[225] Magazine - October 2021 by Baton Rouge Business Report

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BANKRUPTCY HAS BENEFITS:

HOW CHAPTER 13 COULD HELP

here’s no question about it: Bankruptcy is one of those words that people don’t like to hear. Most avoid the topic at all costs based on the perception that filing for bankruptcy means calling it quits and giving up on your future. Attorney Morley Diment of Diment & Associates, shares some of the differences between Chapter 7 (what most people think bankruptcy means) and Chapter 13 (an entirely different thing). On average, over 61% of bankruptcies each year are filed under Chapter 7. For individuals in the direst of circumstances, like being unemployed or dealing with a serious illness, Chapter 7 makes sense. For people who experience times when they can’t afford their bills, the strongest and most efficient option is a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Chapter 7 is for people who have limited assets and no real hope of repaying their obligations. Chapter 13 is a much broader tool and can help people with a range of issues. It could be a reduction in hours at work or a job change that causes you to no longer be able to afford your bills. Maybe you received an unexpected tax bill at the end of the year, or perhaps you’ve simply fallen behind on your house. Regardless of the cause, if you have consistent income and are struggling to keep up—consider a Chapter 13. Unfortunately, people in these circumstances often turn to lenders or debt relief companies seeking consolidation loans or settlements. Chapter 13 works like a consolidation plan and can help people who have fallen behind on things like house and car payments, child support, or taxes. Cases last for up to five years and come with many benefits like a single payment each month, substantially reduced interest (sometimes 0%), reduced total balances, and avoidance of debts that are old or violate state and federal law. The greatest benefit is that it often improves their credit over time during the case. In fact, people can even purchase houses and cars during their case with the approval of the Court. For most, the choice is either debt relief companies offering settlement plans or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. It can be difficult to

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

distinguish between these options, and most choose to try a settlement because they believe it will be better for their credit than a bankruptcy. This is simply not true. Structured settlements often result in payment delinquencies being reported on your credit, impacting the score immediately and will show that you “settled for less than full repayment”. This flag will inform everyone who looks at your credit for the next 10 years that the debt was not actually paid as agreed. Worse yet, debt settlements are totally reliant on all the creditors accepting the settlement. All it takes is one creditor refusing to settle and the whole plan falls apart. And don’t forget the cost —these companies generally charge 40% of the amount they save you in the settlements. All of this comes with no protection because this tactic is completely reliant on the creditors playing along. Chapter 13, on the other hand, comes with the full protection of the federal court system. As soon as the case is filed, a court order comes into effect that prevents creditors from acting against the person who filed. This stops lawsuits, judgments,

garnishments, foreclosures, repossessions — even harassing debt collection calls. For as long as the case goes on (up to five years) the creditors are not allowed to directly contact the person that filed. Even better, creditors don’t have the option to just disagree with the plan. They can file objections to the plan, but those objections are strictly limited to issues where the plan fails to meet the guidelines required by the Bankruptcy Code. In other words, creditors are forced to accept a plan that follows the rules. As for cost, most cases are filed with attorney fees paid through the plan, and the Court determines if the fees are fair for the case before they are paid to the attorney. If you’re curious if bankruptcy is right for you, call the experienced lawyers at Diment & Associates. They can represent you and help restructure your financial life to get the fresh start you deserve. Diment & Associates offers free consultations to 225 readers. Visit dimentfirm.com/225 or call (225) 3417433 to schedule.

I N S I D E : Historic cemeteries of Baton Rouge

Charting the course How New Schools for Baton Rouge is expanding public school choice in the region

STOCK IMAGE

B Y M AG G I E HE Y N R I C HA R D S O N

MEETINGS A unique experience, every time.

dates available through 2021 and into 2022 24

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OUR CITY //

SEAN GASSER

Touring the GEO Next Generation High School are from left, Principal Brandon Fontenot, New Schools for Baton Rouge CEO Chris Meyer and Sandra Douglas, chief academic officer of Geo Prep Academy’s four campuses.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-AGE children walk in quiet formation down cheerful hallways trimmed in bright Kelly green. Some are headed to French, Spanish or Mandarin classes, while others are making a beeline for biology, English language arts or even Latin. The thespians in the group find their way to the black box theater, where they’ll work on dramatic productions they may later perform on the school’s main stage. Cubbies that hold each student’s books and backpacks line the walls, cradling—among other items—day planners that even the youngest students are expected to use to help manage their time. Welcome to BASIS Charter School’s kindergarten through 7th grade Materra campus, part of a wave of new local charters that are changing the conversation about school choice in Baton Rouge. BASIS Materra, located near Woman’s Hospital, and a sister Mid City campus that opened in August, are run by Arizona-based charter school operator BASIS, a 32-school network of high-achieving institutions in Arizona, Texas and Washington, D.C. Known for an

accelerated, fast-paced curriculum, BASIS aims to place its graduating seniors in some of the most competitive colleges in the country. And because it’s a public charter school, it’s free and features open enrollment. While highly sought-after around the country, it was no accident that BASIS agreed to open campuses in Baton Rouge. The nonprofit charter school accelerator New Schools for Baton Rouge recruited BASIS, as well as many other respected operators, and it has facilitated the process for them to open and run smoothly. Since

it launched in 2012, New Schools for Baton Rouge has helped 26 charter schools open in East Baton Rouge Parish. These schools now educate about 10,000 students, says New Schools for Baton Rouge CEO Chris Meyer. “At last, we have unprecedented choice, and school opportunity that we’ve just never witnessed in the city before,” Meyer says. “Historically, it’s been really confined to the wealthy and well-informed to be able to navigate and have the kind of options for where your child goes to school.”

E XP LA I N E R

Charter school vs. traditional public school In Baton Rouge, charter schools are publicly funded, privately managed schools that must obtain permission to operate by the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. They are funded through the same per-student state funding mechanism as other public schools in Louisiana. Functioning independently and often deploying leadingedge approaches to education, good charter schools are seen as being highly responsive to community needs and nimble in their decision-making. Since the mid-1990s, when charter schools first came on the scene in Louisiana, some have been more successful than others. If a charter school fails to meet its promised outcomes, the school system can intervene or close it.

