Romancing the Roads Read Online Free Page A

located in the Bocage Shopping Center , a small but upscale collection of shops, and after dinner I walked around and checked them out.
    Paper N Things
    7649 Jefferson Hwy.
    225-924-7725
    What a delightful shop. I purchased some very “me” cards. There were many selections. I discovered, as I spoke with owner Stacey Miremont, that the store does deluxe complimentary gift wrapping. How helpful!
    Beausoleil
    7731 Jefferson Hwy.
    225-926-1172
    www.beausoleilrestaurantandbar.com
    Also in the Bocage Shopping Center, this delightful place—then called the Silver Spoon—served a delicious, sensibly priced lunch. The Beausoleil is owned and operated by Michael Boudreaux, Jeff Comaway, Nathan Gresham, and Kenny Juban.
    Calandro’s Supermarket
    4142 Government St.
    225-383-7815
    12732 Perkins Rd.
    225-767-6659
    www.calandros.com
    In case groceries are needed, I recommend this store, also in the Bocage Shopping Center. It supposedly carries great cheeses, meats, and the like.
    The more I saw of Baton Rouge, the more I liked it. I would enjoy returning and discovering more of this Louisiana city. I saw several standard shopping malls. This is a university town, so you are going find a great deal of clothing and items for the college life.
    The next day held serendipities of many sorts. I had until 3 p.m., when I would be driving to the next destination. It was Saturday, and I walked around the Main Street Market at Fifth and Main.
    Main Street Market
    501 Main St.
    225-267-5060
    www.mainstreetmarketbr.org
    The market was in full swing. This is definitely a place to go for everything freshly harvested, preserved, or handmade. The ad card states, “Downtown’s Freshest Address.” That seemed accurate to me. I would not hesitate to “go to market alone.” Everyone was very friendly.
    Nottoway Plantation & Resort
    31025 Hwy. 405, White Castle
    866-668-6929
    www.nottoway.com
    The drive from Baton Rouge to Nottoway is about one and a half hours. The drive through rural areas puts you in a plantation frame of mind. I found the famed historic Nottoway to be everything that you could ever imagine a plantation to be. It has bed-and-breakfast accommodations. Here are my observations about my Nottoway Plantation experience. I then include what has been added to this most special plantation, which happened to be the largest remaining antebellum mansion in the South with overnight accommodations and restaurant.
    As you approach via the long and impressive driveway, this magnificent, enormous, white, Greek Revival mansion looms. One parks in the lot in front and walks into the mansion. A small check-in desk is manned by a competent young man who also helps with my luggage.
    All overnight guests, upon arrival, are told the schedule of the complimentary tour and informed that a full plantation breakfast in the Breakfast Room will be awaiting them in the morning! Go for this wonderful breakfast. Lunch will not be a consideration.
    I recommend a walk around the gardens and up to the levee. The tour of the plantation will be the next morning after breakfast, but all overnight guests can walk through the main house by themselves at night (more on this below).
    I was shown to my room, which immediately took me to a place back in time. The four-poster bed, the decor, the ambiance, the carafe of port with sparkling glasses on the table—I wanted to be wearing a full hoop-skirted dress with a corseted waist.
    Dinner was scheduled for 7 p.m. in Randolph Hall . I had no idea what I was to discover and so thoroughly enjoy. I walked through a small garden to Randolph Hall and was greeted by a hostess. Almost immediately, a chef joined us.
    Although chef Johnny “Jambalaya” Percle has retired from Nottoway, he is still involved in his culinary endeavors. I will relate my experience, which was special.
    Of course, I let him choose my meal and when I could not decide what to choose chef gave me a sample of each. The Zydeco Salad was so crisp and flavorful