Night joined us on the veranda of The Dansereau House.  Drinking Black Widow Martinis and munching on toasty BOO-chetta,  the crowd chatted, laughed, and  listened to the sweet voice of Jodi James.

At the end of the evening our costume party winner was announced: The Nerd and His Ho!Bert and Maureen Sison made a lovely pair, with no details spared in their costumes.  Pocket Protectors aren’t easy to find anymore, and the tattoos on his ‘lady’ were the finishing touch! The winners received a bottle of wine of their choice, and all costumed guests  received a free-drink coupon.

We know we are a bit crazy sometimes at The Drinkery, but we always have a good time! Enjoys a few photos, and join us on Thursday nights! The Drinkery is open from 5:00 to 9:00 PM.

Click any photo to watch a slide show.

Who Dat on the Big Screen!

What an exciting time we had last Thursday night at The Drinkery at The Dansereau House! Knowing that it was the season opener for the New Orleans Saints, we pulled out all the stops for our “Black & Gold Football Extravaganza.”

Fall was in the air, and the night was perfect for our open-air football-watching party! We set up a huge screen in the yard, combined the telecast with our sound system, and the Saints came marching in! The picture quality was incredible!  Beer specials, tailgate snacks, and an enthusiastic crowd made the night a success! A few more points on the scoreboard would have helped, but spirits remained high until the game was over.

Based on the response, watch for future football extravaganzas! See a few photos here.

“Around Town” Comes to Thibodaux

I have to admit, it’s a bit intimidating to have a film crew come in to The Dansereau House for interviews and to film our décor, our food, and our service. I spent the days before their arrival worrying about overlooked dust-bunnies being illuminated by bright lights, about my menu, about what we would say to truly communicate how we care about our guests. I never expected that the hosts and crew of the Around Town Show, Baton Rouge, would almost immediately feel like friends, that we would laugh and be at ease, and that we would be sorry to have them leave. Thank you to Host Scott Rogers, Elizabeth Dent, Mathew Hodgkins and Stuart Poulton.

According to their website, “The Around Town TV Show is the largest, most-watched, and longest running independent community TV Show in Louisiana.” We understand why.  They pride themselves on focusing on good news. Their goal is to “reflect the good and the positive that surrounds us everyday. We like to uplift our viewers and give them a reason to smile.”  The show airs two new, 1-hour shows every weekend; a Saturday edition and a Sunday edition.

Around Town came to Thibodaux with an idea that closely reflects one of our sentiments; that we are a vacation destination right in your own backyard. The Dansereau House and Thibodaux provide a magical weekend away, without travelling very far. The crew spent Friday afternoon and evening, and most of Saturday, filming The Dansereau House, local restaurants including The Foundry and Spahrs, and downtown shopping. We are looking forward to seeing the end results and we will keep you posted with information so that you can view as well.

Coming Soon: The Ta-Wa-Si Antique Show and Sale!

September is almost upon us, and suddenly Fall doesn’t seem far behind. Planning has begun on some wonderful events happening around The Dansereau House! First on the list is the 35^th annual Bayou Lafourche Antiques Show here in Thibodaux, Louisiana, held September 9-11.

Country Home magazine calls the Thibodaux show one of the  “100 Hot Antiques Shows. Sponsored by the women’s civic club, Ta-Wa-Si, the Bayou Lafourche Antiques Show and Sale will feature antique dealers selling furniture, books, paper, glassware, and more! Nicholas Catering will be cooking in the café, so be prepared for some fine Cajun cuisine after you shop. And don’t miss out on the raffle! You may win a two-night stay here at The Dansereau House!

Again this year, we will be hosting tours of The Dansereau House to those who show us their ticket from the antique show. Tours will be offered Friday from 1:00 to 6:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 to 5:00 PM.

Add to your antique show experience, and stay with us for the weekend! If you are coming into the area for the show, we still have rooms available. Find more information on Ta-Wa-Si and the show here.

They Said “I Do”

Yes, it was hot! Setting up got a bit steamy.  And everyone was trying to second-guess whether the rain at the rehearsal would be repeated at the wedding. But the angels were smiling when Jesse and her father stepped out on to the lawn, and proceeded down the isle.  A bit of breeze stirred up, the sky remained cleared, and all was beautiful! Josh and Jesse said, “I do,” and the celebration began!

We thank Jesse and Josh, and their families, for entrusting us with their most special day. After all the discussions, preparations, rehearsal, wedding, reception, and Honeymoon breakfast, it’s a bit hard to say good-bye!

