Wake up Christmas morning to these delectable dishes from local restaurants. From pillowy croissants to luscious egg bites, this brunch spread is seasonally-inspired.

This beautiful bubble bread is filled with gooey pepperjack cheese, pineapple and scrumptious sausage.

These mini croissants are filled with Deck the Holly - a perfect blend of cranberries and jalapeños. Make sure to grab their grape salad for the table. This dish combines seedless grapes with a cream cheese mixture and brown sugar.

Smallcakes has savory and sweet cupcakes for holiday parties. Find Chicken and Waffles, Candied Pig, Cinnamon Roll and Caramel Macchiato – these mouthwatering bites are so satisfying.

These egg bites are made with a blend of farm fresh egg white and premium ingredients.

This seasonal favorite should be a brunch staple. The maple pecan braid is the perfect pastry.

This Bananas Foster Pain Perdu combines house made french bread with caramelized bananarum caramel sauce topped with vanilla creme custard.

styled by Taylor Bennett photography by Kelly Moore Clark

Get ready to start your day with Chicken and Waffles from Restaurant Cotton. This dish combines fried chicken, Belgian waffles, local syrup, cane butter, powdered sugar, fresh strawberries and fruit.

Stone ground cheese grits are smothered in an authentic Cajun cream sauce and perfectly seasoned grilled shrimp.

This sparkling wine is bursting with notes of peach, pineapple, mango, mandarin, and watermelon that lead into a bright and fresh palate laced with green apple.

This charcuterie board is layered with salami, pepperoni, ham, mozzarella, yellow cheddar, grape tomatoes, artichokes, grapes and olives. Served with creole mustard, pesto and crackers.

A salted caramel apple pie cake is made with apple pie compote sandwiched in a vanilla cake topped with caramel cream cheese icing, a salted caramel drizzle and sprinkled with Maldon sea salt. Also pictured is a rich buttered pecan cake topped with luscious vanilla cream cheese icing and studded with spicy sugared pecans.

styled by Taylor Bennett photography by Kelly Moore Clark

Lindsey Clark Lowe of Fine Folks was tasked with creating an arrangement to represent a “Holly Jolly Christmas.” This arrangement combines the simple beauty of tapered candles nestled among Playa Blanc roses, spray roses, Delphinium, and holly. Bay leaf and eucalyptus are added to a brushed brass container.

Clint Downing of Revival Design and Consign created this elegant arrangement that is layered with a pavé of white carnations and creamcolored roses below the surface of the container and around the edges. Babies breath and Scabiosa pods are layered with mini disco balls to create a snow light, snow bright effect. The florals are designed in a crystal compote to mimic ice.

This colorful cocktail is both sweet and spicy, and everything nice. This Christmas cocktail combines seasonal ingredients with whiskey, for a cocktail crafted for holiday parties.

inspired by The College Housewife

2 ounces cranberry juice 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 2 ounces of whiskey or bourbon 1 tablespoon of rosemary simple syrup

Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to shaker. Fill with cranberry juice simple syrup, whiskey and ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into glass and serve with rosemary and sugared cranberries. (To get the sugar to stick, dip into water and then sugar and let dry.)

TWO YEARS AGO, TRIO’S HEADED WEST OPENING UP their second location at Ruston, Louisiana. Proprietor Jenifer Johnson implemented some of her personal style there, resulting in a modern, spacious dining area flushed by ambient lighting. Meanwhile, the Monroe location kept its chic, tavern-like hideaway aesthetic. But that shouldn’t suggest that she wasn’t concocting ideas for the original establishment. Johnson took her time, letting intention and introspection reveal the concept that would welcome a new chapter of the restaurant’s twenty-seven years of serving the Northeast Louisiana community. Currently, Johnson and the Trio’s team is excited to reveal a reconceptualized space inspired by family and culture.

“We went back to our roots,” Johnson says, explaining that the Monroe Trio’s, curled up on the corner of Oliver Road and Forsythe Avenue, was originally a bar and grill. “More like a dive,” further explains Johnson, adding, “I ended up taking it up to a different level.” Though she was tempted to create a version of the Ruston location’s glitz, she eventually realized that the hold of the original location is its small-scale, enclosed feel. Using that as a guide, she thought of the building and the property. And following that trail of nostalgia, she arrived at a memory of her parents. “Their presence was very much here, all the time,” she recalls when thinking of Trio’s first grand opening. That, coupled with a new menu, led her to consider culture by way of food and design. Wanting to evoke the relaxed environment of a lounge mixed with a New Orleans “funky vibe,” the once hideaway now feels like an upscale tavern. Brighter hues, dark walls, pops of color, and whimsical wall accents, provide diners with an intimate and stylish hangout to eat well, have cocktails with friends and connect with loved ones.

