Discover Lafayette

De: Jan Swift
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  • The Gateway to South Louisiana
    Discover Lafayette©
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Episodios
  • Frank Randol – Randol’s Restaurant in Breaux Bridge

    Frank Randol – Randol’s Restaurant in Breaux Bridge
    Aug 30 2024
    Frank Randol of Randol’s Restaurant in Breaux Bridge, joins Discover Lafayette in partnership with Eat Lafayette, a yearlong celebration of our locally owned restaurants, to share news of the revival of his unique Cajun restaurant and dancehall concept, a longtime staple in Lafayette. Breaux Bridge is only 15 minutes from Lafayette and is part of a corridor surrounding Lafayette Parish that is ripe for growth. And Frank is a young 78 years old, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War who still exudes energy and a passion for being a changemaker. Frank is a force of nature who works nonstop to promote the beauty of our local culture. Frank has been in the seafood business for 53 years, and is renowned for his contribution to sustaining and promoting our Cajun culture. As part of that dedication, Frank currently serves as Secretary of the Gulf Seafood Foundation and has always been an avid supporter of Eat Lafayette. He focuses on wild-caught seafood with no additives, only South Louisiana seafood, with a bent toward crawfish, softshell crab, and other seasonal specialties. Hamburger steak is also a popular dish craved by Randol's longtime patrons. His experience in the seafood business defines Frank Randol. In 1971, he opened a seafood processing facility in Henderson and operated it for nine years before opening the original Randol's Restaurant in 1980 when he moved operations to his family property on Kaliste Saloom Road. Over the years, he welcomed thousands of visitors from around the world to his restaurant and dancehall who were looking to experience authentic Cajun culture. To learn more about Frank's historic career, please listen to our original interview on Discover Lafayette here. In 2021, the owners of Superior Grill offered Frank a price for his Kaliste Saloom property that he couldn't refuse. The money afforded him the opportunity to take off two years to consider his future, and he kept his general manager, Jimmy LaGrange, employed alongside him as they contemplated their next move. "It takes two people to do nothing well for two years," Frank jokes. But in reality, Frank had not only wealth in money, but also wealth in ideas, creativity, love of Cajun food and culture, and a desire to continue in the restaurant business. "When you throw yourself into something for so many decades, you can't just go cold turkey. People need to embrace the Cajun Culture. It's already branded and known worldwide." Randol's menu is patterned after the former Randol's choices, repurposed and retested to ensure perfection for today's market. A mini-market for fresh seafood purchases is in the works and will be open soon. Today, the restaurant's success is Frank's main priority. Not one to stay retired, Frank envisioned a revival of his original Randol's concept, and purchased the land where the former Mulate's Restaurant was located at 325 W. Mills Avenue, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, resurrecting his successful Cajun food/Dance Hall concept enjoyed by people for so many decades. Frank says, "Mulate's was the perfect spot. It needed work, but it polished up well! The building is 80 years old on high ground and survived the storms in May of this year. We patterned the bathrooms after the high end facilities at Superior Grill, with glass walls that you can't see through, with 400 square feet of space." Many of acclaimed mural artist Robert Dafford's works are on the walls at Randol's, and Frank says "It's a historical setting where you can feel the spirit of our culture. It's alive." Frank Randol is just as passionate about sharing his love of Cajun food and culture as he when he took his “Cajun Fest” on the road across the U. S. so many years ago. The World’s Fair held in New Orleans in 1984 ignited an interest in all things Cajun and Frank Randol ensured that accurate information on its heritage was shared. Frank was glowingly written up by the Chicago Tribune on October 25, 1989,
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  • Julie Rabalais – For the Birds of Acadiana, Avian Rehabilitator

