Author: Emily Gautreaux

River Cruises and What You Need to Know

The industry of river cruise lines really started/took off in Europe and it continues to be a popular vacation trip. Or even just to explore the world, river cruise lines are perfect for those seeking a little bit more of an adventure. Usually everything is included which means less stress and more time to have fun.Travel + Leisure published the Top 10 River Cruise Lines. We are here to focus on one of them. U River Cruises. This unique experience is known to be completely centered around its guest, hence the name “U”. If you are looking for a personal, exciting adventure throughout Europe, U RIver Cruises are the way to go.

U River Cruises

The U River Cruise line offers its visitors a unique experience because they serve those looking for an “authentic adventure”.

Onboard Life

A Silent Disco

Silent is not the first word that comes to mind when someone mentions a disco, but this is not an experience to miss. The DJ plays the music which plays through headphones that everyone has. This means you can take them off to talk to your friends and you don’t have to worry about loud background music.

Camping on the Rooftop

Have you ever wanted to camp under the stars on a river cruise line? U River Cruises give this option and they even provide the tents! Enjoy the outdoors without all of the hassle.

Yoga

This is always a must on vacations. The best way to relax, being on the top deck doing yoga while the sun comes up.

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Their Ships

The U River Cruise offers 2 different ship options. Both including three different styles of rooms. Ranging from just a place to store your stuff and sleep to a whole suite. There is even the option to share a room with someone. This could be the perfect opportunity for someone who is traveling alone and wants to explore the possibility of meeting someone on the same adventure.

Relaxing on a traveling hotel seems like the best way to see Europe. No need for backpacking when you can just float up to most cities.

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Dining Options

Worried about what you are going to eat all day? The U Cruise Line has 3 included daily meals during the trip. Each meal often based off of the cities that are visited. There are multiple vegetarian, organic, and healthy options. But who doesn’t like a good burger? U offers a juicy burger and a nice side of fresh fries.

Local street food is also usually served; German Kasekreiner is served whenever it is possible. If there are dietary restrictions the chefs are more than happy to help accommodate their guest.

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Destinations

 U River Cruises offers 22 different ports of call, 5 different countries, 3 different rivers. Why vacation in one place when you can vacation on a floating hotel that literally brings you to different countries while you relax for the ride. The 5 countries visited are: The Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary. Each bringing a different experience and many different options to explore.

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Click here for the 2019 Mini Brochure.

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Visit Ponchatoula, Louisiana

Louisiana has a lot to offer if you know where to look. One city that can often be forgotten about is the city of Ponchatoula. Often referred to as the “Strawberry Capital of the World” and “America’s Antique City”, this gorgeous Louisiana city is perfect for anyone looking for more adventures in Louisiana. Trip101 published the 5 Best Things to Do In Ponchatoula, Louisiana. We are here to share three of those with you!

A Driving Tour through the Louisiana Northshore Quilt Trail

What is a quilt trail? This unique array of interpretations of quilt blocks that are located on the outside of places like: businesses, homes, fences, post in the yard, barns, and even flower beds.

Ann Boudreaux, a Ponchatoula native, started the Louisiana Northshore Quilt Trail. Boudreaux joined four other women and set off to found the first Louisiana Quilt Trail. Not only is it the perfect way to search for new artists and businesses, but it gives tourists and visitors the perfect reason to drive around the city. The start of the trail begins with the piece “A Colorful Life” and is located in Ponchatoula at 234 SWRR Ave.

For more information visit their website.

The Electric Train Depot

Also located in Ponchatoula, The Electric Train Depot is over 4,000 square feet. This depot offers a huge variety of new and used electric trains. They even offer supplies and accessories to go along. Do you happen to have an electric train that needs to be fixed? The Electric Train Depot has repair services.

You do not need to be interested in electric trains to enjoy the depot. The unbelievable sight of all of the different trains, all different colors and sizes., is sure to impress anyone. They even change the displays so you can go more than once to experience the changes.

There staff is known for their helpful and friendly personalities. So if you don’t know much about electric trains and you would like to, always feel free to ask.

The hours are 10am to 4pm, Monday-Saturday. Visit their website for more information.

The Strawberry Festival

One weekend in April opens up the unlimited options that Ponchatoula’s Strawberry Festival has to offer. Food, fun and entertainment is promised throughout the weekend. Even though it is a small town that doesn’t keep the festival from being the best. There are carnival rides, raffles, and even game booths.

The Strawberry options are unlimited too. Homemade pastries and pies are sure to make your mouth water. Have you ever heard of fried strawberries? Well, you can try them here. If you aren’t really interested in the taste of the fruit; there are non perishable options. Try to grab some strawberry themed crafts and even strawberry themed jewelry.

Saturday is usually the busiest day of the festival. There is a parade; pretty common in Louisiana’s festivals. There is even a concert and a contest for strawberries; named the “Best of the Best”.

You might even be able to take a picture with Ponchatoula’s mascot; the alligator.

