Lila's Cakes and Chocolate

Can't remember when RRBJ first realized Lila's was open for business. Did we walk by, see the owner's picture on Trudeau's blog, or catch Mike Rosebery's black and white photo on flickr.com?

In addition to selling tasty baked goods, Lila's Cakes and Chocolate is also an eatery with a full breakfast and lunch menu. The last time we dined we had the soup and sandwich lunch special (pictured above). Food is good, service is fast and the ambiance is similar to one of those little places you stumble into on a visit to New Orleans.

The shop is named after the tiny daughter of the owners, Sopan and Lisa Tike. Sopan has over 18 years of experience as a trained pastry chef. Lisa is also the director of the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Shreveport.

440 Olive Street, Shreveport. 318 676-1407. Open Monday - Saturday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Happy One Year

We started RRBJ in November 2006 with a post containing pictures of red trash in Highland. We celebrate one year of publishing with these photos of red. RRBJ seems to be a blog mainly about life in Highland and downtown with the occasional excursion to other nearby points.

Thank you to Trudeau and Noma for the inspiration to begin blogging. We're excited that blogging has also opened up other creative venues for us. We're tickled red for the assistance in finding our way back to the homemade life.

Picture of the Day

Pray, Children...Pray
Originally uploaded by jawbone54. Thank you to jawbone54 for letting RRBJ use his cool shot. If you've got a photo, poem, sketch or anything artsy-craftsy that illustrates life in SB Land drop it off via RedRiverBlogJam@gmail.com.

Glass Jewelry

Su Stella's a talented Highland artist who will be selling her work at the Highland Jazz and Blues Festival this Saturday. She is also a part of the Shreveport Regional Art Council's Deck the Halls show. Su shares a home and studio with blacksmith Curt Harville.

Trudeau has the latest on the Saturday's doings and memories from last year's festival on his faces blog. Stephanie Netherton's covered this year's festival in today's Shreveport Times in a nice article with the reminder to tote some chairs or blankets so you'll have a place to sit.

Smithy

Metal artist Curt Harville has built a blacksmith shop on a large lot near the Highland home he shares with Su "Smiley" Stella.

He'll be vending items this Saturday at Columbia Park at the Highland Jazz and Blues Festival and later this month in Bossier City at the Shop Til You Drop event.

Later this week, I'll be posting a picture of one of the neat pieces of glass jewelry Su has created. In the meantime, you can see and buy the couple's art at their online shop at Etsy.

'Tis the Season to Give Homemade

Noma Fowler-Sandlin is the owner/jam artist of Pan's Pantry.

Her creations are made in the Historic Highland neighborhood.

She'll be vending her goods at the Highland Jazz and Blues Festival on Saturday November 17. Afraid to buy new flavors? She always offers FREE taste samples.

Jam and jazz. The livin' is good smack dab in the middle of SB Land.

Sugar Skull

RRBJ acquired this sugar skull by Conchita Iglesias-McElwee at SRAC's Day of the Dead street party. Conchita is curating a show that opens tonight at Jackrabbit Lounge, which is located in the area of Centenary's Gold Dome, George's Grill and Lil Joe (home-of-really-big-hamburgers).

To see what others think of how we celebrate dead folks check out Travel Lady Magazine. To find out more about the Jackrabbit Lounge happenings see Trudeau's blog. He's got plenty of other cool things listed for this weekend. But for a really interesting event there's rumors of ArkLaTex Wrestling holding an event at Soundstage tonight. Rock and "rassling" it can't get anymore southern than that.

Whatever you do this weekend try to eat at our local establishments at least half the time you choose to dine out... Keep Shreveport Wild!