“All of our food is housemade,” beams Johnson, who is just as enthused about the new menu items as the interior changes. Though she kept the top ten dishes of the former menu, new appetizers and main dishes have been added, a mix of bar favorites with a twist and savory staples. Johnson’s son, Lleyton Walker is responsible for most of these items. With eight starters on the menu, it’s easy to take a tapas approach to a night out with friends. From baked feta (feta cheese topped with spices, olive oil, garlic, onions, and capers served with French and pita bread) to their steak bites (5. oz filet cooked to your preferred temperature, served with a horseradish dipping sauce and topped with onion rings), there’s a little something for everyone. Not to mention, one of the new starters was created by one of her longest-employed cooks TJ James and is quickly becoming a customer favorite. The Bloomin’ Truffle Onion is an elevated twist on the blooming onion—deep-fried onion, topped with truffle oil and parmesan cheese. “We’re selling out a lot,” enthuses Johnson.

While loyal customers should expect pizza and pasta selections, the entrée section has a few nuanced dishes that are already gaining traction. The Smash Burger, as the title suggests, is two “smashed” patties with your choice of cheese, house-made sauce, and chopped pickles served on a toasted bun. In the Lleyton’s Chicken Sandwich, diners choose from a mild or “atomic” fried chicken breast made with house spices, topped with a housemade sauce, and served on a brioche bun. For seafood enthusiasts, the fried shrimp poboy is a goto—Louisiana fried shrimp with a spicy habanero mayonnaise and topped with spicy remoulade coleslaw, served on French bread.

“It’s been a rough five years,” she says, recognizing that the challenges have taught her the importance of family’s role in her personal and professional life. While reconceptualizing and revamping one of Monroe’s favorite eateries, the whirlwind was eased by the presence of her two sons Lleyton and Michael Walker, and longtime staff members like manager Paxton Hancock and kitchen manager Darius McCall. “Trio’s has always been a family restaurant,” emphasizes Johnson, whose family is honored in the new space in the form of two large commissioned paintings by Amy Simmermaker. Originally, the paintings were meant to encompass New Orleans vibes, but Simmermaker surprised the Trio’s owner by painting the portraits of Johnson’s mother and father.

It’s been a long time coming, but the Monroe Trio’s has received the update it deserves. Johnson and her dedicated team are ready to share a space that carries the same gusto as the original, all while creating a livelier, more vibrant atmosphere meant to celebrate family and community. In this way, going back to their roots has meant returning to what matters most.

Visit the new snazzy digs at 2219 Forsythe Ave, Monroe, LA. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday between 11 AM to 11 PM and Sunday from 11 AM to 4 PM. Visit their website https://triosdining.com or visit their Facebook page for more information on what’s to come.

FROM AGE 50 ON, IT’S NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE occasional trouble finding the right word or remembering where you put things. But persistent difficulty with memory, cognition and ability to perform everyday tasks might be signs of something more serious. Dementia is a term used for changes in the brain that cause a loss of functioning that interferes with daily life. It can diminish focus, the ability to pay attention, language skills, problem-solving and visual perception. Dementia can also make it difficult for a person to control his or her emotions and can even lead to personality changes. If someone is showing signs of dementia, it’s important to see a medical expert who can conduct tests and come up with a diagnosis. Several, often treatable, conditions — from infections to a vitamin deficiency — can cause dementia-like symptoms, so it’s necessary to rule them out first. Some people who experience memory loss or have difficulty with attention, decision-making language or reasoning may have a condition known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The condition causes a noticeable decline, but the changes are less severe than with dementia and a person can still perform normal daily activities, according to the Cleveland Clinic. When your loved one is displaying troubling symptoms, a trip to a primary care physician is often the first step. But to get a definitive diagnosis, you may need to see a specialist. If it is dementia, you’ll want to plan how you will manage care, especially as the condition progresses. Here are some symptoms to watch for: 1. Difficulty with everyday tasks. People with dementia may find it increasingly difficult to do things like keep track of monthly bills or follow a recipe while cooking, the Alzheimer’s Association says. They may also find it hard to concentrate on tasks, take much longer to do them or have trouble finishing them. 2. Repetition. Asking a question over and over or telling the same story about a recent event multiple times are common indicators of mild or moderate Alzheimer’s, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 3. Communication problems. Observe if a loved one has trouble joining in conversations or following along with them, stops abruptly in the middle of a thought or struggles to think of words or the name of objects. 4. Getting lost. People with dementia may have difficulty with visual and spatial abilities. That can manifest itself in problems like getting lost while driving, according to the Mayo Clinic. 5. Personality changes. A loved one who begins acting unusually anxious, confused, fearful or suspicious, or who becomes upset easily and seems depressed is cause for concern. 6. Confusion about time and place. If someone forgets where they are or can’t remember how they got there, that’s a red flag. Another worrisome sign is disorientation about time — for example, routinely forgetting what day of the week it is. 7. Misplacing things. Someone with dementia may put things in unusual places and may have difficulty retracing their steps to find misplaced items, the Alzheimer’s Association notes. 8. Troubling behavior. If your family member seems to have increasingly poor judgment when handling money or neglects grooming and cleanliness, pay attention. 9. Loss of interest. Not feeling especially social from time to time is one thing, but a sudden and routine loss of interest in family, friends, work and social events can be a warning sign of dementia. 10. Forgetting old memories. Memory loss that becomes more persistent is often one of the first signs of dementia.

