Festival Internationale

Sorry its been so long since my last post! Things have been crazy around here lately and are about to get even crazier! Wednesday April 22nd is the kickoff of Festival Internationale de Louisiane 2009! Festival Internationale is an annual visual & performing arts festival held in downtown Lafayette, LA and it celebrates the French cultural heritage of southern Louisiana (a combo of French, African, Caribbean, & Hispanic cultures). Over 300,000 people attend the 5 day free, outdoor festival and are treated to some of the worlds greatest performing, visual, & culinary artists. Festival Internationale weekend has always been a favorite of mine (it's right up there with Mardi Gras) and for the past 4 years Festival Internationale has been one of the most highly anticipated events of the year me. You see, I work at Antler's, a restaurant/bar located in the heart of downtown Lafayette. Antler's is a family run business (my mom's best friend is my boss' sister) and we are known for our daily plate lunch specials (especially the smothered porkchops), the great live music we feature after Downtown Alive each Friday, and our southern hospitality. While the weekend of Festival Internationale is often physically, emotionally, & mentally draining (think 5 straight 16 hour days spent on your feet, running the length of a 50 ft. bar while mixing drinks and being upbeat & energetic for the customers the entire time) it is also the time of year where we all come together as a "family" (whether we have the same last name or not) in order to "make it happen." It is from this time each year that most of my memories about Antler's come from... laughing, dancing, & singing with my girls behind the bar, doing shots of Patron with my boss to kickoff Festival and WooWoo's to wind it up, laughing at Julie & my Mom fall off their barstools... the list goes on and on. Even though the hours are long and sleep is basically non-existant Festival Internationale remains one of the highlights of my year and I am definitely gonna miss it when its gone. Happy Festival!!!

"Antler's Band"

My "Family"

Me & My Girls

Antler's at Night

A Packed House