Blog by Mary Kay Hopkins

Lakeside Mixed-Use Development Approved subject to financing. I'm not going to "go there" with all my thoughts about some of the near 2-hour debate at last night's city council meeting.  At the end of the day, the Lakeside mixed-use development on the South side of the Civic Center was approved i...

Knowing the zoning of  the location you are considering as well as the surrounding areas is not always on the top of a residential buyer's mind, but it is worthwhile to consider. The City of Lake Charles makes it quite easy to determine the zoning of property via the zoning map that is posted on-...

Yesterday, I posted a blog about the Charpentier Historic District complete with several links of value to those considering a move to one of the two historic districts in Lake Charles.  Today, I want to remind those looking to buy in either the Charpentier or the Margaret Place Historical Distri...

In the early days of the development of Lake Charles, solid pine and cypress construction were plentiful and used a great deal in building homes in what is now known as the Charpentier (char peh ti ay) Historical District.  Why "Charpentier?" The lack of architects at the time meant that each hou...

My earlier post about fund raising functions at the Hobo Hotel For Cats put me in a "cat mood" and sent me in a search for cat videos in hopes of getting others in the Lake Area in the mood to come out and support the Hobo Hotel's annual "Kool Cats Night Out" auction. It does not take long to loc...

There is a reason for the lack of blogs about The Shadows Subdivision in Lake Charles! A check of MLS indicates there are currently no active listings at this time, nor did MLS indicate any expired or withdraw listings during the last year. There were 3 sales, with the most recent in October of 2...

The Hobo Hotel for Cats is a no-kill cat shelter in Lake Charles, LA.  From the meowship members to the board of directors, it is a dedicated and hard working group of cat lovers dedicated to rescuing, spay/neuter efforts, and finding temporary and permanent homes for its rescued cats and kittens...

Looking for an easy and fun way to support the 4 Paws Society? Come to Raising Canes on Ryan Street (across from McNeese University) on Monday night and "Dine for the Dogies" from 5PM - 8 PM. You can learn more about the many volunteer efforts available as well as make a donation.  And, of course...

  Any friend to the 4 Paws Society gets a plug right here on the Mary Kay Hopkins blog! Here, I want to put the spotlight on The Porch Coffee and Cafe House located at 4710 Common in Lake Charles. I'm doing so in appreciation of their recent successful effort of hosting the 4 Paws Society and a h...

When I first read about the exhibit, " Toys of our Father's Father's Fathers,"  nostalgic memories of my dad surfaced. You see, my dad had a fascination with trains.  As a young boy, he had a train track running through the family home in Newman, Illinois.  He carefully maintained his trains and ...