If you find that it’s time to seek assistance for a loved one, the dedicated staff at The Gardens of Georgia Tucker Memory Care will be pleased to provide a tour of our facility and answer questions about our specialized daily care.

In your search, evaluation of the atmosphere, caring culture, helpful activities, and essential services all weigh in as important factors. We’ve taken carefully planned steps to ensure provisions of a gracious lifestyle for adults who need assisted living, and for adults who require care taken a step further with memory care services which includes all the expected amenities along with an individualized plan of care to maximize quality of life. Full accreditation and a certified staff ensure proper attention. The unparalleled comfort, convenience, and amenities of The Gardens At Georgia Tucker Assisted Living and Memory Care assure residents of an environment that can truly be called home.

Deciding when the timing is right to relocate a loved is not always easy. Finding the right community takes time, and that’s why the Georgia Tucker administration staff is pleased to show you around, answer any questions, and provide helpful information for you or a loved one. Call 318-538-0040 to schedule a tour appointment and visit GeorgiaTucker.com for more details.

HOLIDAY Sparkle

Indulge in the season with these gorgeous gems from local retailers. Make her melt with stunning sapphires, dazzling diamonds and more.

Chill the martini glass. Place1/2 ounce dry vermouth and 2 1/2 ounces of gin in shaker. Shake for 30 seconds and strain into cold martini glass. Garnish with olives or lemon peel.

Ring in the New Year with these beauties from FLAIR JEWELERS. Sapphire and Diamond Flower Ring (2.20 ct sapphire - .54 ct round Diamonds); Ruby and Diamond Ring (1 ct Ruby - 1 ct diamonds); Oval Emerald and Diamond Hole Ring with split shank (Emerald 1.20 ct - .60 ct diamond); Ruby and Diamond Band (.78 ct Rubies - .26 round Diamonds); 5 strand yellow gold bracelet (.81 ct diamonds); Diamond and London Blue Topaz Vahan Bracelet; Diamond and Amethyst Vahan Bracelet styling by TAYLOR BENNETT photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK

Aperol Spritz

Add ice until wine glass until nearly full. Pour in 3 ounces Aperol, 3 ounces Prosecco. Top off with a splash of club soda. Add a orange wheel to garnish.

18 K white gold Emerald and Diamond cocktail estate ring (1 ct tw of Diamonds); 14K yellow gold pear shaped ring mounted with Swiss Blue and London Blue Topaz surrounded in a Diamond halo; 14 K yellow gold traditional 3 stone ring with Emerald and Diamond; 14K yellow gold oval ring with London Blue Topaz and bezzle set Diamonds on band; 14 K yellow gold oval Morganite ring surrounded with double halo of Diamonds; 14K yellow gold cocktail ring with marquise Opals with Diamonds; Designer yellow gold, Emerald cut imitation Aqua Marine surrounded by Diamonds; Colorful gemstone bracelet linked. styling by TAYLOR BENNETT photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK

Apple Pie Cocktail

Muddle three slices of apple and 6 mint leaves in shaker. Add 1.5 ounces Crown Royal Regal Apple, 1 ounce cinnamon simple syrup, 1 ounce apple cider and splash lemon juice to shaker. Fill with ice. Shake then strain into glass with ice.

