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More than a philosophical dispute

After some intra-neighborhood squabbling last month, the streets off Perkins Road near BREC’s City Park known collectively as the Poets & Philosophers—or by the dry, less artsy “Addition Suburb Hundred Oaks”—joined Drehr Place and Beauregard Town on the local registry of Historic Districts. Beauregard Town and Spanish Town also are on the National Registry of Historic Places. And no, the Foundation for Historical Louisiana cannot tell these homeowners what color to paint their house now, but the new designation does mean that any renovation or rehabilitation of neighborhood structures is subject to guidelines designed to preserve the original look of the area. FHL’s Executive Director Carolyn Bennett says the neighborhood association can vote on its own rules and elect a representative to sit on the parish Historic Preservation Commission with the likes of Camm Morton and Davis Rhorer.

The decision might not make those who opposed the designation happy, but it could make them money. Homeowners within the new district can earn up to a 25% state tax credit on rehabilitation projects if expenses meet or exceed $20,000.—TEXT AND PHOTO BY JEFF ROEDEL

Scoot for the arts

Feeling guilty that you missed last month’s Jazz Funeral for the Arts in protest of a potential 83% cut in Decentralized Arts Funding across the state? The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, just one organization that would be affected by these cuts, is offering a chance to clear your conscience and win a classy scooter at the same time. The winner of a new $5 raffle will drive away with a brand new Vespa LX 50. The drawing is May 6 and all proceeds benefit the Arts Council. Learn about the financial challenges facing local arts organizations on page 53. artsbr.org—J.R.

City Park’s fountain runneth over—finally

At the end of May, BREC’s City-Brooks Community Park celebrates the one-year anniversary of its grand reopening after intensive investment and improvements to the golf course, tennis center, dog park, playgrounds, picnic areas and more. Visitors to the park and Baton Rouge Gallery may have noticed one missing detail: the interactive fountain isn’t so interactive.

Fear not the phantom fountain! It may have taken months longer than expected, but the interactive fountain was scheduled to finally begin flowing by the time you read this. Located on the grounds directly behind the gallery building, the interactive fountain is similar to the kid- and dog-pleasing water spouter near the downtown Shaw Center for the Arts. Designed by Carol R. Johnson Associates of Boston, the fountain’s jets—which shoot streams of water six to eight feet high—are inlaid in a circular pattern of granite and brick. The swirls and stamps of fossil-like evidence pay tribute to our area’s flora and fauna while hinting at the park’s history. Some of the etchings reflect textures from animals that once graced a carousel in the park from the late 1920s to the 1940s. Look closely (when the fountain’s not spraying) and you’ll find traces of alligator, tiger and armadillo skins, pelican and cow tracks, butterfly wings, bird feathers, pine cones, Spanish moss and acorns.

Construction originally began on the fountain in January 2008, but drainage issues prevented its timely completion, says BREC spokeswoman Kristi Williams. A sand and cement mixture needed to be added between the fountain’s bricks. Now covering roughly 800 square feet, the fountain recirculates several hundred gallons of water and has a push button so it can be turned on and off with ease.—MARISSA FRAYER

‘Fellini’ fest

Take 17 LSU students to Rimini then Rome. Add in a couple professors with VIP access to the collaborators, the haunts, the studio and even the niece of one of the world’s most celebrated film directors. What you’ve got are the seeds for a classic Fellini film. Well, maybe they’ll need a clown or two, but professors Kevin Bongiorni and Patricia Suchy hope their 10-day course study created an entire collection of short films using the style and the inspiration of Italy’s legendary Federico Fellini. The video projects were shot on location in Italy last month and will screen May 22 at Baton Rouge Gallery from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. batonrougegallery.org—J.R.

WINNERS: Trip Illing

The Race to Cannes

Students at the Louisiana Culinary Institute competed for the chance to intern with the culinary team at this month’s Cannes Film Festival in France. Last month in the brand-new facility off Airline, Mayor Kip Holden, Chef Celeste Gill and meteorologist Jay Grymes were among the judges for the final round, and they voted Trip Illing (pictured) the winner for his shrimp and grits made with secret ingredient sac-a-lait. The Covington native, who earned a biology degree from LSU, discovered the kitchen to be a cozier work area than a medical lab, and now he’ll use his edgy Louisiana culinary skills for his three-week internship. “I tend to keep things simple, letting the ingredients really speak for themselves,” Illing says.—REBECCA BREEDEN