Here are a few photos that we took, but hopefully Jesse and her photographers will send us some to post at a later time!

Passin’ a Good Time at the Jolly Inn!

You might be surprised at how many guests we have at the Dansereau House who have made Thibodaux, and Southern Louisiana, their vacation destination. We love being prepared with day-trip suggestions, recommended places to eat, and unique shopping spots for them.

A fun-loving couple we had stay a while back were told by the Lafourche Visitor’s Center that a not-to-miss experience was to be found at The Jolly Inn, in Houma, on Friday nights. So, off they went, in search of the good food and Cajun music they were promised.  The next morning they could hardly stop talking about it! These mid-Western guests could not believe the welcome they received at the Jolly Inn, and proceeded to dance their way down the hall to show us what they had been taught!

Paul and I love to find bits of free time to investigate places to send our guests, and last Friday night we took our granddaughter down to The Jolly Inn to listen to the music. We met our friends, Leland and Sally Crochet, from Crochet House Bed & Breakfast, who promised some dancing instruction. The atmosphere was truly Cajun, the people were as welcoming as our guests had promised, and the food was tasty! And when the music of Couche Couche began, we knew it was only a matter of time before we’d be dancing!

It takes a lot to get me out on the dance floor, but how could I resist the sweet gentleman who came across the room and volunteered to teach me a few steps? I’m not too good on my feet, but he was patient, and I made it breathlessly to the end. And so our dancing began! We had quite a time dancing, laughing, and meeting new friends! The Jolly Inn is surely now on our “must do” list for our Friday night guests!

Check out some photos!

Couche Couche

My First Attempt

Leland & Sally Crochet, Crochet House B&B

Leland gives a little instruction

Hailey & Paul Give It a Try

Hailey Gets Some Expert Instruction

Couche Couche Cajun/Zydeco Band

A Little Help from my Friends

Summer is moving along at a pretty fast pace here at The Dansereau House, and I am truly missing some special friends! About this time last year, I was approached by Ellis Bonaventure, a Transition Specialist at Thibodaux High School. He asked if I would be interested in a program to put some of his students to work at the house. The community-based training program is offered at all three high schools throughout the parish and its purpose  is to teach  students with significant disabilities to be functionally independent once they leave school. Although I wasn’t quite sure how it would work, I am always eager to accept help around the house.

Soon after school started, the students came for the first time. They brought smiles and laughter along with a willingness to vacuum, dust, clean windows, and fold towels. What a blessing for me to have such willing workers! In this 9,000 square-foot building, there is always some place that needs vacuuming or dusting, and they certainly lightened my load. It was a a sad day when school came to a close, and I lost my cheerful, willing workers.

It is my hope that the program continues, and I will be blessed with some more cheerful helpers in the Fall.

Strollin’ on the Beach!

Definitely ready for some “Strollin’ on the Beach,” we headed this week to Gulfport, Mississippi for the Mississippi/Louisiana/Alabama Bed & Breakfast Associations Annual Conference. As always, it was a jam-packed three days that left us relaxed, refocused, and energized!

I’m sure that every innkeeper who attended will agree that there is nothing like a much-needed break from your own inn, to join other innkeepers for a time of meeting new faces, sharing ideas, learning from professionals, and touring a new city.  Not to mention being on the receiving end of the hospitality! The Courtyard by Marriott did a wonderful job of making us comfortable.

It felt incredible to arrive at the hotel, stroll out to hear the sounds of the surf, and walk over to The Chimneys Restaurant for our fist meal together. With hardly ever a break in conversation and laughter, we all got caught up. The next morning, however, we jumped right into the matters at hand, with conferences each day on tourism, marketing, landscaping, websites, the Internet, and even a cooking demonstration by Gary Hawkins, Executive Chef at the Fairview Inn & Sophia’s Restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi.

And when we weren’t at workshops, local area attractions beckoned. We toured the area by bus, and spent some time at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museam of Art/Pottery. It was difficult to see the devastation by Hurricane Katrina, but encouraging to see a community work so hard to rebuild. Almost everywhere we visited, there were  ‘High Water Marks’  posted.

We had a grand time at the “Margaritaville” Beach Dinner at Chateau Blessey Bed & Breakfast, and we really kicked up our heels the next night at the “Country Hoe-Down” at Oak Crest Mansion.

We’re happy to be home, and we’re refreshed and ready to continue to exceed the expectations of all of our guests! Click below for a few photos of our experience.