After an eventful week with our guest speakers, Mr. Glen Frankel and Dr. Carl Rollyson, we concluded their visit with one of the LEAP Center’s annual Film Festivals. This year’s feature film was High Noon, the acclaimed western classic starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Directed by Fred Zinneman and released in 1952, the film tells the story of a marshal (played by Gary Cooper)…
…who is getting ready to leave his hometown with his new bride (played by Grace Kelly) and begin a new life. However, his plans are thwarted when he learns that convicted killer, Frank Miller (played by Ian MacDonald), has been pardoned and is traveling back to town to seek revenge on the marshal who turned him in.
One of our guests of honor, Mr. Frankel, recently published his newest book on the film, “High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic.”
After learning so much about the film throughout our week’s conversations, we were all enthusiastic to watch this Hollywood treasure.
With approximately 50 audience members composed of community members, SHSU faculty members, and students, the Wynne Home quickly filled up with gusts enjoying our pre-movie reception. Guests purchased the authors’ books and had the opportunity to visit with Dr. Rollyson and Mr. Frankel before they introduced the film.
Both authors had much to share with guests. Mr. Frankel not only has the expertise in film classics such as The Searchers and High Noon but has many stories to tell as a Pulitzer Prize winner for his journalism through the Washington Post. Similarly, Dr. Rollyson had stories to spare through his diverse biographical research. With subjects spanning from political figures like Michael Foot to Huntsville’s very own Hollywood star Dana Andrews, captivated guests enjoyed their conversations with Dr. Rollyson, just as they did with Mr. Frankel.
We were happy to visit with not only familiar faces, but also meet new faces to the LEAP Center. Two longtime community members were particularly special to us; Mrs. Bonnie Thorton Blalock and her new husband Mr. Ben Blalock.
Mr. Blalock was the Mayor of Huntsville from 1968-1972 and Mrs. Bonnie Blalock was a long time librarian and teacher in the community. Both had wonderful stories to share and even offered to show us their recent wedding photographs! It was a real treat to visit with them and we hope to have them at future LEAP events.
But before we knew it, we had to wrap up our conversations and find our seats. The movie was about to begin.
Gathered in the Wynne Home art gallery, Dr. Rollyson and Mr. Frankel introduced the film.
As both Hollywood scholars finished offering their remarks on the film, the rumbling drums and the strumming guitar from High Noon’s introductory theme began to play. The 80 minute film went by quickly with audience members glued to their seats, anxious to find out the outcome of the film.
Afterwards, guests visited and discussed their thoughts before the LEAP Ambassadors headed next door to Carboneros for dinner. SHSU’s Dr. Darren Grant and Mrs. Marcie Grant even joined us making the evening more memorable.
We were thankful to have time to visit with Dr. Rollyson and Mr. Frankel before they left Huntsville. Many thanks to the Wynne Home, Mr. Frankel, and Dr. Rollyson!
Mr. James Reston had a busy day planned at SHSU. With back to back events scheduled for the day, the LEAP Ambassadors were prepared to help Mr. Reston provide meaningful insight on his latest book “A Rift on Earth.” The book talks about the famous Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall located in Washington, D.C. and its controversial history.
Mr. Reston had the opportunity to speak about the Wall to Dr. Melissa Mednicov’s class, where the students proved interested in knowing more about the Vietnam Era and about how the memorial got started.
Afterwards, students were able to ask questions and were lucky enough to receive signed books by Mr. Reston.
We were thrilled to have shared this experience with the art department but our day was by no means over.
Lunch with Reston, by Bianca Saldierna
Following James Reston’s busy morning, we met for lunch at one of the LEAP Center’s favorite local restaurants, Carbonero Rotisserie. We did not have to go far to give our guests the opportunity to try a different cultural cuisine, authentic Salvadorian food! Joining us was former Mayor of Huntsville, Mac Woodward, and the News Director of KSAM, Larry Crippen. We all began by sampling El Salvador’s most notable dish, pupusas, as well as, some sweet fried plantains. As lunch continued, a myriad of conversations resonated across the room. One of the most interesting discussions was about the famous Watergate scandal and James Reston’s role in helping journalist, David Frost, prepare the televised interviews with Richard Nixon. Mr. Reston also gave us an overview of his unpublished book addressing the tragedy of 9/11, which we are looking forward to seeing in the bookstore shelves. With the great company and the great food, time flew by, and finally it was time to head on to Houston.
