One Month and Counting

Mall of Louisiana Boulevard one of my favorite places

So today officially makes a month since I moved from Atlanta to Baton Rouge, and I can honestly say so far so good. Although the culture here is slightly different from what I’m used to, I’m actually enjoying most of the quirkiness of this town. The food is excellent most people are polite and friendly, and it is reminds me a little of where I’m from Newark NJ, where I’ve lived San Antonio TX, and Atlanta.

Alot like Newark, Baton Rouge has its good established neighborhoods, and the “not so good” areas where you might not want to be caught out after dark in. They even have corner stores and people hanging around “up to no good” of course a lot like my hometown. But you will definitely only see that in select neighborhoods.

There is also tons of rejuvenation citywide, a lot like what Newark is doing. Newark used to be very industrial and that was mainly what Baton Rouge has been built on; plants, refineries. Since Hurricane Katrina, the economic climate has dramatically changed and it boast a lot more different types of businesses than it used to.

Like San Antonio, Baton Rouge is a very sports oriented and family oriented town. This is definitely Tiger town, LSU runs this town. In San Antonio they were a lot of Spurs and high school football fanatics. I understood the excitement of professional sports but I’ve never seen a whole entire city rally behind a football team quite like Baton Rouge.

 Southern University is another popular school that many people support. I had the privilege of attending the homecoming game a couple of weeks ago and let me tell you we had to park like 7-10 miles away from the stadium, cars filled the streets like "freaknic 98", and people were tailgating having a good time. I really enjoyed myself, college football is not so bad afterall.  Earlier that day I took Gavin to his first homecoming parade, he had the best time.

There next big sporting event coming up is the Bayou Classic that will be played in the New Orleans superdome Thanksgiving weekend; it’s a annual tradition game they play against Grambling University. I will be attending this event so I will let you know how it goes. Hopefully I will have a new camera by then so I can take some pictures.

So moving here from Atlanta, a place where I lived for the past 9 years, a city that I’ve seen grow and change so much so fast will be missed; but I think we made the right move. From my first visit to Baton Rouge back in 2006 there has been a quick population boost and influx of businesses, retail and tourist attractions to accommodate the residents and visitors. It’s a vibrant city with a thriving film and production scene, shopping and dining scene. They recently opened a 23 acre production studio and lot this summer to accomodate all of the movies that are being filmed here now.

I have yet to check out the music and entrepreneur circuit, but I am looking forward to see what it’s all about. Shopping, ok, all I’m going to say is they have a 2story Forever 21 store, and I got a brand new Rooms To Go 5x8 area rug from a thrift store for 64.95. That’s all for now, I’ll update you guys more real soon.

The Baton Rouge Film Boom

Atlanta has been fairly busy in the film/production industry, but Baton Rouge is not far behind. According to the Associated press: Raleigh Studios, the California-based film company managing the Celtic Media Centre, has reached an agreement with 1st Call Studio Equipment for that company to provide heavy equipment needed to make movies at Celtic’s Baton Rouge operation.

In recent years Louisiana has quickly become one of the most popular states for film and television production. Boosted by the state’s lucrative 30% investor tax credit, the industry has grown immensely and continues to spread its roots and deepen the depths of its crew base.

Earlier this year Celtic Media finished  Phase 1 of the 23-acre film lot with purpose-built spaces for each phase of filmmaking: planning, producing, shooting, editing, post-production, eating and waiting as well. This month the Celtic Media Center hosts the cast and crew of Battle: Los Angeles, a sci-fi action film from Columbia Pictures that stars Aaron Eckhart as a Marine leading the human resistance against an alien invasion. Battle is the first big-budget studio film that Celtic has attracted to its new campus.


 For more info on Celtic Media Center visit http://www.thecelticmediacentre.com/

Economic Outlook for Baton Rouge

(Article Excerpts Source the Associated Press)

America's strongest economies have one thing in common -- home prices that never got too hot or too cold. Home prices in metros such as San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Rochester, Little Rock, Ark., and Baton Rouge, La., remained steady through boom and bust. Although no metropolitan area entirely avoided the economic downturn, the most resilient metros were protected by a potent mix of recession-resistant jobs.