    Julie Rabalais – For the Birds of Acadiana, Avian Rehabilitator
    Aug 23 2024
    Julie Rabalais, founder and Director of For the Birds of Acadiana, joins Discover Lafayette to share her love of birds and commitment to rehabilitating wild songbirds, waterbirds and waterfowl. For the Birds of Acadiana is Louisiana's only State and Federally permitted facility dedicated to the rehabilitation of federally protected songbirds, Waterfowl, and Waterbirds. Located in Lafayette, the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization cares for nearly 1,000 wild birds annually, working to ensure the eventual safe return of the birds to the wild. The organization also raises awareness and inspire others to join in safeguarding our precious avian species. The work is truly a labor of love for Julie Rabalais and the volunteers who assist her with transporting birds and keeping the facility clean. People who find injured wild birds can bring them in to For the Birds of Acadiana at no charge. For years, local fashionistas knew Julie as the proprietor of Jewelie's Boutique, located on Rena Drive. Educated as a graphic designer, Julie is creative and brings a touch of beauty to all the things she touches. When she sold the shop after 14 years in business, she wanted to do something that would keep her home where she could enjoy nature. First, she became a Master Gardener. She says "Then, I figured, why not do something that has a purpose and I can stay busy at the same time?" Hence the creation of For the Birds of Acadiana. "Birds have always been a love of mine, since my childhood days in Michigan. I've always enjoyed birds as a hobby. I'm just a bird lover, not trained in ornithology (the scientific study of birds), but I've always had a knack for caring for birds. But just because I'm a bird lover by no means made me qualified to do what I do today. A colleague in Youngsville who rehabilitates avian raptors, Letitia Labbie, took me under her wing in 2019 and mentored me. It took a great deal of time to learn nutrition, how to care for the wild birds, how often to feed them, how to triage, how to properly cage them. In order to even apply for a license, you have to have adequate shelter space that meets the requirements of the National Wildlife Federation." In order to become a certified avian rehabilatator, you have to mentor under another licensed rehabilitator and complete the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Rehabilitation Basic Skills Course, have a letter of support from a veterinarian, pass a facility inspection, and much more. Veterinarian partners prescribe needed medications for the birds being rehabilitated. Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, it is illegal for individuals who are not certified to care for wild birds that they find, something most of us are not aware of. Julie says, "It is illegal to possess the birds, their nests, their eggs, or even breed them, because they are a federally protected species. Most people, when they see a little baby bird with its beak open, want to feed it and give it water. Unfortunately, that is not advisable. Julie says, "Water can kill a bird, as it can aspirate a stressed bird very easily. An injured bird can not metabolize food and liquids when it it stressed. Feeding is the last thing you want to do. We encourage people not to "Google" what to do as there is a plethora of misinformation online." If you find an injured wild bird, please call Julie Rabalais/For the Birds of Acadiana at (337)501-4523, and you will be asked to take a photo of the bird and send it in with a description of the bird's condition. This information will provide guidance to Julie as to whether or not the bird requires assistance or may be able to survive on its own. "I live For the Birds of Acadiana 24/7. Little did I realize how big a step it was going to be. I really thought it would be a part-time thing. But I go all in. There's no sense doing something halfway." For the Birds of Acadiana is a total non-profit endeavor, with no state or federal funding.
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    54 m
  • Rob Perillo – Chief Meteorologist for KATC-TV3

    Rob Perillo – Chief Meteorologist for KATC-TV3
    Aug 16 2024
    Rob Perillo has decades of experience in forecasting Acadiana’s weather and has tracked hundreds of tropical storms and hurricanes during his career. He celebrated 20 years at KATC this January and is one of the most beloved meteorologists in the country, particularly well-known for his expertise in covering hurricanes and severe weather events. Last year, Rob Perillo extended his contract with KATC for another five years. He's pictured here in November 2023 celebrating the occasion. Rob has enjoyed Lafayette since moving here 36 years ago when he was recruited by KLFY. Married with two children, he enjoys exercising every day for an hour, either riding his bike (on Lafayette's roads!) or swimming. His children are both artists and live in Lafayette; he expressed his joy in being able to be present while supporting Joe and Olivia in their endeavors. He has been with KATC since 2004. A native of New York, Rob Perillo became interested in thunderstorm activity as a young boy, four or five years old. His family had just moved out of the Bronx into the suburbs and a severe thunderstorm rolled through. He remembers how scary it was, but it triggered his interest in learning more about the weather. "Fear grew less, and curiosity grew more. By the time I was in third grade, I knew I wanted to be a meteorologist", says Rob. During that third grade year, Rob built a kite for a project and while he called the endeavor a 'big flop,' he wanted to know more about what creates the wind and how we can use it. He started buying weather books written for school-age children and they are still with him in the KATC weather room today. When he was in sixth grade, there was a snowstorm forecastedfor the Northeastern U. S. Meteorologists were projecting the snow would turn into rain, but Rob had a different feeling about it. He told his friends...."No, we'll just have snow. 1 1/2 feet." Well, the storm produced two feet of snow and school was cancelled for the rest of the week. Rob said, "I was the school hero when we returned to school on Monday." His intuition had been right on. Always interested in science, since his days of watching Jacques Cousteau on television, Rob earned a degree in Meteorology (with an emphasis on Math) from the State University of New York in Oswego in 1983. He selected that school not only for its meteorology program, but because it had the highest amount of snow in New York averaging 144 inches of snow per year. Rob began his career managing research at the State University of New York Research Foundation, while also serving as an Emergency Planning Meteorologist for several nuclear power plants in Upstate New York. He developed emergency procedures in case of nuclear leakage. He then moved to Houston and served as an Aviation Forecaster for Air Routing International, and a Marine and Industrial Meteorologist for Wilkens Weather Technologies, in Houston, Texas. Rob Perillo had never thought about television as a career but a friend at Wilkins Weather Technologies encouraged him to make a tape and apply for positions. A year later, in 1988, KLFY reached out to him. He had the opportunity to work with greats such as Maria Placer, Dick Faurot, and Jim Baronet. Rob joined KATC in 2004, when he was offered a fifteen-year contract, a feat unheard of in television circles. Becoming a tv meteorologist was a reach for Rob, as he was "confident in my forecasting skills, but a bit anxious about talking in front of other people. But you learn if you're a master of your information, it will be okay." One thing he did have to work on was conquering his New York accent to deliver the news in a way that was more readily accepted locally. Rob is passionate about meteorology and studies trends in climate and weather. About 16 to 17 years ago, he became aware that warming trends were coming upon us worldwide and he wanted to know how that impacted hurricanes.
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    1 h y 4 m
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