Neighborhoods

Large parts of Baton Rouge are suburban in character.
The local variant of a ranch house is called Acadian style,
with a high roof to trap heat and keep the lower portions cool,
and an overhang without gutters for run-off of heavy rain.

Much of Baton Rouge has heavy foliage,
as in this neighborhood near campus...

...This picture is taken from the yard of the above house,
and there are actually five houses partly visible behind the trees!

Student apartment near LSU in a modified New Orleans style.

Blossoms

The foliage blossoms year-round - Azaleas in the spring,
Crepe Myrtles in the summer, and Camellias through the winter.

...From a spring garden.

Okay, okay, it's been known to snow.  There was enough in the yard to
build this snowman in 1988 (last time) - and it melted a few hours later.
However, the authorities were concerned, and they closed Interstate 10
for safety reasons.  TV reporters interviewed a weeping lady from Colorado, who said, "What's the matter with these people? I have to get home."

Malls!!

Baton Rouge has a shiny new mall,
with upscale national chain stores...

...But some of the food concessions are locally operated,
including Arzi's, a popular Lebanese restaurant.

Communities

There is a sizable Vietnamese community in Baton Rouge.
Vin Phat is a popular grocery store and gathering place.

The "alternative" community in Baton Rouge is loyal
to local stores like Living Foods.

Louisiana Coffee Shops

Southern Louisianans have a long tradition of drinking strong coffee.
Local cafes have expanded in recent years, and they are so good
- and popular - that national chains have had a hard time making inroads.

At Coffee Call, a Baton Rouge institution for generations, you can get
beignets and cafe au lait, and people watch ... the weekday business
lunch crowd, the Sunday noon after-church crowd,
and the Saturday late-night pierced-and-tatooed crowd!

For more information on the Louisiana Vietnamese community, see the book by former department members, Min Zhou and Carl Bankston III, Growing up American: How Vietnamese Children Adapt to Life in the United States (New York, Russell Sage, 1999).