Charter schools have had a lengthy history in Baton Rouge. In 1995, the Louisiana Legislature passed a law making it possible for city and parish school boards to authorize “the creation of innovative kinds of independent public schools for pupils.” Charter schools, which were garnering attention around the country, were starting to give highpoverty communities a tuition-free, open enrollment alternative to often low-performing schools to which their children were assigned. Since the late ’90s, many charter schools have emerged in Baton Rouge for that same purpose: to provide an educational alternative while still being a tuition-free, publicly funded institution. Some charter schools in Baton Rouge have been successful, while others have not lived up to expectations and were closed by the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, which gives charter schools the green light to open. New Schools for Baton Rouge aims to help charter schools be more successful, to build relationships with the public school system and to attract 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

OUR CITY //

This summer, another highperforming charter operator recruited by NSBR, Great Hearts, was approved to operate in Baton Rouge and will open at the south end of Bluebonnet Boulevard near L’Auberge Casino & Hotel next year. Despite the flurry of activity in the region, it’s not easy to open a new charter location. The role of NSBR has been to facilitate what can be an expensive and arduous process. For example, the nonprofit has helped national charter operators identify property or available buildings in the Capital Region, and secure financing. The nonprofit has also raised significant funds to help new charter schools hire faculty in advance of its public per-pupil funding, which kicks in later. NSBR has also helped schools arriving in the community build relationships with key partners, including businesses, local leaders, parents, ministers and neighborhood activists. These relationships build trust in the community, and thus, help the schools attract new families. Meyer says when NSBR recruits charter school operators, the organization is looking for institutions with a proven track record in

and support a cadre of national charter school operators with a proven track record for success. Along with BASIS, several other high-profile operators have opened charter schools in Baton Rouge, due to front-end work by NSBR. Those school operators include IDEA Public Schools, a Texas-based charter launched by two Teach for America alumni that has nearly 140 campuses nationwide, and Geo Prep Academy, an Indianapolisbased model known for its teacher training and five-pillar academic model. Another well-known charter, KIPP, short for Knowledge is Power Program, will finally open in the Capital City in 2022, having been approved this year. Several years ago, civic leaders frustrated with local public education attempted to recruit the operator, but the effort was rejected at the time by the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board. KIPP went on to open several campuses in the South, including New Orleans and Arkansas. The current climate in Baton Rouge—considered favorable for charter operators thanks to NSBR’s work—made a big difference in KIPP’s interest in the community.

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OUR CITY //

“(We have) school opportunity that we’ve just never witnessed in the city before. Historically, it’s been really confined to the wealthy and well-informed to be able to navigate and have the kind of options for where your child goes to school.”

SEAN GASSER

—New Schools for Baton Rouge CEO Chris Meyer, pictured here speaking with Geo Prep Academy’s Sandra Douglas at the charter school operator’s high school campus

academic achievement. The schools have succeeded, Meyer says, in part because they have an established curricula and method of teaching, and they can be flexible and more responsive to families. Moreover, they tend to attract teachers who are excited about the school’s mission and pedagogy. Schools also set the bar high for students, even if they’ve recently attended poorly performing schools. By the same token, when national charter school operators look at Baton Rouge, they see a community that has spent several years successfully integrating charter schools into the public school system. And they

find a nonprofit in NSBR that helps them integrate into the community smoothly. The advantage of having a critical mass of charter schools is that each model offers something different to a family, Meyer says. “I think what you find as you begin to look at each of these schools is that they’re all unique.” At BASIS, for example, students are taught an accelerated curriculum with the goal of entering college with significant college credit completed. “All of our kids in high school need to take at least six AP exams, but the (BASIS national) average is 12,” BASIS Materra Head of School Roberto Ramirez says. While the Baton Rouge BASIS schools currently only reach the 7th grade level, an additional grade level will be added every year. Elsewhere in Baton Rouge, Geo Prep Academy’s four campuses, the first of which opened in 2015, have attracted a total of 1,700 students drawn to the charter school’s low student-teacher ratio and its commitment to helping children advance academically, even if they come from failing schools, Chief Academic Officer Sandra Douglas says. The school has also developed a

fruitful relationship with Baton Rouge Community College. Geo Prep’s high school students are brought to classes at the BRCC campus, enabling many of them to graduate with significant college credit. These factors have helped the school attract children and families from all over the parish, Douglas says. “We service a lot of kids from (as far as) the Baker area,” Douglas says. “It’s very important that families have a choice. They show that when they get up at 5 in the morning to come here.” NSBR’s goal is that no child in East Baton Rouge Parish will have to attend a D- or F-rated school by 2030, Meyer says. Currently, 15,000 students in East Baton Rouge Parish are zoned to a public school that is considered failing. “It’s just unacceptable that families face that,” Meyer says. “But we’re seeing great progress on giving more and more families a choice.”

ONLINE New Schools for Baton Rouge, newschoolsbr.org EBRP School System, ebrschools.org

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

INVITING ENTERTAINMENT. SUPPORTING LOCAL. PROMOTING OUR CITY. Everything we do is to make Baton Rouge a more lively place for you. From new businesses for the foodies and shopping fanatics to more robust attractions for the history buffs and even elevated experiences for the outdoorsmen, we’re in the business of making our home—and yours—special.

Let’s make the Capital City exceptional and #

together.

OUR CITY //

Place of rest A look at the fascinating histories hidden in Baton Rouge’s oldest cemeteries

BY BE NJA MIN LE G E R // P H OTOS B Y COLLIN R I C H I E

THERE IS SOMETHING equal parts spooky and beautiful about Louisiana cemeteries. The gnarled oak trees draped in moss, the rows of unique above-ground tombs, the weathered statues and monuments. Here in Baton Rouge, the setting has conjured up many a ghost story. But it’s also a treasure trove of tales from the

past—not just for local families, but for the Capital City’s place in American history and the battles our ancestors fought. So as you prepare for a month of Halloween festivities, take some time to appreciate our historic resting places—not just for their creepy vibes, but for their connection to the city’s origins.

