Tickets Sales to Covington Filmmaker's Movie Goes to St. Tammany Art Association

 The movie, by Covington filmmaker and photographer Andrew Boyd, is about a retired sugarcane farmer and his family. Joe Judice and his family have been in the sugarcane industry in St. Martin Parish since the 1800’s.

“You spend a career meeting and filming and photographing people, and you know a good story when you see one. This looked like a great story,” says Boyd.

The movie is called Sugar in Their Blood and was funded by Boyd himself. He tells their story through interviews of the family and of professionals in the industry. You learn of the history and challenges of the industry. Joe and his brother Robert own Judice Brothers Farms which opened in 1964 between Loreaufille and New Iberia. The 2,600 acres is now run by Robert’s son Robert Jr. and Joe’s sons Jim and Justin. The family allowed Boyd to film the day to day operations of the farm.

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Better Affordability Brings More Buyers

 The first quarter of 2023 saw 56% of prospective home buyers actively in the process of purchasing a home. This is up from the fourth quarter of 2022 at 46%. This is due to the improved affordability expectations.

With the improved affordability, buyer demand is up as well as the competition. Unfortunately, this leads to potential buyers having a harder time finding the home of their dreams. In fact, 71% have spent 3+ months searching for a new home which was up from the 65% reported in the fourth quarter of 2022.

As for each region, the number of prospective buyers actively looking for a home rose in every region in the first quarter of 2023. The Northeast went from 50% to 63%, Midwest from 42% to 45%, the South from 47% to 51% and the West from 44% to 66%.

These results are derived from the Housing Trends Report (HTR). This report is produced by the National Association of Home Builders’ Economics team. The team measures prospective home buyers’ perceptions about the affordability and availability of homes for sale in their market. The Housing Trends Report runs every quarter to track changes in buyer’s perceptions over time.

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All of Tammany Trace Is Now Open For Summer

 This spring the entire length of Tammany Trace has now been fully opened to the public. The new bridge that runs over Little Bayou Castine in Old Mandeville, part of Tammany Trace, is now open. The ribbon cutting was April 20th on the $1.7 million bridge project. The bridge is one of the thirty two bridges that run along the thirty one miles of Tammany Trace.

Tammany Trace is actually Louisiana’s first Rails to Trails conversion that began in 1992 with federal money. The parish purchased the abandoned rail line from the Illinois Central Railroad for $1.4 million. The project was completed and opened in 1994.

The bridge that was there was a wooden structure that was not in good condition and needed to be replaced. In fact, there are other bridges along the trail that will also need to be replaced in the future. The area that was replaced was a 265-foot span that is over the marshy area that crosses over Jackson Ave. The bridge was redone with metal and concrete that was built offsite to reduce the cost. The design is not impacted by pilings so there is no negative environmental impact.

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An Increase in Housing Demand Sparked by Lower Rates

 It is reported that the share of prospective buyers increased by 5 points in a single quarter at the end of 2022. The retreat in mortgage interest rates during the first quarter of 2023 (from the 20-year peak reached in the fall of 2022) led a record share of adults in the US. 

This meant that 18% of adults said that they plan to purchase a home within a year. The share rose in every region across the country from the last quarter of 2022 to the beginning quarter of 2023. The Northeast rose from 11% to 19%, the Midwest from 10% to 14%, the South from 14% to 17% and the West from 14% to 23%).

This also was the case with first-time buyer share which also rose in all four regions between the last quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023. The Northeast saw an increase from 64% to 66%, Midwest 58% to 67%, South 60% to 68% and the West from 62% to 75%.

These results are derived from the Housing Trends Report (HTR). This report is produced by the National Association of Home Builders’ Economics team. The team measures prospective home buyers’ perceptions about the affordability and the availability of homes for sale in their market. The Housing Trends Report runs every quarter to track changes in buyer’s perceptions over time.

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Brasa Will Open A New Location

If you live in Old Metairie then you are familiar with Brasa. The steakhouse will be expanding and will now have a second larger location in New Orleans. The new location will occupy the old Morton’s steakhouse in the Canal Place shopping center.

Owners Edgar Caro and Antonio Mata will renovate the space and hope to open its doors in October 2023. Brasa is a local concept that was the idea of the business partners. They want to change the space to have a Latin American flare. The original Old Metairie location was named Brasa Churrasqueria and is now called Brasa South American Steakhouse. ” This is the same menu, concept and vibe as Brasa, but we can do more here,” explains Caro.