BusinessWeek.com used data and analysis from the Brookings Institution's new MetroMonitor to come up with the nation's 40 strongest economies. The MetroMonitor, which measures the nation's health on a quarterly basis, ranks the top 100 metros based on job growth, unemployment, gross metropolitan product, and home prices.

A relative boom in Baton Rouge
"No place has been untouched by this recession. This is a change from previous recessions," said Alan Berube, a senior fellow and research director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. "But there's a big difference in losing one-tenth of a percentage and losing 15% of jobs."

Baton Rouge, which was ranked No. 6, "grew jobs every month until August 2009 and in August it only lost nine-tenths of a percent, compared to 5.1% nationally," said Lauren C. Scott, professor emeritus of economics at Louisiana State University.

Scott said $5.1 billion of construction projects have been announced or are under construction in the Baton Rouge metro, including a new plant for French chemical company SNF and the expansion of an ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM - News) chemical plant. <--Thats where my honey works.

That's Good To know :-)

Will You Be My Friend? Circle Yes or No

I’m enjoying being in a new city, I’m just wondering what’s the best way to make new friends as an adult.


Most of my friends I’ve had for years, some for over 20 years and I’m only 27. Your old friends know who you are, they have a little history on you, they know my family etc. When you meet someone new at my age are you suppose to give them a crash course on your life? I don’t want to have to tell my life story to every person I meet, but I do want to make a connection with some ladies in this city. Even if I tell them my back story as a writer, blogger, graphic designer, marketing consultant, former owner of a magazine, from New Jersey but lived in Atlanta for 9 years and San Antonio for 2 years before that; will they be able to identify, respect or understand who I am. Ok, I might be jumping the gun a little, of course I don’t have to tell them all of that at first sight, but that’s who I am, in addition to being a mother and a fiancé.

Being in Atlanta, there are tons of upwardly mobile people, so It was easy to find things in common with these women; unfortunately I have yet to see that same type of entrepreneurial spirit here. Most of the women are heavy into sports, nightclubs, rodeos and racetracks. Don’t get me wrong I can see the excitement in some of that, we went to the horse racetrack on Saturday and I had a great time. But where are my fashionistas, business divas, and savvy mommies at in Baton Rouge?

Thankfully the women that I’ve come across at stores, restaurants, the salon and my fiancés friends wives have all had warm spirits, but after a little small talk I wasn’t sure that we had to much in common. When I tell them I moved here from Atlanta, they look at me like I have 4 heads like “why would you do that” LOL.

I have met a few people on twitter from the area that I recently began socializing with and I’m excited to see how those relationship develop. Outside of that I’m sort of left scratching my head. I know it’s only been a week so help me out do you have any suggestions on how I can make new friends?

Get Familiar

I’m up to my eyeballs in packing, purging, appointments and running errands, and I feel guilty for not posting as normal; but a gals gotta do what a gals gotta do.

As most of you know I’m in the process of relocating from Atlanta to Baton Rouge, and this is the week that it all takes place, so please understand my content will be lighter than normal from today till next Tuesday Oct 6 2009. By then I should be somewhat settled in and will be back to regular posting schedule. My DSL should be hooked up by Monday fingers crossed, but don’t fret I will be back before you know it.

This is almost the end of my 3rd week blogging; I’m enjoying myself and looking forward to the growth of my content, opportunities, and audience of my blog.This is a great opportunity to go back and read some of my older post from the past two weeks in case you’re a new reader. I appreciate feedback or comments in regard to the topics I cover, let me know if I’m on the right track.

In Case your Wondering Why Baton Rouge?
- My fiancé is from there, he's currently worrking out there and still have tons of family there including his parents
- Its 45minutes from New Orleans, 4.5 hours from Houston, & 8hrs from Atl
- Cruise ships port out of Nearby NO and Biloxi—Woop!
- Seafood is my favorite kind of food and it’s fresh and amazing in that region
- One of my good friends is also relocating to nearby Gonzalez with her family
- It’s a very big college sports town thanks 2 LSU & Southern University
- I’m looking forward to bring some new ideas and energy to Baton Rouge & New Orleans areas
- Hopefully I will remain this enthusiastic after the dust clears LOL :-)

Thanks for your support, I look forward to blog with you.

Oh one more thing- I added a music player to my blog should I keep it or is it distracting while reading. Let me know thanks.