Brazos Bookstore Booksigning, by Kaitlin Tyra
Although traveling to Houston can be a bit of a drive, especially during rush hour traffic, the LEAP Ambassadors eagerly traveled to Brazos Bookstore in Houston for Mr. Reston’s book signing. Thankfully our drive down was uneventful and we had a few minutes to browse Brazos’ unique collection of books before the talk began.
A Rift in the Earth: Art, Memory, and the Fight for a Vietnam War Memorial was published only a month ago. The book discusses the process of creating the Vietnam War Memorial, the submission contest, the controversy around the design of the Memorial, as well as the art and architecture behind the Memorial. The LEAP Ambassadors were eager to learn from Mr. Reston about such an important piece of our nation’s history.
Interestingly, the architect that won the submission contest, Maya Lin, was a twenty-one-year-old undergraduate student at Yale. Mr. Reston spoke highly of Ms. Lin and of her courage throughout the vetting process of the Memorial. His book details the controversy behind not only the design of the Vietnam Memorial, but also the Memorial itself.
The War created divisiveness in the United States and the Memorial starting what Mr. Reston calls the “Second Vietnam War”. Some did not think the United States should memorialize a lost war and such a horrible blemish of American history, while others wanted to acknowledge the ultimate sacrifice of the 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in service.
Mr. Reston’s description of the Memorial throughout the book provided vivid imagery to the reader. He explained some of the hidden symbolism of the art like the reflective quality of the black granite which allows the Memorial visitor to imagine themselves in the place of the names on the wall through its reflective nature. The audience truly felt the importance and impact of the Memorial through his words.
Ultimately, the Vietnam War Memorial stands as a symbol of unity today; unity in a time of divisiveness and turmoil in the country. The Memorial reminds us not only of the lives lost fighting this specific war, but in all wars. The names inscribed in black granite remind of us the toll war takes on a country, and serves as a poignant reminder of the tragedy Americans endured. Although Mr. Reston’s book is a reminder of the tragedies of war, it also gives the reader a sense of pride with the emergence of the Memorial.
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Mr. Reston concluded the book talk by visiting with the audience and signing guest’s books before we departed off to dinner.
Dinner at Azuma Sushi, Brian Aldaco
With a very successful book signing finished, we thought it was time to have some dinner making the short drive to Azuma Sushi and Robata Bar. As we have visited this place before, it has now become a LEAP favorite and we wanted to show Mr. Reston the delights of this sushi restaurant.
As always, we ordered a little bit of everything. Ranging from raw sushi for the curious, some fried sushi for those who did not appreciate the raw sushi, and kabobs for everyone to enjoy. Regardless of which group you were in, the Crazy Irishman Roll was the favorite. This yummy roll of salmon, tuna, and avocado wrapped warmly together by green soybean paper, flash fried, and then covered by spicy mayo, unagi sauce, green onions, and masago was a mouth-watering joy to feast on. But if one amazing culinary experience wasn’t enough, the grand finale was dessert time. Not knowing what to expect, we were intrigued by the dessert options that they had. Tempura banana with ice cream, fried red bean ice cream, and Mochi (a confection made with pounded sticky rice and stuffed with an ice cream filling).
It was with a sigh of satisfaction that we moved away our empty plates and continued our chatter about the day’s successes. With a busy week still ahead of us, we appreciated this moment to relax and enjoy our conversations with Mr. Reston.
The LEAP Ambassadors are hosting journalist James Reston, Jr. this week. In the spirit of the LEAP’s interdisciplinary mission, Reston will speak to Dr. Melissa Mednicov’s “Modern Art” class, to an audience at Brazos Bookstore (in Houston), to a group of students in a studio production, and at our heART of Huntsville program.
