Join Preserve Louisiana and host, Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, creator and author of Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… Life Stories about Food, as we explore the Acadia Prairie of Louisiana for its fourth cultural and architectural tour Friday, May 31 - Sunday, June 2, 2019.

Tour guests will get a taste of the Zydeco Acadia Prairie with stops in Crowley, Rayne, Church Point, Richard, Roberts Cove and Branch, Louisiana. From the beautifully restored Grand Opera House built in 1901 to the Moto Co/City Hall built in 1920 as the city’s Ford Motor Model T dealership, the charming French Acadian natives will share their community, music, food and stories with us for a festive weekend to remember!

On Friday, the group will explore Rayne beginning with the Maison Daboval House, the famous Frog Murals, the Mervin Kahn building and Antiques on the Avenue to meet the “Cajun Picasso” – Dusty Reed. The afternoon includes the German Heritage Museum in Roberts Cove and the local Candyland Cottage for ice cream before checking into the Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Lafayette. On Saturday, we will visit the quaint town of Church Point known as the “Buggy Capital of the World” and tour the Le Vieux Presbytere Museum followed by stops at the Little Cajun Saint’s grave in Richard, and the Sew What Cajun Mardi Gras costume shop in Branch before heading to The Cajun Prairie Farm – Kelly’s Landing. The afternoon includes Mouton’s Music Store, The Grand Opera House, the Motor Co/City Hall, and the Historic Rice Theatre in Crowley.

The tour will also include a taste of Acadia with delicious Cajun cuisine for Friday lunch at Chef Roy’s Frog City Café with Cajun music and Kelly’s Landing on Saturday. Our dinners will be in Lafayette at Prejean’s Cajun Restaurant including live Cajun music on Friday evening, and Ruffino's on the River with the dinner show Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… on Saturday evening. The show will be hosted by Sweeney-McDonald with local Acadia personalities who will share their life stories about food. 

Previous Preserve Louisiana Cultural & Architectural Tours included trips to  Natchitoches, New Iberia and Natchez, Mississippi. All three trips included tours of beautiful historic sites, town favorites, music, cocktails, food and the Meanwhile, Back at Café’ Du Monde…show with local personalities.

"My friends and I traveled from Oklahoma for the 'Steel Magnolias' tour, which was hosted by Preserve Louisiana. The PL staff was extremely hospitable, warm and welcoming. We laughed and cried throughout the weekend, and our hearts were changed forever by the visit to the plantations. Preserve Louisiana put on a first-class trip and we will definitely be back for more!" – Stephanie O’Hara

The single traveler fee is $750 and double or couple travelers are $620 each. Preserve Louisiana’s Cultural & Architectural Tour includes transportation on a luxury coach bus, a two-night stay at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Lafayette, tours, meals including wine or beer with dinner, snacks, bottled water, and the Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… show.

For more information, a complete agenda and booking, please call Peggy Sweeney-McDonald at (225) 387-2464 or email: events@preserve-louisiana.org   To register go to www.preserve-louisiana.org/upcomingevents.

Our first ever "Mardi Gras" themed Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... was on February 5th at the Baton Rouge Country Club for the Baton Rouge Decorators Club luncheon.  Peggy Sweeney-McDonald hosted the show and invited some of the past storytellers to join the fun for this lovely "ladies who lunch event".   

We are excited to announce the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... show will be presented at The Louisiana Marathon Finish Fest on Friday Night, January 18th at 5:30 PM in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The Michael Foster Project Band will lead the marathon attendees in a Louisiana second-line march that will end on stage in the Raising Canes River Center Arena.  The Meanwhile show will begin at 5:30 PM with seven storytellers sharing their life stories about food.  These humorous and touching stories will warm your heart and feed your soul. If you are attending The Louisiana Marathon, you won't want to miss this festive show!

Join Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, host, creator and author of Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… Life Stories about Food, for the third Preserve Louisiana Cultural & Architectural Tour to the charming town of Natchitoches, Louisiana scheduled for Friday, October 26 to Sunday, October 28, 2018.  Sweeney-McDonald, in partnership with Preserve Louisiana, will explore the culture, architecture and history of Natchitoches.

This year Natchitoches celebrates the 30^th Anniversary of the Steel Magnolias film based on the Broadway play written by native Robert Harling in memory of his sister. The film was about love and friendship, loss and grief but most of all the story was about how a family and a community lived through it all.  It brought international attention to this lovely town.  “We will visit the film locations, including a tour of the “Steel Magnolia Home” and sip a cocktail on the front porch to provide a perfect Fall weekend to remember,” Sweeney-McDonald said.

Preserve Louisiana’s Cultural & Architectural Tours traveled earlier this year to New Iberia to explore the Cajun culture, cuisine and dancing with stops at Tabasco, Rip Van Winkle Gardens and Shadows on the Teche. 

                                                                        New Iberia.Louisiana Tour - February 26-28, 2018

In January 2017, we traveled to Natchez, Mississippi, where we enjoyed antebellum homes, a rum distillery tour and a gourmet meal prepared by cookbook author Regina Charboneau at her home, Twin Oaks Plantation.  Both tours included a Saturday evening dinner and the Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… show.

