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Best of 225: Dining | Sammy’s Grill

A grilled shrimp po-boy, topped with sauteed mushrooms, onions and bell peppers with pepperjack cheese and the works sits on a table at Sammy

A grilled shrimp po-boy, topped with sauteed mushrooms, onions and bell peppers with pepperjack cheese and the works sits on a table at Sammy’s Grill on Tues., Apr. 17, 2012. Sammy’s Grill won Best Po-Boy in this year’s Best of 225 Awards. (Photo by Erin Parker/225)

This year, Sammy’s Grill won the coveted Best Poboy category in 225′s Best Of 2012: Dining section.

Because no Best Of Awards would be OK without a poboy category in South Louisiana… and because this po-boy smelled really good when I was photographing it…

And because I’m curious — who makes your favorite poboy in town?

To learn more about Sammy’s Grill and their poboy sandwiches, visit their website and their Facebook page.

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Best of 225: Dining | Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse

BATON ROUGE, La.: A filet mignon is served on Mon., Apr. 9, 2012 at Ruth

A filet mignon is served on Mon., Apr. 9, 2012 at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Baton Rouge. Ruth’s Chris has won Best Steak in the Best of 225 Awards this year. (Photo by Erin Parker/225)

 

Today, I want to share another Best of 225 winner, this one from the Best Of 2012: Dining section.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse won Best Steak in Baton Rouge… and I have no doubt in my mind why Baton Rougeans selected this steakhouse as their winner this year, especially since I was instructed on this assignment to order a steak, photograph the steak sizzling as soon as it was brought out from the kitchens, eat the steak and then photograph the empty plate after with all the escaped juices and butter.

Yes, it was a tough job, but someone had to do it. (Thank you, 225 editor-in-chief Jeff Roedel for sending me to photograph this delectable assignment.)

And I think this final image — which looks oddly like a steak portrait to me (sorry, vegetarian friends for that imagery) — is a pretty interesting way to present the winner steak.

To learn more about Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, visit their website and their Facebook page.

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Best of 225: People | Whitney Vann

BATON ROUGE, La.: Whitney Vann sits inside her home on Wed., Apr. 25, 2012. Vann has won Best Local TV Personality in this year

Whitney Vann sits inside her home on Wed., Apr. 25, 2012. Vann has won Best Local TV Personality in this year’s Best of 225 Awards. (Photo by Erin Parker/225)

Today, I want to share another Best of 225: People 2012 award winner with y’all. Whitney Vann has won Best Local TV Personality for a few years in a row.

Whitney and I have two random connections, and I had no idea we had them until I was given this assignment.

Turns out, Whitney and I visit the same hair stylist, Brien at Avallon Salon, and I just so happened to be visiting Brien for a haircut the day after I initially called Whitney about her portraits. We chatted about the kind of portraits I wanted to make of Whitney, and I went on my way about an hour later, super excited for this assignment to come to fruition.

Whitney and I chatted back and forth planning the photos, and we decided to take them at her beautiful home near LSU. It ended up being the perfect backdrop for the gorgeous portraits taken that morning, and we had a lovely time talking.

While on this shoot, I learned Whitney also worked in Hattiesburg, for a little while. We chatted about our times in the Mississippi town, and I had a blast reminiscing about my two years there with her, though we lived and worked in Hattiesburg in separate years.

Of the portraits we captured that morning of Whitney, my two favorite were in the living room. One ran in the magazine, and the other is here.

The color of Whitney’s shirt and jewerly just pop in the space. Don’t y’all think so?

To learn more about Whitney Vann, visit her anchor page at WBRZ.

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Friday Favorites

This week has been one full of final photo assignments for my Louisiana clients and packing. Add in an occasional hangout with a friend. Add in some crazy organization, too. And then throw it all together.

Needless to say, it’s been a bit busy around these parts, but I would not have it any other way.

And in between my running around like crazy, I found some things around the Internet that were pretty darn cool this week:

Photography

Odds & Ends

That’s what I have. What are y’alls Friday Favorites?

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Best of 225: Dining | Gino’s Italian Restaurant

Gino

Gino’s Restaurant’s lasagna is displayed on a table on Mon., May 21, 2012. Gino’s has won Best Italian Restaurant in this year’s Best Of 225 Awards. (Photo by Erin Parker/225)

 

Today, I’m sharing another double winner in 225′s Best Of 2012: Dining section – Gino’s Italian Restaurant.

Gino’s is a Baton Rouge institution, and it all started with Grace “Mama” Marino, who pioneered its menu after learning to cook for her family at a young age. She has won countless awards for her cooking style, and she and her son, Gino, were kind enough to let me come into the restaurant to get some photographs of the interior, as well as a few dishes.

This year, Gino’s won Best Italian Restaurant and Most Romantic Restaurant in the tally. … It doesn’t surprise me, based on how delicious all the dishes I photographed looked!

To learn more about Gino’s and what they have to offer, visit their website and their Facebook page.

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