His appearance is timed with the release of his latest book, “A Rift in the Earth,” which the New York Times called “superb” and Ken Burns called “extraordinary.” The book addresses the aftermath of the Vietnam War and the controversy over Maya Lin’s Vietnam War Memorial Wall.
Prior to his main events on campus, he enjoyed a dinner with the LEAP Ambassadors at 1836…
…where he discussed his cameo in “Frost/Nixon,” which was based on his book, his work on Jim Jones and the Jonestown Massacre, and other interesting topics.
On day 5 of our West Trip Tour, we gave one last look at Marfa to say our goodbye before proceeding our journey home. We had a chance to visit the Chinati Foundation again, and we posed for some photos amidst his minimalist art…
…with Beatriz, in particular, getting into the spirit of things…
We made a quick stop at Ft. Davis, where we stopped for some well-deserved ice cream at Herbert’s Caboose Ice Cream Shop. It was an interesting ice cream stop since it was in an actual old, green caboose.
Balmorhea State Park, by Beatriz Martinez
Moving on from our small stop at Ft. Davis, we headed over to the Balmorhea State Park. A 3.5-million-gallon freshwater pool, this natural spring was first created by FDR’S New Deal during the Great Depression in order to create new jobs. It was a one of a kind opportunity to swim, not only “like a fish,” but also among them.
With the goal of finding a turtle or two, we jumped in.
Everyone got to show off their varying swimming skills, from Brian and Christina not straying from the pool’s edge… to Kaitlyn and Beatriz jumping from diving board into 30 ft. deep water.
It was a fun place, and a different experience.
Ellen Noel Museum, Kaitlyn Tyra
After the Balmorhea State Park, we hurried off to the Ellen Noel Museum of Art in Odessa where a special exhibit on Andy Warhol was being displayed. The museum featured a gallery of permanent pieces, a sculpture garden, and two rotating exhibits. The first gallery we viewed was a special exhibit by Herb Williams.
The exhibit we saw utilized crayons as the medium. Immediately as one walks into the gallery room, they recognize the fragrant aroma of new crayons. Herb Williams’ goal in choosing crayons was to provide creativity and imagination to children, but also to bring back the childhood memories and likeness often forgotten among adults as a potential creative outlet.
Herb Williams used crayons to remake famous pieces of art. “H is for Hokusai”…
…“I is for Indiana”…
“O is for O’Keefe”, and “W for Warhol” all were included in the series. Each piece of art was created using crayons to illustrate the color and texture. Of course, the Ambassadors could not pass up the opportunity to take a picture with William’s remake of Robert Indiana’s LOVE. We admired the unique art and moved into the Andy Warhol exhibit.
A temporary exhibit at the Noel Museum of Art, the Andy Warhol exhibit took visitors from the beginning of his art career throughout the end showing the variation of Warhol’s style and art. Interestingly, we learned that Andy Warhol’s real name included an extra letter (Warhola) which he eventually dropped to create his “persona”. Of course, we saw Warhol’s famous Campbell’s soup can paintings, Marilyn Monroe portraits, and Elvis Presley portraits. We also saw some of Warhol’s more thoughtful works, such as his modernization of Venus from Boticelli’s “Birth of Venus” painting.
Warhol’s ideology of painting images that “meant nothing” gave his art style and made a statement in the art community. More than thirty years after his death, Warhol’s impact and influence is still visible in much of today’s art. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to photograph the exhibit, but we did enjoy Warhol’s artwork.
Next, we wandered outside to the sculpture garden. Numerous sculptures were displayed, but we immediately recognized three Jesus Moroles granite sculptures. One sculpture, “Musical Steele” made music similar to a xylophone. We made our own music by running our car keys up and down the sculpture. Another unique Moroles sculpture was titled “The Portal”, this piece was built onto the exterior wall of the art museum and was different from a traditional Moroles sculpture because it was not freestanding. We admired each sculpture before departing to our next destination!
