Lafayette was a dump (New Orleans, Baton Rouge: zoning, club, shop)

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by LSU Tiger Z71

You don't have to be that radical! Hahaha. Its not like that.

Very good post!

lol. I think she's going to have more fun here than she lets on. Its not a backwards town though, it very much looks to the future.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Originally Posted by Innotech

that looks incredible. My aunt has a huge home on the Southside, but its nowhere near as architecturally exciting.

Stroll Realtor.Com: Lafayette,LA High to Low starting around page 3 and 4 and view some of the newer construction one. Simply stunning.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Originally Posted by Innotech

lol. I think she's going to have more fun here than she lets on. Its not a backwards town though, it very much looks to the future.

It was like a whole other world coming from Monroe. It was like that kid from some corn field in Illinois visiting Chicago the first time I went. Haha.

(I know a lot better now.)

[imaterry78259]

Originally Posted by Opelousasbear

Goreegal your answer to your question, I'm going to be funny with this one.

"Also is there a Whole Foods or some health type grocery where one can buy organic produce and free range chickens."


If you take a drive to certain neighborhoods you can probably catch your own chickens (hence free range chickens). In some of the poorer areas there are chickens running around. Just joking about catching your own you might get shot (just joking), but there really are chickens running around some neighborhoods

You can also invest in you own chicken coop, (but living in River Ranch you probably can't) HOA wont allow them. I don't know if you ever heard of Urban chickens. Google Urban Chickens there's alot of information on the web about them, Folks from New York to Seatle have started them. Some city's even changed there ordinaces to allow folks to raise them in their backyard with guidlines. You get fresh eggs & If you don't get attached to them you can have them for dinner, If you can hack plucking the feathers.

My grandfather had a farm we never bought chicken in a store, or Beef for that matter when I was growing up. We took the cow to that same slaughter house you are probably refering to in a previous post.

But in your case your probably better off going to the Fresh Market right in River Ranch Neighborhood I'm sure they have them there. Just because the packaging says Free range don't asume thats where it came from it's just a lable that some American Coorperation slaped on it to make you believe that its free range, Your best bet is to find a local farm and purchase from them and can visit the farm and see for yourself how they are being raised and probably cheaper and better for you than what you can get at any grocery store, as most store bought chickens are pumped with growth hormones and antibiotics, what the chicken consumes you consume also.

For the Organic produce visit the outlying area farmers market, there is one in Opelousas every Wednessday from 6-11 am and Saturday mornings from 6-11am, In the spring and Fall you can visit the Market for Music & Market every Friday from 5-8 pm (is usually cajun or zydeco music, so if you don't like the music you can just buy your produce and leave). You can also visit some of the local Grocery stores and produce markets, I do know a few that buy Fruits and Vegies from locals.

I grow my own vegtables and fruit, currently have tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, bell pepper, garlic, lettuce, parsley. I also have 2 Satsumas trees(citrus fruit like a tangerine) 1 Navel Orange tree, 1 Cumquat tree(?spelling), 2 lemon trees, 3 fig trees, had blue berry bushes but they died. I just canned figs this past weekend, Citrus fruits are usally ready come the end of October thru December. I grow all this with no pesticides, on my 96' x 200' lot with a 2100 sq ft house, plus a 2 story 1200 sq ft rental or mother In-law house, in a real neighborhood, with folks from all walks of life not enclosed by gates or brick walls. People call me old fashion but at least I know I can be self sufficient if need to be, also saves me alot on my grocery bill.

Happy shopping for your Organic products.
John
Opelousas

I mean I was truly disappointed with Lafayette at first sight. I also had friends from Germany where they know the preservation of what is old and they were appalled. The city needs to at least make sure that the area downtown is clean and presentable. Paint and fixing the street is just the basic

[GoreeGal]

Originally Posted by Innotech

If you still want to live that way, River Ranch is designed for it, complete with ludicrous pricing. Ive noticed a few modern subdivisions with "brick walls" in front popping up around town recently so you may want to check those out as well. The city has a lot of older 70-80s style homes that are still in great condition and these older neighborhoods are great places to meet people.

Yes this area heavily leans Republican and you will see more pickup trucks and SUVs than you have ever seen in your life.

By the way, do you attend any churches?