The renovation will start with putting in open windows that will bring in tons of natural light. The space will also be painted in brighter colors and there will be tropical plants added for the Latin American design. They will add a huge dry-aging case and a display of high-end spirits at the entrance when you first walk into the restaurant. There will also be a dedicated lounge and three private dining rooms. The biggest change will be the added outdoor dining patio by the Canal Street Entrance.

“The idea is to keep the bones of Brasa, the essence of Brasa, and bring it here to downtown New Orleans,” Caro says. “We’re very excited about being part of the revitalization down here.

The partners are excited and look forward to the opening. They know that the downtown location will bring in the tourists who tend to spend more money when on vacation. The new location will add Wagyu steaks and grilled oysters among other seafood dishes.

“This will be the flagship for us,” Mata says. “I think we paved the road for what we want Brasa to be with the first restaurant, and it’s been successful. Now we’re ready for this,” added Caro.

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The Best Trees To Use for Your Backyard Oasis

 During the pandemic, your home became your live, work and play space. Outside living really became almost a necessity. Professionals in the industry have some great ideas on what to use for planting when it comes to your backyard oasis.

“Using plantings adds more color, texture, and in some cases movement to the garden, which can be enjoyed from indoors and out. You also can attract wildlife to your space, such as songbirds and pollinators. That’s a joy if you love observing nature up close,” says Kat Aul Cervoni of Staghorn NYC and The Cultivation by Kat.

Trees are the perfect addition for a nice private outdoor living space. Here are some privacy trees and large shrubs that are perfect for the job.

Skip Laurel

A skip laurel is a beautiful evergreen that will bloom white flowers in the spring. It has glossy leaves and grows extremely fast and works in the shade. These trees can grow in most any type of soil and are deer resistant.

Cryptomeria

A crypotemia tree is a fancy name for a Japanese cedar. This tree is known for its texture and will grow over thirty feet tall. When you plant this tree, make sure to plant it with plenty of space due to its massive size when full grown.

Rhododendron

These evergreen bushes produce beautiful flowers that will bloom in late spring. The blooms can be in a wide variety of colors ranging from coral to lavender. These bushes do like part-time shade.

Juniper

These wonderful shrubs come in a variety of colors that are from blue-green to gold. They also come in many different shapes and sizes making them a great choice. Many use these shrubs as a privacy screen. The plant also has clusters of blue-green fruits that give it a bit of a unique look.

Chastetree

A unique tree that grows fast and has beautiful purple blooms with accented gray-green foliage. It is not as well known as many trees but it can make a great privacy screen growing up to 15 feet wide. Note: if you want a spreading multi-trunk display, prune every season.

Yew

This tree comes in many different kinds that are both tall and low-growing. The tall yews are perfect for borders and privacy screens. If you live in a colder climate, then these are perfect because they are extremely cold-hardy and many can tolerate shade.

Serviceberry

Another beautiful tree that has white flowers that give off a nice fragrance during the spring. The flowers which bloom in the spring will turn into deep purple berries in the summer. Many pick these berris naad use them for making jam. This tree will grow up to 25 feet tall and also gives beautiful fall colors.

Arborvitae

These trees grow in different shapes that include round, columnar or pyramidal. They also come in many different sizes ranging from a couple of feet tall to over thirty feet tall. These do not require much maintenance as they do not need to be sheared to keep their shape. These fast growing trees are hardy but the deer love to eat them!

False Cypress

These trees are very pretty and have fern-like needles and graceful limbs. This is another low-maintenance plant and comes in many varieties. They are mostly pyramidal in shape and are great to use for privacy screens.

Hemlock

A graceful tree that has soft, feathery foliage and is great in colder climates because it likes extreme cold. It can tolerate some shade but also likes the sun and it grows to be very tall. There are some dwarf varieties that will also go well in a nice backyard.

Hydrangea

This shrub is another fast grower and is very colorful. The beautiful flowers come in tons of sizes and colors that last from summer to late fall. They make great additions to your garden or yard.

Cedar

These trees are very popular and have an elegant form with unique pine cones. There are many varieties and they are perfect for a border. These trees can also grow in pots and are great for a patio area.

Rose of Sharon

This plant is a shrub with beautiful tropical looking flowers. They work as nice privacy borders and bloom in the late summer. They will give your area a beautiful and pleasant look and atmosphere.

Using trees and shrubs for privacy brings visual interest and beauty to your outdoor space. “A green screen provides a more dynamic element to your space – something that grows each year and changes with the seasons, which I find gives a person a beautiful way to observe the passage of time and feel more connected to nature,” says Cervoni.

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