Many of the insights for this story were culled from the 2012 book Images of America: Baton Rouge Cemeteries, by local researcher Faye Phillips. Magnolia Cemetery, with its recognizable arched entryway and large tombstones, suffered damage during the Battle of Baton Rouge in 1862. 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

OUR CITY //

Highland Cemetery

Baton Rouge National Cemetery

The city’s oldest existing cemetery is also one of the easiest to overlook. On the southern edge of LSU’s campus, it’s wedged between townhomes and duplexes off East Parker Boulevard and set off by a wrought-iron fence. The first burial here took place in 1813, and with familiar last names like Kleinpeter, Slaughter and Babin, it’s home to some of the first families of Baton Rouge. It’s also where many soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 were laid to rest.

Established in 1867 with an entrance on 19th Street, its first residents were those Union soldiers who died in the Battle of Baton Rouge. Other Union soldiers were reinterred here after the Civil War. It’s home to a large commemorative obelisk the Massachusetts state government erected in 1909 to honor Massachusetts soldiers who fought in the Gulf during the Civil War. In the center of the cemetery, the perfect rows of gravestones are broken by a concrete platform where an iron gazebo-like structure once stood for band performances and speeches. There are more than 5,000 service members and their families buried here.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery

Opened in 1826 on Main Street—in an area that was once the edge of the town proper—this cemetery was available to any Catholics in the area. Many of its inscriptions are in French, and it is home to burial sites of Union and Confederate soldiers. The church also allowed Black Catholic families to be buried there, which was rare at the time. It includes a plot for the Dudley Turnbull family, which was a free family of color in the 1850s.

Though closed to new internments, the Baton Rouge National Cemetery houses the tombs of more than 5,000 service members.

COURTESY OF THE LIBRA

About a decade after this cemetery was established on 19th Street, it served as the backdrop for combat in the 1862 Battle of Baton Rouge. Union and Confederate soldiers used its tombs, trees and fences for cover during the battle, which ended in a Union victory at the riverfront. Many Confederate soldiers are buried at Magnolia, while the Union soldiers were moved to the southern portion of the cemetery, which was eventually bordered by Florida Street and became the Baton Rouge National Cemetery after the Civil War. Magnolia was created for mostly white families, though some prominent Black families are buried there. It’s also home to mass graves from the yellow fever epidemic of the late 1800s.

RY OF CONGRESS

Magnolia Cemetery

A Currier & Ives lithograph depicting The Battle of Baton Rouge. Soldiers are shown fighting among the gravestones.

CANDICE LIN

THE AGNOTOLOGY OF TIGERS

ON VIEW OCTOBER 20, 2021–MARCH 20, 2022 ARTIST LECTURE AT LSU SCHOOL OF ART October 13 | 5 P.M. | 103 Design Bldg RECEPTION AT LSU MUSEUM OF ART October 20 | 6–8 P.M. | 5th floor Visit lsumoa.org for more information. Masks required. Limited space to maintain social distancing.

IMAGE: Candice Lin, La Charada China (Tobacco Version), 2019, cement with casein paint, welded steel table frame, tobacco, ceramics, distillation system (distilling a tincture of tobacco, sugar, tea, and poppy), poppy pod putty, sugarcane, white sugar, cacao, sage, ackee, oak gall, Anadenanthera, dong quai, California clay, Dominican Republic clay, metal parts, bucket, pumps, tubing, dried indigo, glass slides, bottles, drawings, tile, rubber, wood, Courtesy of the Artist and François Ghebaly Gallery, Photography by Ian Byer-Gamber This exhibition is a collaboration between the LSU College of Art & Design, the LSU School of Art, and the LSU Museum of Art. Support is provided by The Winifred and Kevin P. Reilly Jr. Fund and generous donors to the Annual Exhibition Fund. LSU MOA is supported in part by a grant from the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, funded by the East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President and Metro Council. LSU MOA is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council. Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

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OUR CITY //

Jewish Cemetery

Many prominent Jewish families connected to the origins of B’Nai Israel are buried in this cemetery on North Street, which was established in 1868. Its first burials were due to yellow fever.

Lutheran Cemetery

On the edge of City Park and Eddie Robinson Sr. Drive, this mostly Black cemetery was established in the 1850s. The hilly property is home to enslaved people from area plantations. Many of the graves were painted in bright colors to honor African and Caribbean heritage.

Roselawn Memorial Park

Baton Rouge entered a new future of burial culture with the establishment of Roselawn in 1921 on North Street. The landscaped garden design was an attractive alternative to the city’s older cemeteries, and a full staff of groundskeepers meant families didn’t have to maintain the areas around graves. Many families relocated their loved ones from the older cemeteries to Roselawn. Several early priests and sisters of St. Joseph Catholic Church were also reburied here in an area designated for Catholics. A. Hays Town designed the manager’s office, which was built in 1954.

Issue Date: OCT 2021 Ad proof #1

Sweet Olive Cemetery

The oldest Black cemetery in Baton Rouge was established on 22nd Street around 1850. It contains the graves of enslaved people from nearby plantations, free people of color, veterans of World War I and II, many civil rights leaders and Black business leaders. Some graves feature folk art carvings and handmade inscriptions; others were covered in mosaic tiles. While much of the cemetery is deteriorating or overgrown, there have been attempts in recent years to clean it up and certify its historic status through a New Orleans-based historic preservation consultant. Preserve Louisiana has previously advocated for Sweet Olive to be put under the care of BREC, which currently maintains Magnolia Cemetery.

Though filled with historic graves, the city’s oldest Black cemetery, Sweet Olive, is overgrown and dilapidated in many sections. Efforts have been made in recent years toward historic preservation.

K E Y TER M

Potter’s Field Areas of cemeteries reserved for burials of the poor or unknown. Examples of these can be found at Magnolia and Sweet Olive cemeteries.

