GROOVY BOOTS
You don’t quite know what to think of them initially. They’re just so unexpected. At a time when everything bordering ugly is cool we have the Minnetonka moccasin boot. So unchic that they’re chic. For the true individual, these boots transcend passing fads. They also happen to provide incredible comfort and warmth. In case you are still questioning the validity of this (un)fashionable statement, consider this: Kate Moss has worn them for years. Well that sheds a new light on the situation, doesn’t it? Available in brown or black suede at The Leather Pouch for $82.50. Call 235-0745. — Angelle-Leigh Breaux
SWAMPLAND STORY
The history of the Atchafalaya basin is not just a story of Cajuns hunting and trapping in the deep swamp. The basin, over the course of the last hundred years has been big business. The first resource that could be profitably harvested on a large scale was the 1000 year old stand of cypress trees, valued for their lumber that resisted rot. Once the cathedral of cypress was clear cut, oil and gas was discovered, and the mineral rights beneath the land and water of the basin became worth millions. One of the largest land owners of the great swamp is the St. Martin Land Company. A new book, Passing a Century in the Atchafalaya Basin: St. Martin Land Company, 1905-2005, by UL PhD. graduate and folklorist Lana Henry traces the history of St. Martin Land Company over the course of a century. The book is part business history, part social and cultural history, part geography and part biography — and a window into the workings of one of the great land companies of Louisiana. Passing a Century in the Atchafalaya Basin, $49.95, is available at Barnes and Noble. Call 989-4142 for more information. — Mary Tutwiler
FISHING FOR COMPLEMENTS
Some of us are so enamored of fishing, even when we can’t hit Vermilion Bay, that we still want to be reminded of life on the water. Catch Natalie Nichols’ fish scale jewelry at Sans Souci Fine Crafts Gallery. Nichols hand crafts each diamond-shaped scale out of silver, then solders the pieces into a concave linked pattern so that it reflects light. The earrings, bracelets and necklaces are delicate and fluid, like sea creatures. If silver doesn’t lure you, Nichols also has a gold vermeil line. Pieces range from $65 for the single tier earrings to $540 for a three tier necklace. Check out www.natalienichols.net , or go see the pieces in person at Sans Souci. Call 266-7999 for more information. — Mary Tutwiler