Salad Crawl through Ruston, LA

Hi, Heather 👋

Written by Amanda Quimby, Marketing Director
Recommendations by Heather Bailey

Meet Heather Bailey, owner of Social Bites of Ruston. She spends her days in baking cupcakes, macarons, cookies, specialty cakes and more. You may be surprised to know Heather is also a salad enthusiast!

So you know where to get the sweets - Social Bites is located on Park Ave in beautiful, historic Downtown Ruston. But now Heather's going to show us where to get the healthier, but still extra tasty, stuff.

"Someone asked me where to get a good salad in Ruston," says Heather. "I had a lot of recommendations and mentioned I needed to compile a list and post it for people who don't know where to go. So here it is."

Log Cabin
Chef Salad - Ask for romaine lettuce. Any of their dressings are great, but the ranch is my favorite. I also ask for extra meat and half the lettuce, but that is my preference. Comes with cheddar cheese, eggs, tomato, green onions, croutons, ham, turkey and bacon.

Teriyaki Grill
Teriyaki Chicken Salad with Ginger Dressing- Comes with bell pepper and romaine lettuce.

Dawghouse Sports Grill
Teriyaki Chicken Salad with Mango Vinaigrette - This salad is another favorite right now. That mango vinaigrette is LIFE! Comes with pineapple, cheddar cheese, walnuts and mixed greens. 

Teriyaki Chicken Salad from Dawghouse

Dawghouse Sports Grill

Fried or Grilled Chicken Salad with either Thousand Island or Ranch - Comes with cheddar cheese, croutons, tomato and mixed greens.

Scott’s Catfish & Seafood

Grilled Shrimp or Chicken Salad with Ranch - Comes with romaine lettuce. Also side note, this is not about salads, but they make tacos now and they are Baja style and AMAZING!

Roma Italian Bistro
Greek Salad with Chicken - My current addiction. Comes with romaine, tomatoes, mixed bell peppers, black olives, red onions and feta. Get the tomato basil vinaigrette (the most amazing salad dressing in the world.) 

Greek Salad from Roma

Portico Bar & Grill

Strawberry Spinach Salad - Comes with baby spinach, fresh strawberries, feta, roasted pecans with a blush wine vinaigrette.

Newk's Eatery
Ultimate Salad - Sliced flame-grilled chicken breast, crumbled bacon, diced smoked ham, diced oven-roasted turkey, Arcadian mixed greens, sweet grape tomatoes, cucumbers, aged cheddar cheese, croutons and house-made honey mustard dressing.

Newk's Eatery
Favorite Salad - Sliced flame-grilled chicken breast, Arcadian mixed greens, crumbled gorgonzola cheese, sliced grapes, artichoke hearts, pecans, dried cranberries, croutons and house-made sherry vinaigrette.

Sundown Tavern
Grilled Chicken Salad with Ranch - Mixed greens topped with carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and shredded cheese. 

Grilled Chicken Salad from Sundown

Be sure to check out all the fresh #RustonEats listed here AND Heather's own salad creations! - That's right! Social Bites of Ruston is now serving up some tasty farm fresh salads for lunch! Because after all, we eat salads so we can eat sweets.

Full time destination marketer, part time gardener. Amanda has a love for travel and tourism, event planning and showcasing #RustonLA. She's also very serious about coffee, cocktails, true crime novels and The Walking Dead. Amanda implements the sales, marketing, advertising and public relations plans for the CVB. 

"Be the Leslie Knope of whatever you do." 

Fox Talks – Meal Steals for the College Student

Written by Fox Faircloth, Administrative Assistant 

If you were to spend any amount of time with me, you’d come to realize one thing very quickly – I appreciate good food, and I love to eat! Luckily, Ruston offers many local eateries that make this hobby of mine very easy to pursue.

In our Meal Steals post, we’re highlighting restaurants with big Louisiana flavors and Southern tastes. These Ruston hotspots give us students the opportunity to enjoy a night out with friends and family, without breaking the bank.

I highly encourage you to check out these local establishments. You won’t be disappointed, and you’re sure to see me there!  

DawgHouse

Dawg House is a sports bar and grill that offers a diverse menu that’s sure to please! They provide students with two different meal deals. On Mondays, Dawg House offers all-you-can-eat boneless wings for just $15. On Tuesdays, all entrées are buy one, get one half-off. With so many delicious choices available, the Dawg House Sports Grill makes supporting our Ruston locals easy, affordable, and enjoyable!