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Taylar Savaski

COURTESY TAYLAR SAVASKI

SHE CRUNCHES NUMBERS during the week as an accountant at Faulk & Winkler, but on the weekends Taylar Savaski pulls on a helmet and a fire-resistant suit, straps herself into a 20-footlong, 650-horsepower dragster, and blasts down a track at 140 mph. Savaski’s parents took her to her first drag race when she was 12. The early races that day were contests between Junior Dragsters, members of a National Hot Rod Association program for drivers ages 5 through 17. Savaski saw kids her own age climbing out of the race cars. Then she realized one of the drivers was a girl. “I saw her hair fall out of her helmet,” Savaski recalls. “And I was like, wait a minute, I’m a kid and a girl. I can do this.” Six months later, Savaski’s dad scraped together enough money to buy her a used drag-

ster, by age 13 she was driving in her first race. Now just shy of 26, Savaski has been behind the wheel of race cars for half her life, even as she earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA. “Racing is a family sport,” she says. As for her race team, the family is the team. “I’m the driver, my dad’s the crew chief, and my mom is the manager and in charge of hospitality.” While she loves the sport, Savaski doesn’t take the dangers for granted. Locked into a tiny cockpit in front of a huge engine and rocketing down a narrow track a mere one-eighth of a mile long at 140 mph is not for the faint of heart. Savaski learned that firsthand when, at 15 and still a Junior Dragster, she saw a car crash into the wall and burst into flames. The driver died. Her dad has drilled safety into Savaski’s head

since she started racing. “But I think my mom still gets nervous,” she says. Savaski wishes more women would stay in the sport. In Junior Dragsters, there are just as many girls racing as boys. “But once they hit 17, most of the girls get out,” Savaski says. “They go to college; they get married. Right now, when I go to the track there could be 200 cars, but there are only three females that run in my class.” Savaski has had her foot on the gas for 13 years and has no desire to let up. She says she finds the two sides of her personality—the accountant and the race car driver—the perfect balance, and she plans to keep racing for the rest of her life.

—CHUCK HUSTMYRE

“Racing is a great confidence booster, especially at my age, when you’re taking out grown men who’ve been racing 30-plus years, and you come in there as a young gun ... it’s pretty cool.” 32

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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Coffee

C OV E R S T ORY

BATON ROUGE CAFES ARE ELEVATING

HERE’S HOW TO ENJOY IT

THE COFFEE EXPERIENCE.

culture AH

// GGI N O S E HEYN RICHARD

O OT

Sidebars by Benjamin Leger SIDEBAR SOURCES: NATIONAL COFFEE ASSOCIATION, STATISTA AND NEWS REPORTS

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

C OV E R S T ORY

Local cafes have elevated coffee and tea beverages to cocktaillevel. Case in point: Rêve Coffee Lab's Espresso Martini and Earl Gray Marteani, both elegantly served in coupe-style glassware.

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

C OV E R S T ORY

y t l a i Spec

COFFEE HAS ALWAYS been part of the fabric of south Louisiana. We like a muscular morning brew to start the day. An afternoon pick-me-up is commonplace. And an after-dinner cup over lively conversation is an expected meal ender. But over the last 20 years, this backdrop of coffee love has expanded in Baton Rouge to include numerous third-wave specialty cafes— shops that elevate the experience with singlesourced beans, meticulous roasting and creative mixology normally reserved for craft cocktails. Their menus also reflect a growing passion for non-coffee sips—including high-quality teas and tea-based beverages. Coffee shop experiences abound in the Capital City. Here are some local places to enjoy drinks, both old guard and new.

Brew Ha-Ha!

Around since 2004 This cozy, Mid City coffee shop and art gallery has been a welcoming haven for Mid City coffee lovers, budding artists and fans of the cake ball, the spot’s signature pastry. Owner Gabby Loubiere Higgins sources single-origin beans and roasts them on site for use in her lineup of specialty beverages. Menu favorites include matcha with cold foam and the frozen dirty chai. Cake balls are made in dozens of seasonal and rotating flavors. 711 Jefferson Highway, #2A. brewhahabr.com

CC’s Coffee House

Around since 1995 This Starbucks-of-south-Louisiana equivalent was the brainchild of Capital City-based Community Coffee, and has grown to include 19 locations in greater Baton Rouge alone. The winner of this year’s Best of 225 award for Coffee Shop Ambiance is a reliable spot for work or socializing. Along with various iterations of the signature frozen Mochasippi, the menu includes seasonal Pumpkin Pie Lattes, fruit smoothies and New Orleans-style café au lait. Multiple locations. ccscoffee.com

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

BATON ROUGE’S GROWING COLLECTION OF COFFEE CAFES B Y M AG G I E HEY N R I C H AR DS ON

Cedar House Roasting

Around since 2020 Part of the new guard of specialty coffee shops passionate about beans, Cedar House buys direct from coffee farmers and deploys a zeroemissions machine to roast the beans on site. Minimalist teakwood décor with splashes of color create a vibe that fuses midcentury modern with Scandinavian simplicity. A supervised play area is available for an hourly fee—a respite for children, and, of course, their parents. There’s also a coffee home delivery program. 5522 Jones Creek Road. cedarhouseroastingco.com

City Roots Coffee Bar

Around since 2019 Situated between downtown and Mid City in the Electric Depot, City Roots is a coffee roaster and cafe that draws fans day and night. Order up an affogato, a coffee and chicory nitro cold brew, or a latte with milk alternatives like almond, oat, hemp and soy. Sip against the red brick wall industrial backdrop, preserved from the building’s former life as a utility substation. There’s plenty of outdoor seating here, as well. 1509 Government St., A. cityrootscoffee.com

Coffee Call

Around since 1976 A lot has happened in the local coffee scene since Coffee Call opened in the former Village Square shopping center on College Drive 45 years ago. Still family operated (and still on

College, but in a different spot), Coffee Call holds one of our most enduring, mouthwatering culinary rituals: beignets and café au lait. Beans are roasted on site by co-owner Brandi Catoire. Lunch is served on weekdays. 3132 College Drive, F. Find it on Facebook

