Emily Gautreaux, Author at Arlen "Benny" Cenac Jr

Top Hotels Around the World in 2019

Is there any more important choice than lodging or Hotels when planning your vacation? Don’t be the traveler that logs hours of internet research and thousands of dollars only to be miserable in a resort that you thought would be luxury. Depending on your priorities, there’s the perfect lodging choice no matter where you choose to travel, but these Hotels are so lovely that you may want to choose your travel destination around the Hotel. Travelandleisure.com recently published their list of top hotels to visit in 2019 and we couldn’t be more on board! From huge, sprawling, popular resorts to under the radar cottages, their list was compiled by seasoned professional travelers, travel writers and hospitality specialists who are all in the know, and now you can be in the know before planning your next big adventure!

1. Mombo Camp — Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana

Botswana is the premier safari/wildlife conservation area in the world. Rated a 90/100 on the conservation scale, they are largely dedicated to conserving the land and wildlife in the area and make sure that any safaris or tours are not impacting the integrity of either. The camp is powered by solar power and employs teams of specialists, experts and scientists to ensure the safety of all parties: travellers, wild game, the earth, and the locals. Home to a large African elephant population along with zebras and Cape buffalo, the camp is a new lodge on one of the area’s most exclusive slices of land that measures over 96k acres. See sights and have experiences straight out of the Disney movie Jungle Book at this pristine and unique hotel.

2. Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

A true castaways experience, Desroches Island is a coral island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. An authentic paradise, it offers only the best and luxurious accommodations and is the only resort on the island. Rock slowly in an ocean-side hammock, relax in your private pool, take long naps in your rustic bungalow or cabana, or explore the 9 miles of white sand beaches and trails while feeling the ocean breeze blow on your face and listening to the soft waves crash on the shore. When you are feeling adventurous you can visit our tortoise sanctuary where hundreds- years-old giant tortoises roam freely. When you want to renew, visit our spa or take a master yoga course. This is truly a vacation that you have on your terms.

3. Amanyangyun — Shanghai

Boasting a one thousand-year year-old camphor forest transported from an actual village submerged by a reservoir project in Jingxia province by billionaire entrepreneur Ma Dadong, who brought them from his home province of Fuzhou, over 400 miles away, this hotel mixes the ancient and modern in curious ways. Book one of the contemporary villas with elaborately carved interior beams and delicate tiles that are set next to open-air walkways and ponds. Shanghai itself is a metropolis drawing more and more attention from travelers from all over the world. There you will find the perfect blend of cultures and the modern mixed with the traditional.

4. Capella Ubud — Bali, Indonesia

Designed by Bill Bensley, who is responsible for some of Southeast Asia’s most glamorous resorts, Capella Ubud takes an unexpected turn toward the natural to reflect Bensley’s love of camping. The result is 23 of the most lavish and fantastical tents ever created, something straight out of an adventure movie. It includes copper tubs, saltwater pools, and suspension bridges. Each tent has a theme such as the Librarian’s Tent or the Cartographer’s Tent, and is outfitted with antiques from the owner’s collection. Bensley worked hard at preserving the integrity of the natural landscape and didn’t cut down a single tree on the resort’s 10 acres of rainforest and rice terraces.

5. Skylark Negril Beach Resort — Jamaica

This hip resort is straight out of a design and style magazine. It draws inspiration from the naturally vibrant color palette of Jamaica and incorporates architectural elements such as whitewashed concrete, geometric shapes, and natural wood grains to create the minimalist style with added vivid splashes of color.

The property’s design reflects its natural surroundings- aqua marine guest room doors to symbolize the Caribbean Sea, shades of greens to symbolize the lush native vegetation, and accent pieces to symbolize the signature ackee fruit’s bright red color. This resort will allow you access to the island’s authentic culture by way of food, music, architecture and design.

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Six Louisiana Schools Nominated for Blue Ribbon Award

Louisiana Believes website recently announced that several schools were in the running for The National Blue Ribbon Award. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a federal program whose mission is to “promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access” as stated on their website. The award recognizes schools based on their overall academic excellence and progress with closing achievement gaps. Every year the U.S. Department of Education celebrates great American schools that have been successful in showing that all students can achieve at high levels. More than 8,500 schools across the country have been presented with this highly coveted and prestigious award. The award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students succeed.

Schools may be nominated for the award only once within a five-year period and are nominated by their Chief State School Officer. The U.S. Department of Education determines the number of nominations per state based on the number of students and schools in each state. One-third of the public schools nominated by each state must include student populations with at least 40% of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

This year, six Louisiana schools have been nominated to be recipients of the award which will be announced in September of 2019. Four of the nominated schools are recognized as “Exemplary High Performing Schools” and two of the nominated schools are recognized as “Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools.” They are among the state’s highest-performing schools as measured by state assessments.