Stonehenge, by Brian Aldaco
After viewing one of art history’s most enigmatic artist, we visited one of history’s most enigmatic ruins: Stonehenge. Now although we did not travel to the United Kingdom, we were able to find a replica in Odessa, Texas.
This rendition of the famous ruins is located on the campus of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Although we are uncertain as to why someone would want a replica of Stonehenge, it provided us with a side adventure as we neared the end of our West Texas Tour.
While climbing on the stones, which are apparently 14% shorter than the original ruins, we decided it was prime time to take some photographs.
Along the way to Perini Ranch Steakhouse, we took a little stop in Midland. As we got off the freeway we steered into a quiet neighborhood. With houses of no extravagant facades but merely the marks of middle-class America, we neared a home who’s previous owner would have seemed unexpected.
Located on “Easter” Street due to its pastel houses, we found the George W. Bush Childhood Home a perfect location to take a photo-op.
Although we were not able to take a tour of the home, we did feel proud to visit the previous home of this Texas-raised president after visiting the home of a Texas-born Vice President a few days before.
Dinner at Perini Ranch Steakhouse, by Christina Perez
Our last stop of the day was the one we anticipated the most. Hungry and ready to get out of the car, we arrived in Buffalo Gap and headed for Perini Ranch Steakhouse. Kaitlyn had been here before after a moot court trip but for the rest of us it was sure to be a treat. We started with two appetizers: the quail legs and Jalapeno bites. Braitlyn (Brian and Kaitlyn) ordered the Ribeye with potatoes, Professor Yawn ordered the ribs, Beatriz tried the filet, and Christina ordered the award-winning burger. We all attempt to be adventurous with the menu items and usually enjoy it, but dessert was a different story. We tried the Jalapeno cheese cake which was not our favorite. We each had a bite and made a sour face. Don’t worry, the Leap ambassadors will not be deterred from trying new things in the future, even if it does cause us to make sour faces! With that last positive thought we retired for the day to prepare for tomorrow.
The LEAPsters are continuing their West Texas Tour. On their second day, they had a taste from the old east, from the forgotten south, and the life-flourishing natural paradise of one of Texas’ greatest state parks.
Japanese Tea Garden
The light peaked in the horizon as we walked up to the beautiful Japanese Tea Garden in San Antonio. Mark Burns had a few ideas on shots he wanted to take. He began by doing what any professional photographer does; he scouted out the most photogenic part of the garden. As we scouted the perimeter of the park, with Brian trying to use a new DSLR stabilizer…
…Burns’ eyes caught a glimpse of a breathtaking waterfall that sits in the back of the gardens.
He explained that he would have to set the camera to have a 30 second exposure in order to take a good photo. This would allow him to capture a ghostly waterfall and a glistening rock in the picture. After that, he decided to take some portraits of us.
The Japanese Tea Garden was a great addition to the documentary.
We said goodbye to Mark with a hint of melancholy. And as we said our farewells, we wished him luck on his next adventure: the solar eclipse which he will be photographing. With the early morning start, we decided to take a coffee break at one of San Antonio’s Local Coffee coffee shops. With a relaxing black tea for some and tasty macrons for others, we chowed down on our breakfast and headed back to our hotel with a satisfied belly.
Aldaco’s Mexican Cuisine
After a little down time in our rooms, we climbed back to our van and turned our compass towards Aldaco’s Mexican Cuisine. In reality, our decision to lunch at this location was not based on any recommendation. We had no idea of the restaurant’s reputation or whether it was home to authentic Mexican cuisine. In short, we had no idea if the food was any good. You may wonder why then we chose this restaurant. The answer is simple. Brian Aldaco, feeling drawn to the restaurant’s peculiar name, wanted to see if Aldaco’s Mexican Cuisine had any resemblance to his family’s Mexican cuisine.