Coffee Joy

Around since 2020 Owner and barista Emrah Sarac’s shop offers several brewing techniques, including Belgian syphon, pour over and Chemex, to the delight of both casual sippers and committed coffee nerds. Teas are presented with a digital timer, so you know exactly how long to steep. Coffee Joy’s homemade pastries and baked goods, including melt-in-your-mouth macarons, provide a sweet counterpoint to an impeccable brew. 3617 Perkins Road, Suite 1B. coffeejoy.com

French Truck Coffee

Around since 2017 French Truck’s electric blue and yellowfestooned patio is a beacon for coffee and tea lovers motoring down Government Street. The concept started in New Orleans in 2012, and includes a high-end retail line of blended and single-origin beans available in local independent grocery stores. The coffee shop roasts beans on site and the menu includes beverages like the iced oji (12-hour Japanese cold brew), all manner of espresso drinks and light fare breakfast and lunch. 2978 Government St. frenchtruckcoffee.com

C OV E R S T ORY

$96 billion The worth of the U.S. coffee industry, which has increased steadily in the last 10 years. About half of our daily coffee consumption outside the home is through drive-thru windows.

Beignets and café au lait at Coffee Call. Fun fact: In a 2019 article, Food & Wine declared "the best beignets in New Orleans are in Baton Rouge," singing the praises of none other than Coffee Call.

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Coffee and the pandemic 30% Increase in drive-thru and app ordering for American coffee consumers during the pandemic.

41% Share of Americans who broke free of routine and tried a new type of coffee during the pandemic. (Whipped coffee, anyone?)

27% Share of Americans who attempted to DIY their favorite coffee drink at home during the pandemic.

The Pumpkin Latte at City Roots is just one of many mouthwatering fall offerings at the Electric Depot spot.

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Garden District Coffee

Around since 2011 (predecessor Perks, since the mid-’90s) Diehard fans and longtime Garden District dwellers still call it Perks, while the edgy younger set who dig its stripped-down simplicity call it Garden District. Whatever your perspective, this spot is one of the city’s OG coffee shops, having first opened in the mid-’90s. A menu of drip coffee and espresso drinks are rounded out by frozen lemonade, granitas and locally made pastries. Beans are roasted on site. 2008 Perkins Road. Find it on Facebook

Reve Coffee Lab's Golden Days milk tea latte

Highland Coffees

Around since 1989 Open more than 30 years ago and a mainstay of LSU students and faculty, Highland Coffees has long taken selecting and roasting beans seriously. The specialty coffee and tea shop imports green single-origin beans and roasts them in small batches onsite in a PROBAT roaster. Choose from various espresso drinks, 10 different cold-drip drinks and 25 loose tea selections. 3350 Highland Road. highlandcoffeesbr.com

Java Mama Central Square

Around since 2019 When you’ve got little ones, making time for a coffee date—or just a coffee—isn’t easy. Java Mama answers that need, providing adults a place to sip and meet while their kids play in a supervised safe area for a small fee. Find all sorts of coffee and espresso drinks, including the low-sugar Loaded Protein Coffee, made with cold brew concentrate, a collagen and protein supplement, almond milk and honey. Different levels of memberships allow moms to come routinely without having to worry about a babysitter. 14340 Wax Road, Suite 101, Central. javamamcs.com

Around since 2013 An espresso menu anchors the coffee offerings at this multi-purpose café, which also serves paninis, salads, gelato and teas. The affogatos are made with two ounces of espresso and the gelato flavor of your choice. Live and open mic music plays on Thursdays and Fridays, respectively. Bring Fido along to the patio for a pup gelato. 3535 Perkins Road, Suite 360. ladivinaitaliancafe.com

11th

American ranking for coffee consumption per capita. About 64% of adults in America drink a cup of coffee a day.

COLLIN RICHIE

La Divina Italian Café

Light House Coffee

Around since 2018 A coffee shop built around conscious capitalism, Light House Coffee buys from roasters who source their beans through direct trade, ensuring farmers receive as much compensation as possible. Another mission of the shop is to hire and train refugees, who can take onsite self-sufficiency and English language classes. Patrons choose from pour over, cold brew, French press and espresso methods. Baked goods are made by local vendors. 257 Lee Drive, Suite O. lighthousecoffeebr.com

Magpie Cafe

Around since 2012 Founders James and Lina Jacobs brought this quaint farmhouse-chic spot to life after a trip to Italy inspired their love for food and drink intentionally prepared. Approaching a decade in business, Magpie was one of the first of the Capital Region’s new-guard coffee shops, serving detailed espresso drinks, superfood lattes and a constantly changing menu that, thankfully, includes homemade pop-tarts. 3205 Perkins Road. magpiebrla.com

PJ’s Coffee

Around since the mid-’90s The first PJ’s opened in New Orleans in 1978, growing since then to 90 locations, including five in Baton Rouge with a sixth forthcoming. The menu offers single-origin and direct-trade coffees, specialty espresso drinks, frozen coffee beverages and seasonal sips like bananas foster cold foam cold brew and pumpkin latte. Multiple locations. pjscoffee.com

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Reve Coffee Lab

Around since 2019 This Lafayette-born specialty grade micro roaster originally opened in Baton Rouge in White Star Market, moving later into the Village at Willow Grove. The larger location has given Reve a chance to flex. The menu is chock-full of creative hot and cold beverages. Try Mood Tea, a combination of lavender and pea flower brews, into which lemonade is poured to create a sultry blue hue. 8211 Village Plaza Court, Building 4, Suite 1A. revecoffeeroasters.com

Social Coffee Reve Coffee Lab's Mood Tea is a magical, colorchanging experience.