The schools include:

Haynes Academy School for Advanced Studies, Jefferson Parish

Early College Academy, Lafayette Parish

Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy, Jefferson Parish

Thomas Jefferson High School for Advanced Studies, Jefferson Parish

Bayou Black Elementary School, Terrebonne Parish

St. Charles Elementary School, Lafourche Parish

School administrators were over the moon upon hearing of the recent nominations. Karla H. Russo, Principal of Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies in Jefferson Parish: “We are honored to be nominated as a potential National Blue Ribbon School. Our faculty, staff, students, parents, and community work together to create an environment that fosters student achievement and success, and I am proud to see their dedication and commitment to learning recognized.” Alexander Melton, Principal of Early College Academy in Lafayette Parish: “Early College Academy is honored and excited to be the recipient of a Blue Ribbon School nomination. To be mentioned in the same category as the other fine Louisiana schools who have been nominated is humbling for us. All of our stakeholders, especially our students, faculty, and staff, work hard to achieve the best results possible. We are both proud and excited to be recognized for that hard work.”

John White himself commented on the nominations and overall success of many Louisiana schools in a released statement: “These six schools stand out for their ability to either steadily improve student achievement over subsequent years or consistently remain one of the top performing schools in the state. This is a commendable achievement worthy of this distinguished honor.”

The winning school will serve as a model of effective school practices for state and district educators as well as throughout the nation. Staff at winning schools are often sought out as mentors to discuss key elements of their success, from individualized student supports, research-based instruction, collaboration, and targeted curricula. Representatives from schools will be invited to Washington DC to be honored at an annual awards ceremony. The school itself will receive an engraved plaque and flag with the official seal signifying its winning status and the year of the award.

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Everyone’s Favorite Chicken Burrito Skillet Recipe

This delicious Chicken Burrito skillet recipe first published by readyseteat.com, is a great rendition of one our favorite ethnic cuisine: MEXICAN! Mexican food is an American favorite and for good reason: it is vibrant, fresh and fun. It is also colorful, spicy and uses an amazing array of delicious ingredients such as chilies, both fresh and dried, tomatoes, limes, coriander, red onion, avocado, and corn. Mexican cooking is packed with flavor; among the herbs and spices that give it its distinct kick are oregano, cilantro, cinnamon and cocoa. Garlic, onions, lemons and limes are also frequently used. It’s hard to mess up a recipe with these ingredients!

There’s a common misconception that Mexican food is both spicy and heavy, but if you balance the earthy and savory ingredients (beans, cheese, guacamole) with the fresh ingredients (cilantro, tomatoes, citrus) you will strike a balance that even the most critical palette won’t deny.

What makes Mexican food even better, is that it’s cheap and easy to duplicate your favorite restaurant meals in the comfort of your own kitchen. Mexican food is so popular that nowadays, grocery stores have an entire aisle dedicated solely to Mexican spices, ingredients and boxed meals so it’s even easier to find authentic ingredients without roaming all over the grocery store for hours.

Did you know that we have the Mexicans to thank for many of what we consider American meats, spices and dishes? Avocados, peanuts, squash, garlic, sugar cane, and cilantro were native to Mexico until conquistadors brought them over to the New World. The Spaniards also brought livestock and dairy products like cheese. Pigs, cows, and sheep had never been seen before in the New World. Can you imagine?!

Conquistadors also brought foreign produce back to Mexico from the New World. Until the conquistadors arrived, there was no wheat in Mexico. Even today, burritos are scarce in southern Mexico, where tortillas are made with corn which is the traditional way. Colonization also brought cuisines and cooking techniques from the Caribbean, Portugal, West Africa, and South America.

Add all of those influence up and you have several variations of what we think of as today’s Mexican fare. Of course, depending on where you go, the geographical variations of Mexican food can be very, very different. We also see a lot of what is referred to as “Tex-Mex” is southern US which is heavily influenced by Texan cuisine and cooking techniques.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix

1 can Rosarita® Premium Whole Black Beans, drained, rinsed

1 can Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained

1 cup water

1-1/4 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

1 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend

Chopped cilantro, optional

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and taco seasoning; cook 2 minutes more. Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes and water; bring to a boil.

Stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 7 to 10 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese and cilantro, if desired.

How easy is that?! I’m a huge fan of “dump” recipes- recipes where you basically dump it all together and cook it. Enjoy your Mexican fiesta!

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Praxair Building a New Hydrogen Plant in Louisiana

The Daily Advertiser released this article stating that Praxair recently announced that they will be building a New Hydrogen Plant in Louisiana where it will be integrated with the firm’s “already extensive Louisiana production network via its Mississippi River Corridor hydrogen pipeline system.”