With latin music in the background, we all shared a pleasant conversation on how much we were enjoying the trip. Looking through the menu we noticed that there were plenty of tasty plates to choose from. Christina and Brian chose the Tacos de la Calle plate, while Beatriz decided on the Chile Relleno. Professor Yawn, whether this would have been his preference or not, grubbed on some Tacos Gringos after Christina chose his platter for him. After finishing our meals, we decided that Aldaco’s Mexican Cuisine was worth trying. And even though Brian remarked that it was not like mother’s cooking, his tacos were still tasty and a good excuse to come back to Aldaco’s.
The Road to Seminole
Our next destination after San Antonio was Seminole Canyon. With a 200 mile trip ahead, we planned some stops along the road to take a few breaths of South Texas fresh air. Our first stop was at Uvalde, TX, about 85 miles west of San Antonio. There, we found the home of John Nance Garner, Vice President to FDR.
Vice President Garner was the first Texan to serve as VP, but “Cactus Jack” started his political career in Uvalde County as county judge. After taking our photo in front of his home, we continued on the road. However, as we exited the town, we found the cemetery where Vice President Garner is buried.
Our second stop was in Brackettville, about 50 miles down the road from Uvalde. In this small community of 1,674 residents lies Alamo Village, where John Wayne filmed The Alamo in 1960. The set he built was apparently the largest movie-set in the world at its time. But as we neared the gates of this once flourishing attraction, what we found were locked gates and a solitary, dusty road.
As it turns out, Alamo Village closed its gates to the public in 2009 after almost 50 years of attracting tourists from all over the country. Sadly, no traces of the set were visible from the entrance. After a photo-op in front of the Alamo Village sign, traced with vintage lettering, we climbed onto our van and continued our trip.
Before arriving to Seminole Canyon, we were compelled to stop at Del Rio, the birthplace of Christina.
We were so inclined to celebrate her birthplace, that we even visited the hospital where she was born. After snacking on some chips and sandwiches, we were ready to make the last stretch to the state park.
Seminole Canyon
A couple of minutes later, we arrived at the Seminole Canyon State Park. Unlike to the other state parks we had been to, Seminole was sprinkled with small cacti and desert life versus the usual gargantuan pine forests. However, it did hold its own charming appeal. Part of its beauty was held within its canyons and its various trails.
Another interesting part are the many caves that line the canyons. There was one in particular where we climbed along the side of a canyon to go into a possible cliff dwelling.
It was a treacherous climb, but with teamwork, we made it.
The views were beautiful!
Although we were disappointed to not see more wildlife within the state park, we were captivated with smaller life forms such as the millipedes and the giant ants creeping around. Taking advantage of the little bit of sunset that we had to our disposition, we took a couple of more photos before making the 45-minute trek back to the car.
Before leaving Seminole State Park, we decided to pay a visit to The Maker of Peace by Bill Worrell. A statue over 10 feet tall of a deer-humanoid shaman, it is believed that this art piece depicts the Lower Pecos features. In so doing, the statue had motifs related to the whitetail deer native to the area, a spear with a dart and a Langtry point as well as an atlatl which embodies the survival of the people. Finally, the bird in flight was on its right hand, which was a portrayal of the human soul. With the final blessing from The Maker of Peace, we hit the road for Alpine, TX.
We arrived at our hotel at 12:30 am after a 6:00 am start in the morning. It was understandable that we were all tired and ready for rest. We got into our hotel rooms to prepare for the long, vigorous day of hiking at Big Bend. Tomorrow will be full of adventure, so for the fans out there, stay tuned for more glimpses of our West Texas Tour.
With an initial rocky start of forgetting to pick up Brian from Willis, and having to turn back at Conroe which caused a delay of 25 minutes to our trip, we finally headed for Big Bend. To mark the first day of our West Texas Tour, we joined Mark Burns in Houston’s Hermann Park. What brings us to Hermann Park when our destination is Big Bend Canyon, you ask? In the middle of the entrance rotunda of the park, as some may remember from our previous Hermann Park visit, stands a statue of a horse-mounted General Sam Houston (created by Enrico Carracchio) that greets all visitors into the park.
To honor the statue of this great Texas hero, Mr. Burns decided to photograph its grandeur.
Standing a few feet behind the camera-wielding Burns, we captured his photographic process through still and motion photography.
