Now a good number of us love king cake. And when this time of year rolls around we make sure to get our fair share or maybe even more than our fair share! And while I love a good traditional king cake (just ask the folks at Mandeville Bake Shop), that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t experiment a little. Local restaurants and bakers all over the northshore are hard at work making king-cake-inspired treat for all of us to give a whirl. I personally have tried to taste as many of these as possible but haven’t gotten to all of them–yet! So join me and try some of these treats before the season is over ..read more

Every year a few brave bakers put themselves out there and try something new. This year, the king cake that caught my eye was the very unusual-looking Mardi Gras Medley King Cake served at Maple Street Bakery in Abita Springs. If you’re never been to Maple Street Bakery, you should definitely check it out. It’s located in an old house across the street from Abita Middle School. It’s one of those precious northshore houses with lots of porch on both sides. They are primarily known for their wedding cakes but that doesn’t mean that’s the only thing they bake! (Speaking of their wedding cakes: I ..read more

Mandeville Target. Boy, did it open to some harsh criticism. I’m usually not one to write about controversial topics, but I’m going to tackle this one in hopes of raising awareness and maybe offer a little perspective. Why? Because I absolutely adore our new white and red beacon of retail heaven.  Before I tell you why, let me take you back in time. This is actually my mom’s story and she tells it better, but I’m going to try to do it justice… Picture it. Mandeville. 1989.  A tired mom of 2 finds her way to Mandeville K-Mart on a Friday night. As she’s perusing the lingerie (LOL, I A ..read more

This post is brought to you by Natural Disinfection Solutions. Have you ever walked into an indoor play place and been knocked over by the smell of feet? Have you ever sent your child off to start a new school year only to have them home sick by the second day? Have you ever experienced a virus that slowly takes down your child’s entire daycare one by one? Or your office? Believe it or not, none of these things has to happen. The technology now exists that allows the air that surrounds us and the surface we touch to be disinfected continuously. Unfortunately, the technology does not exist to c ..read more

It is always my pleasure in life to meet individuals who have a strong and abiding love of speaking up for others. It is quite possibly one of the greatest assets to posses: a drive to give a voice to the ones that are so often silenced. I have met many such people in my career as a social worker, and even now as I get to meet and interview parents for Northshore Parent, I have the privilege of getting to see the world through their perspective. Children are held so dearly in our society, yet they are often the ones who fall victim to life’s tragedies and injustices. Thankfully there are speci ..read more

So y’all know I am always on the lookout for a great parties. And I especially like those thrown by real moms who live here. So when I spotted this amazing party thrown by a former classmate of mine (won’t tell you how long ago!) I knew I had to share it. There are a lot of things to love about this party. First of all, it’s a party for a teenager, which I feel like we don’t see enough of. Teenagers are fun! Their parties are fun! Why do little kids get all the best parties? I also love that this party was clearly for guests of all ages. You see cousins, family friends, regular friends, and li ..read more

Every great community is built on the shoulders of giants that bring support and order to our lives. It is often unseen work. We go about our days, pushing forward, putting our heads down to get to the next day. It isn’t until we are faced with unimaginable hardship that we are presented with these passionate people that dedicate their lives to helping others.  In those moments they are the heroes, the advocates, the voices for those that cannot speak for themselves. One such cause that cannot be spoken about enough is suicide prevention and mental health advocacy. Having been a taboo su ..read more

On television kids walk right out their front door and trick or treat at the neighbor’s house. Reality can often be a good deal different–especially when you live in a rural area. Some neighborhoods just don’t get into the spirit. In others, houses are too far apart to trick or treat effectively. This is where Trunk or Treats come in. At a trunk or treat people part their cars in a parking lot and hand out candy from their trunks. People get very creative with decorations and it can be a lot of fun for kids and adults alike. Sound like something you’re interested in? Below we have a list of al ..read more

Now most of us know that we can drive around and look at decorations for a Christmas, but a growing number of people are starting to go all out for Halloween too. One of these families is the Marinos. The Marinos put up and amazing Halloween display that is sure to impress your whole family. It takes up the entire yard and even has timed lights, music, and stories that broadcast through your radio. It’s definitely a top notch display. I reached out to them to learn a little bit more about their display and why they go to such lengths to decorate. Kevin and Amber Marino with their dog, Quincy N ..read more

Real quick before I start. I typically only cover Louisiana moms, but this lady is a friend of mine and the world deserves to see her amazing work, so today I’m writing about a mom in Michigan. After you see these costumes you’ll agree with. And if not? Well we’ve got lots of local mom content for you–just look around. But about my friend. I met Melanie at a rehabilitation center in Canada over a decade ago. Her son Daniel is disabled and uses a wheelchair just like my son does. Melanie is one of those super moms. She and Daniel have had some truly amazing adventures together and there is noth ..read more