The exact location has not been decided yet but has plans to start up in 2021 and be among the largest hydrogen producing plants in America. Praxair is a subsidiary of the Irish-based chemical giant Linde plc. Once the state-of-the-art design is complete, this project will increase the U.S. Gulf Coast hydrogen capacity to more than 1.7 billion standard cubic feet per day.

Praxair, Inc. is a leading industrial gas company in North and South America and one of the largest worldwide. Praxair produces, sells and distributes gases and high-performance surface coatings. Their services are making our planet more clean and productive by bringing environmental benefits to a wide variety of industries.

Why do we need hydrogen plants? What exactly will the plant be used to do?

Hydrogen production has three basic industrial benefits that makes sense for companies to take advantage of.

1. The use of hydrogen greatly reduces pollution.

When hydrogen is combined with oxygen in a fuel cell, energy in the form of electricity is produced and the only by-products are water and heat. No other pollution or greenhouse gases are produced. This electricity can be used for anything, including powering vehicles or as a heat source.

2. Hydrogen can be produced locally from various sources.

Companies don’t have to outsource for hydrogen. Hydrogen gas can be produced locally from methane, gas, coal or water.

3. If hydrogen is produced from water we have a sustainable production system.

Using renewable energy provides a sustainable system that is nonpolluting. Some of the renewable sources used are wind, hydro, and solar energy. The by products of the process are water and heat so the system can be set up as a co-generator, with the waste energy used for heating.

In order to comply with increasingly strict environmental regulations, the demand for clean fuels is growing astronomically. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a new rule to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from power plants across the country. The proposal is called the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule. It has established guidelines for states to use when developing plans to limit GHGs at their power plants.

“The ACE Rule would restore the rule of law and empower states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide modern, reliable and affordable energy for all Americans,” said Andrew Wheeler, EPA acting administrator.

“EPA has an important role when it comes to addressing the CO2 from our nation’s power plants,” said Bill Wehrum, assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. “The ACE rule would fulfill this role in a manner consistent with the structure of the Clean Air Act while being equally respectful of its bounds.”

According to the EPA, the proposal will work to reduce GHG emissions through four main missions:

1. ACE will define the “best system of emission reduction” for existing power plants

2. ACE provides states with a list of “candidate technologies” to utilize

3. ACE continues to research and provide updates to further encourage efficiency improvements

4. ACE will give states adequate time and flexibility to develop their plans.

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The Best Untapped Destinations in Europe for 2019

It turns out, after years of vacationing to different areas, that some of the best memories come from the hidden and quite locations not many people have heard of before and also happen to be the Best Untapped Destinations. The empty white, sandy beaches. The cobblestone streets where you are the only tourist. These experiences truly immerse you in another land and culture without the touristy traps. Once the general public finds out about an amazing destination, it’s only natural that the large influx of travelers morph that destination in some way. Menus begin having English captions and suddenly street vendors are selling impostor goods in an attempt to appeal to the American spender.

Thanks to Travel + Leisure, we have compiled a great list of untapped European destinations for you to advantage of before everyone finds out! Put these Best Untapped Destinations on your bucket list and get ready to have a genuine and authentic travel experience like no other.

Best Untapped Destinations in Europe in 2019

1. Giornico, Switzerland

The ancient but well preserved village of Italian-speaking Giornico with its stone houses, vineyards and chestnut forests, is located in the Leventina Valley (Canton Ticino) in southern Switzerland. Architecture buffs will enjoy the seven churches, including the beautiful 12th century Romanesque Church of St. Nicholas. To fully appreciate it, drive north 35 miles from the popular lake resort towns of Ascona and Locarno and find the turnoff for Giornico, a stone relic of 14th-century Europe hiding off the main road. Down in the valley and rests a trickling little river crossed by two arching stone bridges. Take a gander at the impressive views of scenic road and rail routes, rock faces and waterfalls. Grotto dei due Ponti, a family-run restaurant serves dishes like spezzatino (meat ragoût) with polenta and overlooks the river.

2. Kotor, Montenegro

Wedged between mountains and the bay, Kotor is a medieval maze of museums, churches, cafes and Venetian palaces. This is a perfect example of why some of these are some of the Best Untapped Destinations. It’s a delightful marriage of the past and present. Children race down cobblestone roads toward centuries-old school houses. Lines of laundry flap from wrought-iron balconies. At night, Kotor’s spectacularly lit-up walls glow as the streets buzz with live music and castle-top clubbing. The wealthy British are scrambling to scoop up real estate in Kotor. The locals (dark-haired, green-eyed people of the Black Mountains which is where Montenegro gets its name) have opened restaurants to introduce visitors to the local fare.