Born and raised Southern Baptist but converted to Catholisim at 17 and when I was in your city driving around I saw a few Catholic Churches and frankly did not see other religious structures but I bet they are there. I am thinking about converting to being a Buddhist and try to be more compassionate about those folks living in trailers next to slaughterhouses

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by imaterry78259

I mean I was truly disappointed with Lafayette at first sight. I also had friends from Germany where they know the preservation of what is old and they were appalled. The city needs to at least make sure that the area downtown is clean and presentable. Paint and fixing the street is just the basic

the downtown area IS clean and presentable...

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by GoreeGal

Born and raised Southern Baptist but converted to Catholisim at 17 and when I was in your city driving around I saw a few Catholic Churches and frankly did not see other religious structures but I bet they are there. I am thinking about converting to being a Buddhist and try to be more compassionate about those folks living in trailers next to slaughterhouses

the one I go to with my mother is Saint elizabeth Seton on Moss Street. Its a beautiful modern church that was built in 2000. Have been a member there since we moved to Lafayette. Another great church is St Peter Roman Church in downtown Carencro.

[Opelousasbear]

imaterry78259
"I mean I was truly disappointed with Lafayette at first sight. I also had friends from Germany where they know the preservation of what is old and they were appalled. The city needs to at least make sure that the area downtown is clean and presentable. Paint and fixing the street is just the basic"

I do agree that the first impression driving into Lafayette and some of the Neighborhoods surrounding Downtown are not in the best shape. Just to let you know if you would have come by 15 or so years ago they were in worse shape and Downtown was dead no life down there but homeless people and Vacant buildings, and the only night clubs down there were 3 gay bars man I miss IMAGES, Its now NiteTown. In some aspect of the resurgence of downtown can be attributed to the small gay community alot of the building that are now Night clubs at one time were owned and renovated by gay members of our community examples Stans downtown (which has a dungeon like basement not open to the public because of access to it is limited) which is located in an old Masonic temple like structure was renovated and opened as a gay club call Penecal by the previous owner of Jules (which is now club Sevens still a gay/les bar) Sound Factory has alway been there, which I belive is currently the oldest gay bar in town (the latest Ive heard about that club is that it has been sold so its future as remaining a gay club is unknown. The new Sadies club started out as a gay club, then straight club called rennisance, now Sadies again a gay/les club that has live bands, Anyone is welcome to come into these establishments.

So folks who have been here for most of there lives and have seen downtown is its worse of shape 15-20years agos, will say its is a nice area today especially comparing the changes that have happened to downtown in the pass 20 years.

The neighborhoods surrounding Downtown especially the Freetown Neighborhood has seen some growth with the new apartment complex on taft (catering to college students) trust me it was a big contravesy to get those built. Most of the homes are being purchased and Renovated. The Freetown Neighborhood was originally settled by free persons of Color. Here is there website if you want to check it out. Save Freetown

The neighborhood on the other side of downtown that buts up against Congress street, there has just been a commision or (Coterie dont know what that means that what the paper called it) about its future. Here is the article if you want to read up on it.

Coterie formed to help develop neighborhood plan | theadvertiser.com | The Advertiser

The other kida dumpy area you probably saw while driving down the Evangeline Thruway was the Veazey/McComb neighborhoods the residents are trying to get a commision organized to help with the revitalization of those areas. I just hope that when they build the I-49 Connector thru that area it doesn't turn into what the Cairborne Ave looks like today thru New Orleans when they built I-10 thru that area what a shame for the Historic Treme Neighborhood.

John
Opelousas

[Opelousasbear]

Oh and the best part about Downtown Lafayette is that these Gay clubs can Co-exist with the Straight clubs, all in the same area with very few problems. Instead of like some places Alternative lifestyle clubs have to be segregated from the rest of the community. So its is a good mix of people that Live it up Downtown Gay, Strait, White, Black, Hispanic, and others.

[Opelousasbear]

GoreeGal

"If you see a lady running rabid down the street with a crawfish sticking out of her mouth wearing Walmart clothes and chasing a chicken you will know it is me."


Funny you say that, There are people who dress up in costume and chase chickens for Mardi gras, mostly in the rural areas, If I were you I would read up on it so you wont be so culture shocked here is a site you can read up on about this.

Courir de Mardi Gras in Church Point Louisiana

I think you are finally getting it You will fit-in this area real good.