Wings at Dawghouse

Portico

Two-for-one burgers are a Wednesday tradition for students in Ruston! The Portico Bar and Grill offers the Portico Burger, an Angus burger with fresh tomato, lettuce, red onion, pickle, mustard, and mayo atop a brioche bun – a local favorite. Customers are required to dine in and bring a burger buddy for this deal to apply, so grab a friend and bring them along on your next night out at the Portico Bar and Grill!

2-for1- burgers at Portico

Scott’s

On Tuesdays, we go to Scott’s! With their casual atmosphere and friendly staff, Scott’s Catfish of Ruston provides customers with a deal that can’t be beat – two burgers with any side for only $10. Their offer begins at 2 p.m. and goes until closing, allowing students to enjoy this meal for a late lunch, dinner, or any time in between.

Ponchatoulas

Ponchatoulas is a Ruston staple that offers patrons budget-friendly choices through their weekly happy hour specials, a spread found on the late-night menu. With different deals every weeknight, the happy hour specials begin at 9 p.m. and end at 1:30 a.m. Whether you’re enjoying a $3 hand-battered pickle basket or the 2-for-1 cheese fries, you’re sure to enjoy these snacks that are as delicious as they are affordable.  

Cheese fries at Ponchatoulas

Tech Express/Tiger1 Card

Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to use your Tech Express or Tiger1 Card to enjoy all that Ruston has to offer! The following is a list of restaurants that cater to university students:

·         Brister’s Smokehouse BBQ

·         Cheeburger Cheeburger

·         China Wok

·         Cultured and Caffeinated

·         Eskamoe’s Frozen Custard & More

·         Flying Burger and Seafood

·         Log Cabin

·         Parish Press

·         Ponchatoulas

·         Portico

·         Rosemary’s Kitchen

·         Teriyaki Grill

For a more detailed list of restaurants, please check out the links below!

          Louisiana Tech University: https://goo.gl/uPVkos
          Grambling State University: https://goo.gl/LfjUhp

Let us know how you enjoy these local hotspots! Make sure to snap a picture and post it on social media with the hashtag #RustonEats. 

Fox is a Texas native who proudly claims Ruston, LA as her home. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Management at Louisiana Tech University. Fox is an avid queso-eater and outdoor adventurer. As an administrative assistant for the CVB, she enjoys interacting with locals and visitors alike, all while sharing her love for #RustonLA. Fox oversees the CVB’s online calendar of events, visitor information and newsletter requests. She can be contacted for online event submissions.

Fox Talks - Choosing Ruston & LA Tech

Written by Fox Faircloth, Administrative Assistant 

There is a familiar saying that states “home is where the heart is.” If this is so, then I have found my home here in Ruston, Louisiana.

My name is Fox Faircloth, and I was born and raised in a small town outside of Houston, Texas. I am entering my sophomore year at Louisiana Tech University and basing my studies in the College of Business. I am often asked how and why I chose this quaint Louisiana town as my sanctuary for the next four years — “Wow, you’re so far from home and your family! Wait, you spend your summers here, too?”

I don’t mind the inquiries. For me, the answers to these questions are quite simple.

I found myself in Ruston near the end of my junior year of high school, touring the Louisiana Tech campus over spring break. My first real impression of Ruston was given through my admissions recruiter for Tech, a woman named Leslie, who has become one of my dearest friends. Leslie embodies the kindness and hospitality that is common to the people of Ruston. Through her hard work and dedication, I absolutely fell in love with Louisiana Tech.

There was a deciding moment during my time touring Tech’s campus that proved to me the character of the university. While sitting in on a class in the College of Business, I received an upsetting phone call. After exiting the classroom, I found a stairwell in which to continue my conversation. The call ended poorly, and I stayed in the stairwell, attempting to collect myself. A student walked by, glancing in my direction. I averted my eyes, embarrassed. As I walked toward the exit door to meet Leslie for our next activity, it began pouring rain. Without an umbrella or rain jacket, I felt defeated.

A few minutes passed as I stared outside, wondering what to do. A truck pulled up to the curb outside and a student jumped out. He ran up the sidewalk and opened the door to the stairwell. I was surprised to see it was the student who had passed earlier and shocked when he turned and offered me an umbrella. As I took it he said, “You looked like you could use this,” turned around, and walked back into the rain.