This we will do along the trip as we continue to record Mr. Burns at his craft for his documentary.
During his photo session, he explained to us how he framed the shot, pointing out different factors in the scene that could beautify his subject.
He also mentioned how he was waiting for the perfect lighting conditions in the cloudy sky.
After a few shots, we cleared the area, but not before taking some striking footage of Mark Burns. Mr. Burns soon finished his photoshoot in Hermann Park, and after showing some of his impressive photographic instruments, we climbed into our vans and headed towards San Antonio.
Along the way, however, we decided to soothe our grumbling stomachs with a short stop in Columbus, Texas. This quiet, quaint town, located about an hour west of Houston, is home to Keyser Market. Among other things, it is also home to an architecturally impressive courthouse. Even though we were unable to explore much of the town, we did enjoy a delicious sausage and chicken meal from Keyser. With our hunger satisfied, we got back on the road.
Soon, the country-land of vast pastures gave way to a network of highways; we had made it into San Antonio. On our first stop was the McNay Art Museum, located on the northeastern side of town.
Before we began our trip, we learned that the McNay had recently acquired a Robert Indiana LOVE sculpture. Excited, we entered the museum with the plan to pose by this LEAP favorite artwork. But more on that later.
As always, we went through the museum’s exhibits identifying artists that we were familiar with. In the first room of artworks we were amazed with an art piece by Alexander Calder. Snake on a Table, is a bronze, snake-like sculpture designed by Calder that balances on a table top while standing upright. The physics that makes this possible are incomprehensible to us as the snake balanced precariously on the edge of the round table. Nonetheless, the beauty in balance was just as inspiring. In the room, we also noticed pieces from other LEAP favorites such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, and Diego Rivera.
We also saw work by a recent LEAP favorite, Jim Love…
…a Houston artist introduced to us by Betty Moody.
Moving on to the next room, we noticed two Pablo Picassos, Crouching Woman and Portrait of Sylvette. Acknowledging the impressive pieces, we decided to commemorate the artworks by LEAPosing for a photograph.
Every artwork had its own beauty, but the two that called our attention were a Pablo Picasso from his “blue period” and a non-minimalist Piet Mondrian. These artworks that differed immensely from their typical paintings, demonstrated the versatility of the artists. As LEAP offers eclectic opportunities to its students, we like to think that we are also versatile. Weather our varying talents include photography, you will have to judge our photos throughout the trip to answer this question.
In the meantime, we continued to explore the museum’s awe-inspiring collection. Before heading off to the sculpture garden on the grounds, we took a quick look at the south-western exhibit. We found the warm colors in the pieces to be soothing. Within the exhibit, we also marveled at a few artworks by Georgia O’Keeffe.
With the indoors artwork all viewed, we wondered onto the sculpture garden in search of LOVE, or at least Robert Indiana’s sculpture of LOVE. We explored the grounds and noticed some impressive sculptures that captivated our imagination. One sculpture by Joel Shapiro captured our attention with its gravity-defying qualities. However, we still had not found the sculpture that prompted our visit to the museum. It was with great dismay that after walking through the entire garden and coming back to where we started, we found a rectangular cover made up of panels. With trepidation, we neared the plaque at the foot of the enclosure. The plaque read “Robert Indiana, LOVE.” We learned that the museum is in the process of installing a new exhibit. To prevent certain sculptures from being damaged during the installation, some outdoor artworks had been covered, consequently denying the view of the public. With sadness, and feeling little love, we still posed in front of the covered sculpture with the determination to leave with a photo.
LEAP Ambassadors, Saddened by the McNay’s Presentation of Robert Indiana’s “LOVE”
As we were sure that no one was left behind (including Brian), we climbed into our van, eager to continue our adventure.