Visit their website for more information.

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Louisiana High School Students Offered More Options

Students across Louisiana will soon be able to acquire different skills across various STEM careers, earning college credits along the way. Louisiana Believes tells us more with New Stem-Focused Jump Start Pathways to Provide High Schools with Advanced Skills, College and Career Credentials.

The four new programs are a part of Louisiana’s Jump Start pathways and can earn college credits at Louisiana State University or Xavier University. One of the four has already been approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). The other three have been approved by a BESE subcommittee and only have to be approved by the full board before going into effect.

Jump Start was created by the state of Louisiana to provide high school students with career and technical skills to move into high-demand STEM jobs. The STEM pathway consists of Carnegie credits throughout the STEM field and technical education that could lead to statewide credentials. The four new programs are: Xavier University Pre-Pharmacy, LSU Biomedical Sciences, LSU Computing, and National Integrated Cyber Education Research Cyber Security.

The Xavier University Pre-Pharmacy program was approved by BESE in June. It combines components from both natural sciences and industry practice. The teaching and schooling is to prepare that take this pathway through discussing pharmacy in the classroom and career experience.

  1. The LSU Biomedical Sciences track delves into the world of biomedicine. The pathway spotlights biomedicine to animals and humans. It will give an excellent foundation for students that are aiming for success along the medical track or any other science related field.
  2. The LSU Computing Certification Pathway consists of computer science, computational thinking, and computational science. This pathway is for students that want to find a career in computing.
  3. The National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center Cyber Security track consists of computer science, engineering, and mathematics. The program involves hands on learning and the exchange of knowledge with professionals in a given field. Students evaluate the ins and outs of privacy and security when a lot of communication and interaction is shifting online. They will also study the ethical side of advancement in robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous devices.

Students that complete one of the given pathways will also receive a STEM endorsement on their high school diplomas.

The pathways were created by different groups throughout the region last year. They were submitted by the Jump Start Graduation Pathway Review in the spring. The panel is made of members from the Louisiana Economic Development, the Louisiana Workforce Commission, and the Louisiana Department of Education. Once BESE approves, the pathways are adapted and adopted by Jump Start regional teams.

The Xavier University Pre-Pharmacy Pathway being implemented at the St. John the Baptist Parish STEM Magnet High School. This will make the program the third pathway at the school.

Careers across various STEM fields are the fastest growing not only in the state, but also in the nation. More than half of Louisiana students express an interest in the STEM field, but only ten percent meet the benchmark in showcasing readiness for collegiate level math and science. To counteract this, Louisiana wants to give students the option to experience STEM coursework. They are hoping the four programs assist them in reaching that goal.

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The Perfect Beef Stew for Fall

Fall is coming! This means it is time to dive into all of those warmer recipes for the cooler weather. Delish has the perfect Beef Stew recipe, and the best part? This meal is easily freezable! Make a batch and freeze it for the future when you just don’t have time to cook. All you have to do is reheat it in a large pot and serve.

INGREDIENTS

KITCHEN TOOLS

  • Large dutch oven or large pot
  • A plate

The first step for this wonderful beef stew is to prepare the pot or dutch oven you are going to use. Place the pot on the burner and turn the heat up to medium; heat the vegetable oil. This is when the beef should be cooked. Place the beef in the pot, working in batches if the amount it too much to fit at the bottom of the pot. The beef needs to be cooked on all sides, making sure it is seared. Once the beef is done cooking, place it on a separate plate. Continue to do this until all of the beef is cooked.

Using the same pot as before, add the onions, carrots and celery. This needs to be cooked until it each ingredient is soft, it will take about 5 minutes. Season the pot with freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt. Once the vegetables are soft, add the tomato paste and garlic. This will need to be cooked until the tomato paste darkens and you can really smell the garlic. This will take about 2 minutes.

The next step is to add the beef back into the pot. Once placing the beef in, add the broth, bay leaves, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Raise the heat on the burner to bring the ingredients to a boil. Once it begins to boil, bring the heat back down to a simmer. Season the ingredients again with the freshly ground black pepper and the kosher salt. Cover the pot or dutch oven and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, making sure to check that the beef is tender.

Once the 30 minutes are up and you have checked to make sure the beef is tender, add the potatoes. Continue to let it simmer while the potatoes cook and make sure to cover the pot/dutch oven. They need to be tender; this will take about 15 minutes. Always make sure to check the tenderness by inserting a fork into the potato and seeing how easily it goes in.

Once the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaves that were put in earlier. This is when the peas should be added. The purpose is to just heat them up since they are frozen. It should only take about 2 minutes for the peas to heat up. Once the 2 minutes are up, remove the stew from heat and serve in soup bowls. Make sure to garnish the stew with parsley before you serve it!