Around since 1999 Using beans from Onyx Coffee Lab, a company known for its commitment to sustainability, Social Coffee began as a mobile operation, later sliding inside Chow Yum Phat. The baristas here love to get creative, spinning espresso drinks like the Social Shirley, which features cold brew, Topo Chico and grenadine. The concept will move into a permanent location sometime this fall at 521 N. Third St. socialcoffeebr.com

Southern Cofe

Around since 2018 Proprietor Horatio Isadore’s flagship location near Southern University has reinforced neighborhood culture in Scotlandville. While that spot is currently under renovation, a second location in Main Street Market, which opened earlier this year, serves coffee drinks, including iced lattes, caramel macchiatos and frappes and a light fare menu of fresh fruit acai bowls, fruit smoothies and paninis. 8418 Scotland Ave. (reopening soon) and Main Street Market at Fifth and Main streets. Find it on Facebook

The Vintage

Around since 2020 Oh, the myriad ways you can enjoy coffee at this multifaceted concept. By day, sip a café au lait while scarfing down a beignet flight, and by night, combine your coffee with something more adult. Fresh brewed coffee, for example, is mixed with V.S.O.P. cognac and amaretto in the Midnight Express. The eponymous Vintage cocktail combines coffee moonshine and various cordials, and is topped with froth and a few espresso beans. 333 Laurel St. thevintagebr.com

Truckin’ it Food trucks specializing in coffee have popped up over the years, too. The latest is Espresso Geaux, opened by Brandi Plaisance in August 2019 to serve local subdivisions, businesses, schools, organizations and events. The truck whips up cold and hot coffees, tea, hot chocolate and smoothies. Find Espresso Geaux on Facebook

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$2,000

Estimated amount millennial coffee drinkers spend per year at coffee shops

Iced basil pumpkin spice and hot caramel apple spiced coffee at Leola's

Fall drinks

PSLs and lots more on fall coffee shop menus

IT’S BEEN A solid decade since Starbucks released its first Pumpkin Spiced Latte, the coffee drink that would hurl a new fall trend into our cultural consciousness and become so ubiquitous that we now refer to it by its initials. Love them or loathe them, the warm, earthy flavors we associate with pumpkin pie are a centerpiece of fall coffee house menus, where options now extend well beyond the PSL. As autumn takes hold, here’s some of what you’ll find in Baton Rouge.

—MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

Leola’s

The Circa 1857 brunch haven officially released several fall coffee beverages on the first day of fall this year, including the iced basil pumpkin spice, a refreshing take on the PSL. Basil syrup provides an herbal counterpoint to pumpkin spice syrup’s notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. If a hot beverage is more your speed, try the caramel apple spiced coffee. Blended with bourbon, its cozy warmth is just right for autumn.

Social Coffee

Social Coffee’s fall menu delivers interesting flavors judiciously applied so they won’t overpower the fine coffee within. Try the Canadian Kiss, a latte enhanced by maple and caramel syrups; and the Social Delight, which brings honey, vanilla and cinnamon syrup into the picture in a drink that’s served iced or hot. For a non-coffee option, try the horchata, a twist on the traditional Mexican beverage that features rice or oat milk steeped with cinnamon and served over ice. And if you must have a PSL, refer to it as a “BFB,” here known as the Basic Fall Beverage.

Light House Coffee

Light House Coffee’s salted caramel pumpkin latte is deliciously fall. It’s made with boutique maker Pink House Alchemy’s pumpkin butternut spice syrup, an earthy blend of both pumpkin and butternut squash, cardamom and other flavors. The light foam on the top is poured in the shape of a tulip.

Brew Ha-Ha!

PSLs at Brew Ha-Ha! are flavored with Torani syrup and come in hot, iced and frozen form, giving you serviceable options no matter the weather outside. If you prefer this fall flavor in edible form, savor a pumpkin spice cake ball, blinged with its own pretzel “stem.”

Java Mama

Get into the spirit of fall with not just pumpkin spice latte, but also a wintersummoning peppermint mocha. Both flavors are also available in iced form.

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Coming in

Hot

Local businesses are roasting their own coffee in Baton Rouge B Y CY N THE A CO R FA H

Myth buster

The three main types of coffee roast profiles are light, medium and dark. These levels describe the taste of the coffee and how long they were roasted—not how much caffeine is in the coffee.

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S THE AMOUNT of coffee shops rises in Baton Rouge, so does the number of roasters. If you went to LSU or are from Baton Rouge, you’ve probably heard of Highland Coffees. It’s a local coffee shop staple on West Chimes Street and Highland Road. And the 32-yearold shop has been roasting its own freshly made coffee since the ‘80s. The rustic, cozy and laid back coffee shop prioritizes quality coffee. Owner Clarke Cadzow has loved coffee and coffee shops since he was in college. After completing graduate school in Texas and exploring the coffee scene in Austin, he wanted to create a cafe of his own. Following months of research with a friend and New Orleans coffee roaster, he was ready for business. His appreciation for coffee and attention to detail has trickled into all parts of Highland Coffees. “The clock starts ticking the moment the beans are roasted,” Cadzow says. “Coffee loses its freshness and flavor in about two weeks after roasting.” Highland Coffees takes many steps to ensure its coffee is served at its freshest. Coffee beans are roasted in-house five days a week. Bags of coffee are made in small batches and labeled with the roast date for transparency. Customers get to customize their drinks by choosing how light or dark they want their

espresso, and can choose from decaf, medium roast, dark roast, blends and flavored coffees. Bags of Highland Coffees coffee are sold at the shop and can be ordered online. “The ones who deserve the most credit are the farmers,” Cadzow says. The beans are sourced from farms in Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Kenya, Ethiopia, Peru, Bolivia, Indonesia and Bali via “green” bean distributors. Once they are ready for picking, the ripe coffee berries are carefully plucked from the plant, split in half, dried, packaged and then shipped to the United States. Whether more coffee shops want to control the quality of their coffee by self-roasting or just like the trendy look of an in-house roasting machine, the practice is becoming more and more common for local coffee shops. Places like Brew Ha-Ha!, Cedar House Roasting Co., City Roots Coffee Bar, French Truck Coffee and Reve Coffee Lab all roast beans for their drinks. When Cadzow first opened Highland Coffees three decades ago, roasting your own coffee wasn’t as common. He didn’t know then that he would be spearheading a movement that continues to evolve. Now, coffee lovers can sip Baton Rouge-roasted coffee at local shops all over the city and have it mailed to their homes across the country and abroad. “Coffee shops are a part of the culture,” Cadzow says. highlandcoffeesbr.com

FROM THIS > > > > > > > > >

>>>>>>>>>

Other coffee roasters around town Brew Ha-Ha!

