It's Baton Rouge: Out To Lunch

In years past, formal dining rooms were used for Sunday dinner or holiday get-togethers, opportunities to cook a traditional meal, served on fine china, leisurely eaten among family or friends over a glass of wine. Today, estate sales are jam-packed with barely-used china no one wants because in most modern households meals are often fast-food or grabbed from the to-go counter and holiday meals are often catered and sometimes served on paper plates. So, what do you do if you are a homeowner with an underutilized formal dining room? Well, not so long ago Mauree Brooksher was in such a position when she and her husband bought a 50-year-old home with a traditional formal living room. Uncertain what to do with it, Mauree turned to social media for ideas. There, she found a blog showcasing a formal dining room converted into a mahjong room, with beautiful pictures of the tables and tiles. Mauree was hooked. Today, Mauree and her business partner Stephanie Politz, own and operate Mahjong Rouge, a club of sorts that