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Nicholls Educator Participates in new World Class Professor Program

Nicholls State University biology professor Dr. Raj Boopathy was chosen to visit Indonesia as a part of the Indonesian government’s relatively new World Class Professor program. Nicholls news gives us more information, check out the article here. The World Class Professor program, also known as WCP, is a program that is funded by the Indonesian government. This research project aims to help institutions cooperate together by strengthening and promoting research on a global level. The Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education wanted to promote a global satellite research center.

Only ten World Class Professorships are awarded each year. The Indonesian government bases its program recipient decisions in publication and research output in addition to a strong, consistent publication record. Dr. Boopathy’s works have been cited over 7000 times internationally.

Dr. Boopathy will travel to Indonesia to visit the Institute of Technology, Bandung for two weeks. He will discuss his research in environmental biotechnology on the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment, biodegradation and bioremediation of hazardous chemicals, biofuel production and biological treatment of wastewater.

He will also talk to students on how to write and publish scientific papers.

Not only will Dr. Boopathy travel to Indonesia to discuss his research, a professor from the Institute of Technology, Bandung will travel to Louisiana in October to shadow Dr. Boopathy. The professor from the Institute of Technology, Bandung will study Dr. Boopathy’s process in collecting data and publishing research in the most notable scientific journals in the world.

This is not the first award or honor Dr. Boopathy has received. He is also a Fulbright Specialist. The Fulbright Specialist Program sends faculty and professionals from the United States to academic institutions worldwide to consult on curriculum, faculty development, and institutional planning. Dr. Boopathy has been the recipient of three Fulbright awards since 2007. The last place to request his services was Malaysia- who was aiming to curb the country’s pollution. Malaysia has been struggling from air pollution for close to twenty years. Dr. Boopathy visited the country right before Nicholls’ Spring 2019 semester began.

Last year Dr. Boopathy was the keynote speaker at the 13th Asian Biohydrogen and Biorefinery Symposium in Zhengzhou, China. It was here that he gave a speech on his research in the area of bioethanol production from sugarcane waste for energy use. The research is based on the idea of extracting sugar from agricultural waste that would typically be burned during a given season. The symposium had approximately 400 attendees from 28 countries share their research into bioenergy.

Dr. Raj Boopathy is a 2008 recipient of the Nicholls State University Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence. He is also considered an Alcee Fortier Distinguished Professor at Nicholls- an honorary title given to showcase academic excellence. He has published 167 papers in various peer-reviewed journals, 17 book chapters, and has edited a book.

“It is a big honor to be selected as a World Class Professor,” he said. “This says that Nicholls accommodates professors with high research output, and Nicholls always encourages the scholarly work of its professors.”

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Things to Do in Alexandria, Louisiana

If you happen to travel down to the south bank of the Red River, the journey would end almost directly in the center of Louisiana. The ninth-largest city in the state, Alexandria, will welcome you with open arms. With a history that dates back to the traders and merchants in the mid- to late- 1700’s, Alexandria is one of the oldest settlements in Louisiana. Starting in the early 1800s, the city became a hub for transportation, trading, and agriculture.

Today, the city calls itself home to almost 50,000 people and the college campus of Louisiana State University at Alexandria. There are small bayous trickled throughout the city, surviving easily in the humid subtropical climate. With a unique history and dedication to preserving central Louisiana culture, Alexandria is a now a hub for education and learning.

Alexandria Zoological Park

Opened to the public in 1926, the Alexandria Zoological Park is owned by the city of Alexandria. The zoo, which originally started out as a row of cages in Brighurst Park, is currently made up of 33 acres of land. It is also presently home to approximately 500 animals.  The home to over 35 threatened and endangered species, the Alexandria Zoo supports both Louisiana-based and global conservation efforts. The Alexandria Zoological Park states that their mission is “to promote understanding and conservation of the natural world in which we live.”

Alexandria Museum of Art

The Alexandria Museum of Art boasts a collection spanning from ceramics to photography to watercolors. Founded in 1977, the museum has spent the last forty years using educational programs and interesting exhibits to not only promote art, but also further the understanding and appreciation of it. The museum holds over 800 works of art in its permanent collection and also calls itself a temporary home to travelling exhibits. The museum itself is located in the Rapides Band and Trust Company Building. The building was completed in 1898 and is in the National Register of Historic Places as of May 15, 1980.

Louisiana History Museum

The Louisiana History Museum collects items important to the history of both Alexandria and the state of Louisiana. The first pieces of the museum’s collection were gathered around the 1970s to preserve the history of the state, but also show the beginnings of central Louisiana. The collection began as display cases in th eAlexandria Genealogical Library to more than 50 displays and exhibits of the Alexandria Public Library. The museum is home to thousands of photographs taken in central Louisiana, some dating back as far as the 1860s. The museum states that they have over 700 photos from the 1860s to the 1960s.

The building the museum and genealogical are located in began as the Alexandria Public Library in 1907. S.S. Bryan matched a $10 thousand grant from Andrew Carnegie to build a library under the stipulation that the city provide a site and maintenance forever. In 1971, the Alexandria City Council declared the building the Alexandria Historical and Genealogical Library and Museum.

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