“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.

Happy Independence Day!

We love celebrating every holiday here at The Dansereau House, but especially the patriotic holidays! It takes big decorations for a big house, so I decided to make my own buntings for The Fourth of July. Thirty yards of  red, white, and blue fabric turned into cupola curtains, and buntings for the second floor veranda. Also, we FINALLY found flag poles long enough to keep the flags flying proud!

Enjoy your Fourth of July weekend!

Here Comes the Bride!

It seemed like just yesterday when we met so many brides at the 2010 Bridal Show in Houma last year. We had barely opened The Dansereau House, yet we were excitedly talking about what a spectacular place it would be to have a wedding.  There were some things to be done, sure….

Well, Spring came and  suddenly the time was upon us to prepare for all those weddings that had seemed so far away! During the summer we had lost the large Magnolia tree that shaded the ‘Wedding Corner’ of the yard.  Nothing could replace it, but a little version has now been planted in it’s place. Plans were drawn for the arbor area where  we had envisioned our brides and grooms  saying their vows.   Thank you Boudreaux’s Woodworking Shop for such a fine arbor and swing! AJ’s Landscape & Construction arrived and completed the ground work and placed the pavers.  And, the hard-working crew from Baldone Real Estate completed all the electrical installation.  Paul and Caleb were working all the while on landscaping, sod, and mulch.

We were ready to hear the first notes of “Here Comes the Bride.”

Click the first photo to watch a slide show of our wedding preparations.

Thibodaux Lends a Helping Hand

As you know, on April 27, 2011, tornadoes touched down in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama, and then in a  little town in Georgia named Ringgold.

Ringgold is a small town, much like Thibodaux. Their Historic Downtown District was much like ours, with small shops, restaurants, and churches. Their fire department was manned by volunteers until just recently. Their people are friendly and hard-working. In addition, Ringgold is home to my daughter, her husband, and my two grandchildren.

The tornado came in from the southwest at about 8:30 at night, traveled through my daughter’s neighborhood, across the interstate, and right through the downtown streets. Eight people were killed. We are blessed indeed, that while our grandchildren were in their beds on the second floor when parts of their roof peeled off, that they were unharmed.

Hearing my daughter’s and granddaughter’s voices on the phone in the days afterward, I felt the need to go and lend a hand. I had a bit of quiet time here at The Dansereau House, and so I quickly pulled together a last-minute ‘mission trip.’  In less than one day I had enough donations to fill my little car and hit the road.

The devastation was worse than I had imagined. Roads were not passable, and I had to find my way in by weaving through back roads, guided by my daughter. But the evidence of compassion was everywhere! People were volunteering to do the hard labor of tree removal. People everywhere would stop and ask, “How can we help?” People with power were helping those without. Service companies from all over came to help repair and clean up.

Thank you First Presbyterian Church for all the snacks! The ladies at the donation station cheered in unison “Oh! For the children!” Thank you Dawn, at Looks Good Salon, and  Occupational Medical Services, for the personal care products. A special thank you for those of you at the Thibodaux Fireman’s Fair, for the cups and candy! The volunteers of Ringgold were truly blessed by your donation. Thank you to my friend, MaryAnn, for remembering the animals.

Even my little car-load of donations was appreciated greatly by those waiting on the other end. But in addition, taking my grandchildren to deliver those items did them a lot of good as well.

As usual, I was prepared with my camera, so click on a photo below to see a slide show of my visit.