The Alamo, The Saga, and Mi Tierra, by Christina
After exploring some San Antonio art and scouting out potential photography areas–including the Alam0…
…we headed to dinner at the Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia. Since there were many Hispanic/Mexican among the group, we wanted to make it as authentic as possible. That is how we ended up in the Mexican Historic Downtown Market. As we walked into Mi Tierra, we could see colorful piñatas hanging from the ceiling and with each room that we passed the walls differed in colors. It was hard to decide on what to eat because everything sounded delicious. Brian ordered The Sonora Special, which included beef tips with ranchero salsa smothered on top. Brian is (or so he likes to think) our authentic Mexican food specialist. The others chose a wide variety of Mexican dishes including the Mole and guisado. While we waited for the food, we even had some mariachi sing the “Caminos of Guanajuato”, For dessert, we all shared some exquisite flan and it was scrumptious!
After dinner, we arrived at the San Fernando cathedral for “The Saga”, which is a light show that electrified the audience with its mesmerizing scenes. It told the story of San Antonio from the Alamo to the present day. To accompany the lights in the storytelling, there was also a collage of songs to represent the different changes of time.
The show lasted about 25 minutes. We decided to walk off our food and since Beatriz had never been to the river walk, we decided to take a stroll along the river walk. Finally, after getting lost a couple of times, we headed back home for some rest and to get ready for the early start tomorrow.
After four days of fun and learning on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, we said a final goodbye to our favorite lighthouse…
…and to the beautiful tree sculptures…
…and made our way to New Orleans, on our way home to Texas.
Café Du Monde, by Makayla Mason
As we walked through the interesting streets surrounding the French Quarter, the Leap Ambassadors were excited for the New Orleans culture we were about to experience. We were very tired and quite hungry, so our first stop was a New Orleans favorite: Café Du Monde. Café Du Monde was established in 1862. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and only closes on Christmas Day or in the event of a hurricane.
As soon as we sat down, a waiter came hustling up to us. We ordered 12 beignets and hot coffee. For some of us, it was our first time to ever enjoy the famous Café Du Monde beignets and coffee.
We all enjoyed our delicious treats, maybe even a little too much, based on how much powdered sugar was on our clothing!
With a great sugar rush, we were ready to explore!
Exploring New Orleans, by Beatriz Martinez
We strolled along the streets of New Orleans until we reached Jackson Square. Jackson Square is located in the French Quarter and is a historical landmark, the site where Andrew Jackson defended US Territory in the War of 1812.
After taking the photos, we headed inside to tour the St. Louis Cathedral.
The cathedral is the third church to be constructed on this site since the year of 1718.
Our guide gave us a very thorough tour of the church, mentioning facts such as there being bodies buried underneath the church, only the three B’s (Bishops, Brides, and Bodies) being allowed through the old front door, and the history behind the mural on the ceiling.
After the captivating rounds, we decided to head down further into the streets of New Orleans to see our favorite dog. The estate of George Rodrigue has a studio located in New Orleans where they exhibit his artwork, many of which sell for us much as $300,000.
As always, there was a variety of Blue Dogs depicted in various scenarios.
Everyone chose their favorite before heading back down to the French Quarter Market.
Among the many vendors in the market there was an assortment of interesting objects: colorful clothing, beaded jewelry, artwork, instruments, and a variety of other knick knacks. Some of the LEAPsters decided to begin their art collection. Makayla was captivated by the Weeping Angel statuette and bought several pieces. Interestingly enough, we decided to go look for the sculpture at the Metairie Cemetery, where we found her inside the Hyams mausoleum.
Boucherie, by Christina Perez
Before the Leap Ambassadors headed home, we decided to make one quick stop for lunch. We drove to the pretty, gray house with purple steps called Boucherie. Makayla and Beatriz tried Boudin balls for the first time and seemed to enjoy it. Of course, if you’re ever in Louisiana that is the perfect thing to try. For our entrees, we each decided to try something new. Ryan got the New Orleans style BBQ Shrimp Po’boy. During the trip, we drove past Krispy Kreme donut shops in Mississippi. Each time Makayla and Stephanie would look over and explain that when the light was lit up it meant that costumers got a free, hot donut. It was a trip full of activities so we didn’t have a chance to stop but we made up for it at the Boucherie. They had a Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding. Not only did our donut lovers get a treat, but our bread pudding specialists did as well.