                                                                                Natchez, Mississippi Tour - January 2017

This October, the group will explore Natchitoches with tours of Oakland Plantation, the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Melrose Plantation where artist Clementine Hunter began painting her famous folk art, Fort St. Jean Baptiste Historic Site, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fameand Northwest Louisiana Museum along with the historic Front Street District on the Cane River Lake.  A taste of Natchitoches will include lunch at the famous Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant, a catered lunch in a rustic barn at Melrose Plantation, Friday dinner at Mama’s Oyster House with local blues music and a festive dinner on Saturday evening with the Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… live show at the popular Merci Beaucoup Restaurant. Sweeney- McDonald will emcee the popular show with local foodies who will share their life stories about food including Rose and Johnnie Cox, owners of Merci Beaucoup, Arlene Gould, Executive Director of the Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, Rhonda Gauthier, Curator of the Fort St. Jean Baptiste Museum and Marlyn Monette, best selling cookbook author (So Good Makes You Want To Slap Your Mama) who has previously appeared in the show and is also featured in the book.

                                                                                  Melrose Plantation in Natchitoches, LA

“These trips are more than a cultural and architectural tour as we will be mingling and dining with local Natchitoches personalities and hearing their personal and touching stories around their culture and food,” Sweeney-McDonald said. 

                                                                               Meanwhile... Storytellers in New Iberia, LA

Preserve Louisiana’s second Cultural & Architectural Tour will travel to the heart of Cajun Country with host, creator and author of Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… Life Stories about Food, Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, on February 16 – February 18, 2018.

Sweeney-McDonald, in partnership with Preserve Louisiana, will explore the culture and history in the heart of Cajun Country.

                                                                    Peggy and Jimmy McDonald Cajun dancing at Landry's

“After a successful tour in January to Natchez, we are excited to be travelling to New Iberia, Avery Island, Jefferson Island and St. Martinville.  We will savor the difference in this part of Cajun Country where Spanish, French, Acadian, African-American and Native American roots mingle to provide a weekend to remember. These trips are more than a cultural and architectural tour as we will be mingling and dining with local New Iberia personalities and hearing their personal and touching stories around their culture and food,” Sweeney McDonald said. “It will truly be a tasty journey of ‘Meanwhile, Back in Cajun Land.”

                                                                                   Checking out the Hot Sauce at Tabasco!

The tour will visit the newly renovated Tabasco Factory and Jungle Gardens, Shadows On the Teche Plantation, The Bayou TecheMuseum, The Joseph Jefferson House, Rip Van Winkle Gardens, the Evangeline Tree and Monument and the Museum of the Acadian Memorial. Attendees will also enjoy delicious cuisine at the Little River Inn, the Original Landry’s (not the chain) with Cajun Dancing to the Cajun Express Band, the Jefferson Café and a wonderful dinner on Saturday evening at the lovely Antique Roseville with the Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… show. Sweeney- McDonald will emcee the popular show with local foodies sharing their life stories about food including Bonnie Breaux - 2017 Seafood Queen and Executive Chef of Café Sydnie Mae, Tuesday Sunshine - Pastry Chef of Indulge Bakery, Author Stanley Dry - the Louisiana Life Kitchen Gourmet columnist, former senior editor of Food & Wine magazine and accomplished cookbook author of The Essential Louisiana Cookbook and Linda Freyou - chef/owner of Antique Roseville. We will also have Happy Hour with Architect Paul J.Allain and tour his award winning historic office building on the Bayou Teche.

Preserve Louisiana’s Cultural & Historical Tour includes transportation, a two-night stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites, all meals, tours and the Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… show. Single Rate is $675 and Doubles rate is $575/each,

For more information and booking, please call Peggy Sweeney-McDonald at (310) 709-2851 or peggy@superstareventsla.com or register at www.preserve-louisiana.org/preserve-louisiana-tours/

Preserve Louisiana is Baton Rouge’s premiere historic preservation organization committed to the safeguarding of our state’s cultural and architectural heritage for generations to come. The Foundation, a member-based group, also provides technical preservation assistance on a fee for service basis.

We are excited to be partnering with the Community Action Partnership of Orange County for a fundraiser. All proceeds will go towards the Hope for the Holidays Campaign benefitting low-income families in Orange County, California during the holidays. The festive event will be held on Sunday, October 1, 2017, and take place at the Old Ranch Country Club located at 3901 Lampson in Seal Beach, California 90740. A cocktail party will begin at 5:00PM with music, appetizers, cash bar and a silent auction. The first ever "Hope for the Holidays" themed Meanwhile Back at Cafe Du Monde... Life Stories About Food monologue show will begin at 6:15PM.  

What better way to celebrate the Baton Rouge Bicentennial then to share Baton Rouge food stories!  We are excited to partner with the East Baton Rouge Library located at 7711 Goodwood Boulevard to produce the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... show with Baton Rouge foodies sharing their life stories around food on Sunday, August 13, 2017 at 6:00PM.  Doors open at 5:30PM.  This is a free community event with refreshments to follow including gourmet donuts and the signature "Peggy-Meanwhile" beignet/donut created by Kara Castille of Thee Heavenly Donuts.

Before moving back to Baton Rouge, Louisiana from Los Angeles last year, Peggy Sweeney-McDonald partnered with drama teacher Hank Amigo at Hale Charter School for a 6th Grade Introduction to Drama/Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... workshop. The 42 sixth graders wrote their food stories and performed them in a fabulous show for their parents, families and friends. It was a huge success, a sold out crowd of 200 people and the ticket sales went to the drama department to help support their future productions.