Cafeciteaux Coffee Roasters Cedar House Roasting Co. City Roots Coffee Bar Community Coffee French Truck Coffee Reve Coffee Lab River Road Coffee Roasters

> > > > > > > > > TO THIS.

KNOW YOUR ROAST Light and dark

Roasting gives coffee beans their unique aroma and flavor. Similar to wine, coffee connoisseurs have found hundreds of ways to describe the aroma components of certain roasts. Generally speaking, a lighter roast will preserve the fruity notes and acidity of the bean, while a darker roast will create smoky, chocolatey aromas and mellow out the flavor.

Single-origin

Refers to the geographic origin of a certain coffee. Most major producers combine beans from different regions to create a blend. Single-origin coffees generally have a dependable flavor profile that’s tied to the climate and terrain of that region. Nicaraguan coffee might have nutty notes, while Kenyan coffee will be more citrusy and acidic, and Yemeni coffee will taste earthy and complex.

The top two beans

There are essentially two types of coffee beans produced commercially. Arabica makes up 60% of the total coffee bean production. It originated in Ethiopia but is now found on farms in tropical climates all over the world. The Arabica bean tends to be sweeter and offers more variations in flavor based on the growing region. Robusta is the other variety, originating from central and western Africa. It’s easier to grow at lower altitudes, which makes it cheaper. It’s also most commonly found in instant coffee because of its more straightforward flavor. —BENJAMIN LEGER

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a c f f d e i n n a a l t o e o d C

Strong coffees to try around town GETTING ENERGIZED HAS never looked so tasty. Over the years, coffee drinks have evolved from traditional cups of drip coffee to customized, cocktail-style creations. No matter your caffeine tolerance, local baristas are dishing out cold brews, espresso drinks and coffees on tap. These three types of drinks tend to be the strongest varieties of coffee, and they pack powerful punches of java to get you through the entire day. Whether you prefer a sweet treat or strong coffee flavors, we’ve got you covered with this list of some of the most caffeinated coffee drinks in Baton Rouge.

—CYNTHEA CORFAH

City Roots Coffee Bar

Cold Brew de Crema: Make your day sweeter with cold brew, sweet cream and Ghiradelli caramel. Espresso Cielo: Looking for the coffee of your dreams? Here it is. This drink is made with three shots of chilled and sweetened espresso, a drizzle of condensed milk, a splash of half and half and a raw sugar rim. Nitro Vanilla Draft Latte: Fresh from the tap, this vanilla latte is packed with rich coffee flavor, caffeine and milk.

Light House Coffee

Cold Brew Float: What better way to enjoy coffee than with ice cream? This drink combines the best of both worlds and pairs cold brew with vanilla bean ice cream. Timmy’s Cold Brew Latte: Sometimes cold brews can be a little intense. Make it sweeter and creamier with this blend of half cold brew, half oat milk, white chocolate and a shot of espresso.

Brew H a-H a!

Cold brew: This cold brew is full of Baton Rouge flavor—it’s made with house-roasted beans and is available for pick up or delivery. Large latte: You can’t go wrong with a latte. This classic milk and espresso beverage includes three shots of espresso and the flavor syrup of your choice, including pumpkin, hazelnut, caramel, peppermint, vanilla and mocha.

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City Roots’ Pumpkin de Crema is a fall spin on its Cold Brew de Crema drink.

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offee Voca

Horatio Isadore, pictured here at Southern Cofe’s downtown location inside Main Street Market

MENUS HAVE GOTTEN so long these days that it can be overwhelming deciphering them. If you’re new to coffee, here are some common drinks to know, sorted roughly from most-to-least caffeinated (although caffeine content may vary by recipe, and all of these varieties pack a punch).

How do the two Southern Cofe locations differ? The market location is more concession-style and inside a shared space with other vendors. Our Scotland location is really our flagship store. It’s who we are.

—JENNIFER TORMO

Nitro coffee

What can people expect from Southern Cofe looking ahead? What you’ll be walking into is what the space will look like for the next 20 to 25 years. It’ll be innovative and look like today’s world. We’ll still have our signature blue walls. Everything has been leveled up, from our menu boards to our refrigerators. We received a grant from Healthy BR that allows us to operate our fresh produce program, where we’ll sell fresh fruits and vegetables to combat the food desert in the community. We also have our podcast center, where you can still record shows, and the coffee shop can still be rented for events.

The coffee to order if you love draft beer. Nitrogen-infused cold brew has a nearly fizzy texture and a creamy head.

Cold brew

Not to be confused with iced or cold coffee. Coffee grounds are mixed with cold water and steeped before being strained and served.

When is the Scotland Avenue location supposed to reopen? It’s looking like this fall. The whole building is getting a renovation. The building has been in the community for over 75 years. It was time for young blood and young energy to come in and see their vision through for the next 50-100 years. KMT Holdings and Development is heading the acquired purchase of it, the renovations and operations.

Latte

The coffee classic. A blended mix of steamed milk and espresso (usually two shots worth). Can also be made chilled with ice and milk.

Americano

Espresso diluted with hot water. The drink to order if you like to sit and sip a large cup of coffee, but prefer the rich flavor of espresso.

Cappuccino

Equal parts espresso, steamed milk and foam. While a cappuccino is similar to a latte, it’s the foam that makes this drink a more fluffy, textural experience.

Cortado

Equal parts steamed milk and espresso, served in a small glass. It's the perfect-sized drink for when you just need an afternoon pickme-up. Plus, the milk ratio cuts the bitterness of the espresso.