Sculpture Garden, by Beatriz Martinez
Our last stop of the day was at the Besthoff Sculpture Garden. There we got to see pieces of our favorite art masters such as the LOVE by Robert Indiana…
…Blue Dog by George Rodrigue…
….Spider by Louise Bourgeois…
Among the other artwork, there were other very interesting creations. One of which was the Monkeys by Rona Pondick.
With their contorted figures and grotesque faces, they made an impression on those who happened to study them as thoroughly as we did. With a last glance at the artwork, we said au revoir to New Orleans and decided to head on home, although we could not resist making a last quick pit stop at Rosetree glass blowing studio.
As far as six-day trips go, it was a quick one, with a load of memories, a lot of bonding, and a whole lot of learning.
Biloxi, Mississippi is known for its delicious seafood, beautiful sunsets, and of course its lighthouse. The Biloxi Lighthouse is the signature monument that has withstood many sunny days and several stormy nights, as the city grew around it. It all began in 1847, when the US Congress authorized funds for a lighthouse to be built in Biloxi. By 1848, it was ready for operation.
Today, the Leap Ambassadors climbed its 57 spiral steps to the top that many keepers have had the task of climbing.
Inside of the lighthouse are the water marks of where the high waters of certain storms reached.
The most damaging of all was that of Hurricane Katrina, whose waters went up to 21.5 meters above sea level. Although the high waters and high-speed winds damaged most of the city, the lighthouse stood firm, a (literal) beacon of hope through all the disaster. As we reached the lantern room, we could see the mesmerizing glass lens that had illuminated the town through every situation imaginable.
The tour guide shared many fun facts about it and the lighthouse in general. Through the windows we could see miles and miles of sand, as well as people enjoying a day at the beach.
We also had a chance to explore Biloxi’s interesting Visitor’s Center, which has art…
…exhibits…
…and a nice porch for observation and relaxation.
Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint, by Makayla Mason
For lunch, we decided to go to Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint. A family style diner, it had a character all of its own. As a starter, we snacked on Hummus with Brick Oven Flatbed as well as Portobello Fries. Both were delicious. After thoroughly contemplating the menu, we finally decided on two of Sal’s Selection Pizzas: the Rockaway Beach and the Gambino. After trying each, the savory Gambino was the resulting table favorite. Following soon after was our dessert. We ordered Crème Brûlée for those who have never tried it before. We also ordered the Grand Central Station. What pulled up to our table was 10 scoops of 10 different flavored ice cream balls with 10 different toppings. Afterwards, we had to ask ourselves “Did we conquer it, or did it conquer us?”
Gator Ranch, by Ryan Brim
As some of us spent time roaming the beaches, riding bikes along the coast, combing the beach, and relaxing this afternoon, two of us rode a bus to Moss Point, a town about 30 minutes away, to go on an airboat tour excursion at Gulf Coast Gator Ranch & Tours.
The airboat tour of Gator Ranch was less a gator-spotting adventure, and more of what can be described as the nautical version of an ATV driving through mud.
The trip was not a complete loss for those who wished to see an alligator while out on the murky waters.
We saw what our tour guide estimated to be a three-year-old gator, which was around three feet long. He (our tour guide, not the gator) also said that female alligators grow up to nine feet long, and that male alligators will continue to grow their whole lives.
Surprisingly, alligators really seem to enjoy marshmallows. When we asked who found this out, he said that some poor guy must have dropped his snack and the gators tore it up. That poor fellow’s sacrifice was surely a noble one, and now our tour guide had something to lure the little reptile to the side of our boat for a better photo-op.
The fact that we only saw one or two gators was fine, though, because after we finished our thrill-filled boat ride…
…we visited the gator ranch side of the facilities, where around thirty alligators were visible in a sectioned off part of the bayou.
With gator ranch under our belt, we returned to the hotel, eager for a “family-night” evening on the beach with more than 500 state legislators!
Afterwards, students were able to ask questions and were lucky enough to receive signed books by Mr. Reston.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 