Concrete Rose Beautique

Everybody likes Mike, especially since he's the official mascot for Louisiana State University. Hundreds of fans and nature lovers alike flock to see Mike in his natural habitat at the LSU Tiger Cage; visiting Mike has become one of the city's favorite attractions. Originally, Mike's habitat was a mere 2,000 square feet and very limited for an animal (and mascot) of his stature. His home has now been expanded to include an impressive 15,000 square feet and he now resides in what is considered to be an amazing recreation of a tiger's natural habitat. Also, the lair features plenty of oak trees and an Italianate tower that echoes the architecture of the LSU campus.

It seems that finding and reading a real book these days is getting to be more and more difficult. If you prefer to turn actual pages made out of paper in bound book instead of reading it on a computer, then you need to visit Cottonwood Books. Not only do they specialize in real books, they specialize in really rare ones! If you are searching for that one missing Nancy Drew volume to complete your collection and are in search of that elusive first edition, Cottonwood is your tome haven. They also do special orders and have a friendly, helpful staff.

The Varsity Theatre is a familiar place for several well-known performers. As a matter of fact, a total of 55 Grammy winners have graced its stage since 1991. The Varsity strives to constantly deliver the best in live music entertainment for Baton Rouge. Genre doesn't matter, as some of the biggest names in country and pop music have lit up the entertainment venue's marquee. But that's not to say that you won't hear some of the scene's best up-and-coming acts; you can tell all of your friends that you heard them at the Varsity before they were famous.

Louisiana's Old Governor's Mansion has, in a sense, gotten a second chance. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is a breathtakingly beautiful structure that also serves as the headquarters for the Foundation for Historical Louisiana. The home has a dramatic history all its own. The structure was built in 1929 by Huey P. Long and served as the governor's residence until 1963 when a new structure was built. The house museum now houses rare artifacts, documents, and other relics of Louisiana's history and features regular tours headed by highly knowledgeable guides. The venue is also available for private parties, family gatherings and weddings.