RAGIN' CAJUN, ER, HOCKEY?
The Planet Ice Skating and Hockey Rink is set to open today, Wednesday, Jan. 26, for general admission to the public after nearly 2.5 months of renovations in converting the building from what was once the Skatespot skate park into an ice rink. "I think that hockey needs to be grown at the youth level, and it's hard to do that with just a professional team," says Danny Smith, the owner of the Planet Ice rink.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Written by The Independent Staff
RAGIN' CAJUN, ER, HOCKEY?
The Planet Ice Skating and Hockey Rink is set to open today, Wednesday, Jan. 26, for general admission to the public after nearly 2.5 months of renovations in converting the building from what was once the Skatespot skate park into an ice rink. "I think that hockey needs to be grown at the youth level, and it's hard to do that with just a professional team," says Danny Smith, the owner of the Planet Ice rink, "so having a rink here in the center of town will [allow] a lot more kids to be exposed to hockey, figure skating and just skating in general." Over the weekend, the rink hosted the UL Ragin' Cajuns ice hockey team as they faced off against the Tulane Green Wave club for the opener of the second half of the season. Smith says Planet Ice will serve as the home rink for UL and LSU hockey, with both practicing and playing at the rink. The public skating schedule for the rink is Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. for "Skating with the Stars," Friday from 7-11 p.m., Saturday from 2-4 p.m. and Sunday from noon-3 p.m. for family skating. Smith says the park will be open to all ages and skill levels with admission for pubic sessions at $6 to skate and $2 for skate rental. Weekday group rates are $5 and weekend and holidays are $6 with reservations required 24 hours in advance. Group lessons are also available for a maximum of 12 students at $65. More information can be found at www.PlanetIceRink.com. - Wynce Nolley
DREAM WEAVER
Local music fans should be well acquainted with singer-songwriter and Pineville native Steve Conn. He's been a Grant Street Dancehall fixture, playing host at many of the international jams that closed out Festival International, and is a longtime collaborator with local guitarist Sonny Landreth and drummer Doug Belote. Conn recently completed his fourth studio album, Beautiful Dream (his first in five years), in which he once again displays a natural touch for compelling melodies and storytelling. Beautiful Dream hasn't been officially released yet, but a limited amount of pre-release CDs are now available for order off Conn's website, www.steveconn.com, for $15, plus shipping and handling. The website also contains a full track listing for the album, with lyrics, as well as a link to streaming audio for two of the new songs. - Nathan Stubbs
CHAN LUU FOR MEN
Her creations have been worn by Jennifer Aniston, Sandra Bullock, Rihanna and Lady Gaga, not to mention scores of Lafayette ladies, whose husbands and significant others have walked into kiki in search of that "Chan something" bracelet. The designer is best known for her leather wrap bracelets (which can also be worn as a necklace or belt), and they've been available exclusively at kiki in Lafayette for the past several years - more recently featuring an expanded palette of colors and stone combinations. But ladies, now it's your turn to make a Bohemian fashionista out of your Valentine with a Chan Luu of his own. The new line of Chan Luu for men, a masculine take that features darker colors, thicker leather and an extra inch for bigger wrists, has just arrived at kiki, with prices ranging from about $90 to $300. - Leslie Turk