14K white gold Diamond and Aqua tennis bracelet; 14K white gold Diamond and Sapphire bangle bracelet; 18K white gold Diamond and Ruby bangle bracelet; 18K white gold Diamond and Emerald bangle bracelet; 18K white gold Diamond and Emerald tennis bracelet; 14K white gold Diamond and Sapphire tennis bracelet; 14K yellow gold Diamond Lemon Quartz ring; 18K white gold Diamond and Emerald ring; 18K yellow gold Diamond Agate ring; Sterling silver and 18K yellow gold Amethyst ring by Konstantino; 14K white gold Diamond Amethyst ring; Platinum Diamond Aqua ring styling by TAYLOR BENNETT photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK

WITH HAVEN’S NEW EXPANDED SPACE, THEY ARE the ultimate gift destination this holiday season. They have created a beautiful new shopping environment. Haven has such a wide selection; you are sure to find the perfect present for everyone on your list. 1. BATH ACCESSORIES: Lovely small batch hand soaps, body wash, and bar soaps are a delight to receive. Beautiful packaging, and they offer scents that appeal to everyone. 2. DESIGN ACCESSORIES: A large variety of accessories for your home are showcased in their newly expanded design space. Beautiful acrylic knots, bowls, and trays just to name a few. A welcome add for any home. 3. LAFCO CANDLES: The ever-popular LAFCO candle line is always a good gift. Many of the scents have lotions, hand soaps and diffusers available. 4. TODDLER GIFTS: Jellycat stuffed animals for the little ones is a must! Add a new book, puzzle, or matching game to make a fun present to open! 5. MEN’S GIFTS: So many choices for the man in your life. Select a great cookbook and pair it with a new grill accessory for a hit. Or choose a Barefoot Dreams robe, a leather toiletry bag or even a fun bow tie for your favorite guy. 6. PAJAMAS: PJ Harlow loungewear has long been a staple at Haven. Whether you prefer neutrals, blue or the new lavender, these heavenly pajamas are comfortable and beautiful. Need a new robe? PJ Harlow’s robes are stylish and roomy in the sleeve. 7. BARWARE: Saban wine glasses are hand blown and no two are alike! A colorful assortment and the ultimate choice for the person who has everything. Other barware such as ice buckets, accessories and new cocktail books are a great find. 8. RIEDEL GLASSES: A new debut this season! Riedel wine glasses and decanters are perfect for the wine lover on your list. Bar glasses are also in stock. Riedel Crystal has been produced in Europe for over 260 years. 9. RELIGIOUS GIFTS: Gifts of hope and gratitude are always welcomed. New Devotionals or books paired with a gold cross by Sarah Cashio, or a Saint Candle will provide that reminder during the year of what is important.

10. BAREFOOT DREAMS: Always a customer favorite! Bamboo throws are the perfect gift to give. Cozy, warm and machine washable! Pajamas, new cardigans, and tops have also just arrived. 11. ART: Give a pop of color this season. Baton Rouge artist Jennifer Poe has created these small wonders for Haven in your choice of canvas or paper. Perfect for a bookcase! Large pieces of art are also showcased at Haven. 12. DESIGNER THROW PILLOWS: Beautiful velvet, linen and cotton pillows come in stunning colors this fall. Pair any of these with one of the new Matouk throws and you have an amazing look. 13. JEWELRY: Texas designer Deborah Grivas has stunning statement necklaces and earrings with beautiful stones and gold accents. Several other jewelry lines, such as Hazen are always nice to receive. 14. BOOKS: Give a fantastic book this holiday season! Whether you are looking to accent a coffee table or just enjoy a good read, Haven has an amazing book selection. The latest in fashion, interior design and scenic books are all there. 15. PURSES: Vegan leather bags have always been a great find at Haven. Larger bags like the Hobo, and side pocket bags, as well as smaller stylish bags are a great present or a fun find for yourself.

Haven’s Holiday Hours provide more shopping time! During December, Haven is open Monday through Friday 10:00- 5:30, Saturday 10:00-4:00 and Sunday from 1:00-4:00. If you need gift ideas or are in a hurry just call the shop at (318) 398-3298 and their helpful staff can suggest something with your desired price range and get it wrapped and ready for you to pick up! Continue shopping local after hours on Haven’s Website at ShopHavenMonroe.com and they can ship your gifts to friends and family with such ease!

Shop with Haven this holiday season and you will be glad you did. Personalized customer service and remember beautiful gift wrapping is always complimentary. As Monroe’s premier shopping destination, the gift you give from Haven will be the best one under the tree, so stop by today!