I never got the opportunity to thank that student, and I never found out who it was. That small act of kindness was what sold me on Louisiana Tech. If Ruston was a place full of people like that, that was where I wanted to be.

I’m okay with being six hours from home because I have a support system here, built on the love of the Louisiana Tech family. I chose to be a part of this community because when I’m here, I feel like I’m home. I spend my summers in Ruston because any time I’m not, I’m wishing I was.

These people, and this town, have my heart. Never before have I experienced such kindness, or felt so welcomed, loved, and appreciated, by a group of strangers. I was incredibly blessed to join the team here at the CVB. I’ve been given the opportunity to express my love for Ruston with locals and visitors alike, sharing the joys of living in this small town I call home.

I’m writing here to share those joys with all of you. I hope that you will join me on this journey as I continue my time at Tech and in this wonderful little town of Ruston, Louisiana. I’d love if you would share this post with friends and family alike. Until next time, my friends!

Fox is a Texas native who proudly claims Ruston, LA as her home. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Management at Louisiana Tech University. Fox is an avid queso-eater and outdoor adventurer. As an administrative assistant for the CVB, she enjoys interacting with locals and visitors alike, all while sharing her love for #RustonLA. Fox oversees the CVB’s online calendar of events, visitor information and newsletter requests. She can be contacted for online event submissions.

Loyal Blue Weekends 2017

Eddie Robinson Classic!

Written by: Derek J. Amaya, Guest Blogger 

Photo via facebook.com/egrobinsonclassic

Former Grambling State University football coach Eddie G. Robinson embodies everything there is to know about North Louisiana football.

The late coach is one of the winningest head football coaches at all levels of football, but that is just a fraction of what he accomplished during his tenure at GSU. Robinson led countless football players, who may not have otherwise received the opportunity, to greatness whether it was on or off the field. He took hundreds, maybe even thousands of young boys from high school, and turned them men or even “gladiators” of the gridiron.

Photo via facebook.com/egrobinsonclassic

Robinson’s legacy and dream will be on full-display Saturday during the Eddie Robinson High School Football Classic jamboree Saturday at the newly renovated Eddie Robinson Stadium on GSU’s campus. The hometown Lincoln Preparatory School Panthers will look to kick things off with a bang against the Ferriday Trojans at 2 p.m. followed by Northwest Raiders against Rayville Hornets at 4 p.m., Calvary Baptist Cavaliers vs. Oak Grove Tigers at 6 p.m. and the nearby Union Parish Farmers will look to finish things off with West Ouachita Chiefs at 8 p.m.

Fans can purchase $10 all day access passes today by purchasing them form All Participating Schools or $15 day of the game at the Fred G. Hobdy Assembly Center on GSU campus. Hundreds of fans from across the area will flock to support their teams during a fun filled day in Grambling.

Photo via facebook.com/egrobinsonclassic

Included with the Classic will be an appearances from the High Stepping Hunington High School Marching Band and Louisiana All-Star Unity Band, a pregame promotion filled with Raising Canes prizes, an X-Treme PH Sports Waters Halftime Skill Challenge, a Youth Football Exhibition Game and a Post Game Trophies ceremony presented by #GotStrong

But for parents, guardians, fans or supporters coming in town for the jamboree games, one of the most important things to do is taking in everything GSU has to offer.

Robinson’s goal was to bring top tier athletes into one of the most prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the nation to give them an opportunity to succeed.

Robinson envisioned a thriving campus that found a balance toward academics and athletics, a vital part of student life. Having potential future Tigers on the campus Robinson helped build would make all the difference to his legacy.

Photo via Facebook.com/GramblingFootballFans/

Robinson would have loved watching hundreds of high school students walking on campus and then duking it out on the newly $2.5 million renovated stadium for a chance to show greatness.

That is was makes the Robinson Football Classic one of the best kick off high school athletics events in the state.

Derek J. Amaya grew up a proud Southern gentleman in Metairie. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University and works for the Ruston Daily Leader. He loves the finer things like waiting for the Kansas City Southern train to pass when he has to be somewhere, Tech parking tickets and voicemails. Follow Derek on Twitter at @DerekAmaya or on Facebook.