Fearless Finds: The RE Market

Spring is in the air, so what better place to be than the Spring Fling at The RE Market?! This past weekend The RE Market had sales, refreshments, and art classes to welcome Spring, and I got to speak with the manager and a few vendors as I looked through the booths.

The RE Market has something for everyone! They have antiques, vintage finds, repurposed home accents, architectural salvage, and so much more. Looking for a gift? The RE Jeweled booth by designer Celia Joe Black has creations made from repurposed items and is a must stop. I also had the pleasure of meeting Susan Sarradet Bergeaux in her booth, Sunset Creek, which features home accessories and interior design. There are far too many amazing vendors to name; you’ll just have to go see for yourself!

The RE Market is located at 303 North Lake Arthur Avenue in Jennings, Louisiana, a street over from the Donut King. Formerly the old 7up Bottling Company, the building has a very eclectic, shabby-chic look to it, which is perfect for this type of business. It just fits! While walking around, my sister said “Come here, you’ve got to see this!” and led me to the inside of the original front doors of the building to a large tiled 7up logo on the floor. It was so cool!

Kayla Gary, the manager, and her lovely staff welcomed me in, and she couldn’t talk enough about the start of The RE Market and how they’ve grown in the past three years. The business started out as a 200 square foot cabinet showroom, and now it’s this 10,000 square foot “REpurposed, REnewed, and REmarkable” place housing 30+ vendors with a waiting list!

The RE Market is open Monday through Saturday 10am-4pm. For more information you can call 337-821-0083 or 337-275-7312 or visit their website at REaccents.com. 

P.S. The RE Market is stop number 44 on the Louisiana Antique Trail! We will be doing a blog series about this soon as we attempt to visit all 95 shops on the trail! Check out LouisianaAntiqueTrail.com for more info.

Pelicans on Parade #1

We love Gators on the Geaux in Lake Charles, so when we stumbled upon Pelicans on Parade, a similar public art project, in Lafayette we couldn't resist trying to seek out as many as possible! 

We were actually spending the day in Lafayette researching and visiting businesses for the blog when we spied this Pelican and her buddy at the South College Center on the corner of Bertrand & Johnson. Her name plate was missing, but she was beautifully painted and adorned in celebration of Mardi Gras.

We're searching for more! Do you know of any located around Lafayette? Please comment or e-mail us, so we can find them!

Huntin' for Gators on the Geaux #1

Remember this amazing piece of art we discovered at the Cameron Prairie Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center? Well he's inspired us to start huntin' for Gators on the Geaux! Gators on the Geaux is a public art project in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and although many gators have been stolen and/or destroyed, there are still many hanging out in and around Lake Charles. 

So this guy will be our starting point, and we are going to hunt down as many as we can, keeping you updated along the way, of course! Wish us luck!

Do you know of any Gators on the Geaux? Comment or e-mail us their locations, so we can add them to our list!

Fearless Finds: The Louisiana Market

After 25 years of business in the same location, The Louisiana Market at 2710 Hodges Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana, has become more than a familiar sight among the Cottage Shops; it’s a tradition. The current owner, Lisa Foreman, began working at The Louisiana Market three years ago with plans to buy it, and in July of 2014 that’s what she did. Her only employees are her family, and they show great dedication and support. Lisa was so warm and inviting, and it was obvious she loves what she does. Most of our visit was spent talking about and meeting her local artists (many to be seen on future blog posts!) and exploring the shop.

The Louisiana Market has anything and everything Louisiana! “What I try to do is to promote Southwest Louisiana,” Lisa explained as she showed us the wide variety of products, art, and décor she carries. She has cookbooks, dishware, and gourmet foods including Virgin Pecan Oil. You’ll find unique t-shirts and jewelry, most referencing Louisiana. They even make super cute gift baskets for any occasion. Most recently they filled miniature pirogues with goodies for a local Mardi Gras Krewe.

Lisa works closely with local artists selling their works and helping them reach a broader audience. She even connected one with the flag company she buys from, and now the artist’s designs are featured on flags! There are beautiful works all around the shop including watercolor, acrylic, and oil paintings, local pottery, and recycle art.

Specialty coffee is also available at The Louisiana Market. All the beans are roasted and flavored in Mooringsport, Louisiana, and they are sold by the pound, whole or ground. The flavors are so unique with names like Swamp Gold and King Cake. I actually bought a half pound bag of ground Café Beignet and love it! I can’t wait to go back and try another flavor.

We will definitely be regular customers now and know where to find unique gifts in the future. So whether you need a present for a native Cajun or want to share the Louisiana spirit with a faraway friend, pay a visit to The Louisiana Market to find exactly what you’re looking for!

For more information visit thelouisianamarket.com, like them on Facebook, or call 337-656-2908.

"Before I die..." Art in Lake Charles

Have you seen this amazing art installation in downtown Lake Charles?! 

I was so excited when we just happened to drive past it on one of our latest blog adventures, and I had to stop! The “Before I die…” project started in New Orleans when artist Candy Chang obtained permission to paint the wall of an abandoned house with the now iconic black and white interactive installation. Anyone passing by can add their own hopes and aspirations to the wall and see what others around them dream about. This has become a global project with walls in over 70 countries and in over 35 languages. Check out the website and find out about the “Before I die…” book at beforeidie.cc. Our wall is on the west side of 505 Bazaar at 314 Broad Street. We read several incredible bucket list items including hiking Kilimanjaro and going skydiving.

What do you want to do before you die?