Comments Off on Boulder, CO: Hiking Adventure with Trinity Bergeron
Trinity Bergeron enjoys traveling the world and going on new hiking adventures whenever she can. Last year, she asked her sister (an avid traveler) where she was going next so she could tag along! Boulder, Colorado was everything she imagined and more! The sites were postcard quality everywhere she went.
The most memorable thing about the trip was spending quality time with just her sister.
Hiking in the mountains is is a wonderful way that she physically challenges herself and allows her to take in the beauty of nature.
Comments Off on Wild Game Cooking with Architect Juan Burciaga
Juan Burciaga, Jr., AIA is a Project Architect who joined VRA earlier this year. His love for traveling and outdoor activities like hiking and hunting have led him to a deep foodie exploration of cooking. He enjoys testing out recipes for wild game, especially when he can get his kids to like it too!
“Trying new recipes is always fun and exciting for me. This is usually the same with trying new dishes. Trying new recipes probably comes from my father bringing home all kinds of random wild game for us to try. Just to name a few: wild pig, rattlesnake, turtle eggs, and cow tongue (lengua). So as a kid I was exposed to a lot of different dishes. This is probably why I am always up for trying something new. But the ultimate reward is preparing a new recipe correctly and it is delicious. As for BBQ, this is always fun to learn and experiment with, and it also gives us an excuse to invite a few friends and family over to share what I have prepared. A few family favorites that I have in the rotation are Venison Fajitas, Venison Barbacoa, Pulled Pork, Ribs and Turkey (whole smoked).”
One new recipe that Juan recently tried is Venison Osso Bucco (see photos). He mentioned that the hardest part about this recipe was cutting the venison shank (bone). ”I had to utilize a few power tools to try to cut them. If you need to know which tool worked best, it was an Oscillating multi-tool with a combo blade. My wife was kind of skeptical about using power tools in the kitchen, but I did not leave much of a mess, so she ended up being ok with it. The key to cutting them was to make sure they were still partially frozen.”
Juan’s next big food project is trying to turn venison into sausage. While he has dabbled in this a little in the past, he is looking forward to the challenge of making sausage links.
Comments Off on Inspiration from Nature Photography
For VRA’s Ambassador of First Impressions, Kelly LeBlanc, photography is indefinitely healing. She enjoys and appreciates photography and loves what it captures. “In Nature, nothing is perfect. Trees are bent, contorted, and they are still beautiful.” She’s been taking photos since her first child was born 28 years ago when she started photographing him out in nature.
Kelly tried to get outdoors and shoot every weekend. She recently took a pictures of her blooming Dahlias in her garden. To her, they are an expression of how when things are nurtured how beautiful they can become. Her favorite things to capture are skies, birds, and flowers. Sometimes, Kelly even photographs her travels. This summer, she’s visiting Virginia Beach and looking forward to ocean scenery and sunsets to photograph.
“In Nature, there is no judgment, comparison of the other, no right or no wrong, it just is,” shares Kelly.
In celebration of 60 years of architectural design excellence in the Greater New Orleans Community, VergesRome’s family of employees gathered in the beautiful oak-lined City Park for a champagne toast, followed by an anniversary lunch at Ralph’s on the Park. The beautiful celebration was highlighted by toasts from company founder Ernie Verges, then Chip Verges and Steve Rome. More than anything, the VRA team felt that it was most important to stop and celebrate the great people who have come together to serve our clients over the last six decades. Without our team, known as our family, we are nothing. Client projects drive our business, but our people are what make the difference every single day.
Comments Off on New Orleans Artist Creates Mardi Gras Mural
During Carnival Season 2023 we welcomed local New Orleans Artist Heather Mattingly Art to create an incredible Mardi Gras-themed mural inside our building!
Her work perfectly represents the fun times had in the New Orleans community during this season. VergesRome looks forward to opporutnities to engage local artists in various projects for our firm. The color and vibrance of this pieces really brightened the building lobby! Learn more about Heather’s art here.