3.
Kotor, Montenegro

Ancient poets, fertile countryside, draping Cypress trees, neverending vineyards and olive groves…this truly is the gem of Tuscany. Bolgheri boasts castles straight out of a Disney tale, like the castle of the Gherardesca Counts of Bolgheri, near Piazza Santa Teresa. The churches are majestic as they are serene, such as the church of Saints Giacomo and Cristoforo, the oldest in the area. Carducci, author of the famous and timeless Rime Nuove, wrote beautiful poetry about the lines of Cypress trees, now numbering more than 2,500 and the only local vegetation that buffalos won’t eat. Take a bike ride over through the gentle hills of the hinterland and you will see the coast and the sea. In nearby Bibbona only 5 miles away, you’ll find the Relais Sant’Elena, a 15-room estate with canopy beds and pasta-making classes.

4. Lavenham, England

This medieval wool town has extraordinarily well-preserved Tudor buildings and is unofficially labeled the prettiest town in England. It’s tiny – the population hasn’t ever exceeded 2,000 – yet it is the 14th-richest town in England. This is thanks to its wool making. Lavenham has a long history of fabrics. It was at one point exporting its fabrics as far as Russia making its wool merchants so rich that in 1487 Henry VII fined some of them for being ostentatious.

After the war, the area become impoverished for over 300 years, leaving the residents unable to afford architectural upgrades to stone and wood. After hundreds of years, the architectural style became fashionable again and is a strong draw for tourists as it feels like a step back into time.

Let us know what you think about some of the Best Untapped Destinations in Europe right now. Have you heard of them or visited any of these?

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Nicholls Students to Compete in 16th Annual Bayou Sales Challenge

Nicholls released that it will be among several universities to participate in the 16th Bayou Sales Challenge of 2019 which is an amazing opportunity for students in the southern U.S. to show and fine-tune their professional sales skills. Among the participating schools are Florida State University, Louisiana State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Southern University, University of Louisiana-Lafayette and Xavier University. 44 individual students will compete in high-pressure sales simulations in Nicholls’ state-of-the-art Sales and Interactive Training Lab built in 2003 with a generous donation from Northwestern Mutual. That Fall, the very first Bayou Sales Challenge was held.

Once the top two students of the competition emerge, they will progress and face off head-to-head. There will also be a Team Selling challenge, a career expo and two discussion panels: one from professional salespeople and the other from judges and customers.

The Team Selling Challenge is a new addition to the event this year. Two teammates will enter the room together to sell something to the customer. This round of competition is only 15 minutes long but allows for a lot of creativity. The team who scores the highest total combined points wins.

Some of the skills and attributes that will be evaluated are:

Product Knowledge
Strategic PRospecting Skills
Rapport Building
Buyer/Seller Agreement
Active Listening
Communication
Qualification Questioning
Time Management
Objection Prevention
Demo Skills

“The Bayou Sales Challenge provides students with an experience that instills in them the confidence that they can compete in the marketplace,” said Dr. Laura Valenti, director of the Bayou Sales Challenge and assistant professor of marketing. “The competition also gives students an opportunity to network with top businesses.”

The event is very Shark Tank-esque and is great practice and exposure for future business men and women. As on the award-winning reality show Shark Tank, the sharks often find weaknesses and faults in an entrepreneur’s concept, product, or business model, yet some of the investors try to soften the impact of rejection. Unlike the show though, this is a safe place to learn and grow as young business people without the fear of loss of investment or risking business assets.

The Director of the event, Laura Lott Valenti, released the following letter regarding the event:

Dear Students, Coaches, Sponsors, and Volunteers,

Over the last eleven years, I have had the honor of meeting most of the program’s supporters and participants, and I am excited to bring another great coopetition to you in February 2019.

The Bayou Sales Challenge is known for its strong connection to the region because of its ties to supportive, well-regarded sponsors and volunteers. While preparing students for success in sales or related careers, top-notch coaches bring their star students to compete in our two-day role-play competition. Celebrating the talent we see each year is something I have always looked forward to because when these major pillars convene the students benefit greatly. I am honored to carry the torch for a wonderful program that enables such a unique opportunity of impact.

The 2019 competition marks the sixteenth annual Bayou Sales Challenge, and once again you will see some subtle changes that should enhance the overall competition. Whether your role is a sponsor or coach, you can expect to experience a well-run competition with the same great southern charm and comradery.

Students, coaches, and volunteers are the most valuable component to the Bayou Sales Challenge’s success. I thank each of you for the inherent commitment of making a career in sales one that it worthy of recognition.

Reach out to me should you have any questions, and cheers to this amazing opportunity to make an impact with our students.

Sincerely,

Laura Lott Valenti

Both students and event creators are looking forward to seeing the new young talent and their inspiring methodology and ideas.

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