More than

What inspired you to renovate? Well, it’s either pivot or die. When we initially started, we weren’t who we are now. We wanted to level up and make this place look the absolute best and like it could be in any part of town.

coffee

Horatio Isadore shares about Southern Cofe’s new look and the current coffee climate SINCE FIRST OPENING Southern Cofe in 2017, Horatio Isadore’s business has made a total transformation. What began as a hole-inthe-wall coffee shop in Scotlandville has expanded into two locations, including the newly renovated flagship store and a coffee and food stand at Main Street Market downtown. Both Southern Cofe spots serve coffee, tea, smoothies, salads, acai bowls, sandwiches, fresh-pressed juices and other health-conscious foods and beverages. Since opening the newest location at Main Street Market in March, Isadore has been focusing on reaching new audiences at the downtown stand while also renovating the original coffee shop with the help of new owners KMT Holdings and Development. When it reopens, the Scotland Avenue cafe plans to have an upgraded fully functioning podcast recording studio, a modernized interior, and a spacious food display for refrigerated goods and fresh fruits and veggies. Here’s what Isadore thinks about local coffee culture and Southern Cofe’s future. —CYNTHEA CORFAH

What community role do you aim for? To listen to the community. They didn’t start the business, per se, but once we started, they took it over, embraced it and gave us their suggestions. We took all of that information and spit that back out, and what you see is what we’ve learned. How has the local coffee industry changed since you went into business? Dramatically. We used to have three milk options: whole milk, skim milk and 2%. We now offer over nine milks. You have to be able to cater to your customer’s needs. The days of you being the driving force of what people consume are over. They’re going to dictate how they spend, because they have more options than they’ve ever had before. What are your thoughts on the local coffee scene currently? It’s gotten so sophisticated where you can sophisticate yourself out of the business. I’ve always wanted to keep it old-world and simple, but also not be so old in how we operate to a point where you don’t want to come. We don’t want to be so sophisticated where you feel like you’re in wine country. We want to find that happy medium, that sweet spot in the middle. 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

Spill

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What’s inside Boba Partea’s bubble tea? WHILE BOBA PARTEA is all about fun drink toppings and photogenic treats, it takes its tea seriously. The local bubble tea shop has a specific method to make each component of its beverages. From the temperature the tea is brewed to how long the tapioca pearls are boiled, it takes precision to make the perfect cup of bubble tea. The Taiwan-born bubble tea trend has taken Baton Rouge by storm over the last five years, as more tea shops than ever have been popping up around the city. In March 2020, Van Nguyen opened Boba Partea on O’Neal Lane. She wanted to make high-quality bubble tea drinks using authentic tea, fewer added sweeteners and unique drink toppings. Boba Partea sells hot and iced herbal fruit tea, milk tea, smoothies, coffee and sweet and savory baked goods. Fruit tea flavors include mango; peach; strawberry; passion fruit; rose garden; and pomegranate and strawberry. Creating your own bubble tea beverage is like making a custom dessert. Customers can choose the level of sweetness, the type of tea and the amount of ice their drink contains. Any drink can be paired with toppings that include everything from classic black tapioca pearls to heart-shaped strawberry sweetheart jelly, which tastes like bite-sized strawberry Jell-o. “Bubble tea has been trending in the United States lately, but has been popular in my country for decades,” Nguyen, a Vietnam native says. “You can mix boba with anything.” bobapartea.com

1. Real brewed herbal tea

Each bubble tea is made with brews like oolong, black, green and jasmine.

2. Non-dairy milk powder

Boba Partea uses this to give its milk teas a creamy, cow-free taste.

3. Tapioca pearls

Also known as boba or bubbles, these are made from tapioca starch, brown sugar

and hot water. They are chewy in texture and have a mild fragrant taste (depending on the amount of brown sugar) that complements the tea.

4. Sea salt milk foam

Tapioca isn’t the only topping available, as seen in the Brown Bubu with Sea Salt Milk Foam pictured here. Customers can transform their drinks with other toppings like mango bursting boba, brown sugar crystal boba, herbal jelly or egg pudding.

—CYNTHEA CORFAH

Just keep sipping

A few more shops to explore bubble tea in the Baton Rouge area

Arctic Bites arcticbites.business.site

Kitchen 16 & Yami yamidenhamsprings.com

Pandan Teahouse pandanteahouse.com

Sweet Society Find it on Facebook

Bao Vietnamese Kitchen baovietkitchen.com

Koi Sushi | Find it on Facebook

Paradise Smoothie paradisesmoothie.us

T&T Cafe | myttcafe.com

Exotic Sweets exoticsweetsbrla.com King Kong Milk Tea & Smoothie kingkongmilktea.com

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Kung Fu Tea | kungfutea.com Momo Tea | Find it on Facebook Nagoya Japanese Seafood Buffet nagoyabatonrougela.com

Prince Donuts & Geaux Boba Find it on Facebook Simply Pho & Tea simplyphotea.com

Teatery Tea & Tapioca teaterybr.com Vivi Bubble Tea vivibubbletea.com Zero Degrees zdlouisiana.square.site

Low-caffeine

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Drinks that are just as delicious as speciality coffee —but without all the caffeine

concoctions

CAFFEINE ISN’T FOR everyone. Whether it’s a personal preference or for health reasons, sometimes you just want a tasty drink that doesn’t give you the jitters or make you talk a mile a minute. Thankfully, coffee shops in Baton Rouge serve decaf, caffeine-free and low-caffeine beverages that are just as flavorful, layered and refreshing as gourmet coffee drinks. Tea beverages have just as large of a following as coffee lovers. That may be because of all of the benefits from tea—the natural antioxidants help with digestion, give you a natural energy boost and can speed up your metabolism. Here are some unique coffee-free drink offerings around town.

Reve Coffee Lab’s Red Reve Redemption

—CYNTHEA CORFAH

Reve Coffee Lab

Golden Days: This hot or iced drink tastes like a warm, cozy hug feels. The tea latte is made with honey, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, chili flakes and milk. Mood Tea: Let’s be real. Who doesn’t want to try one of those Instagram-worthy drinks? Here’s one for you. This interactive drink is made with lavender and pea flower iced tea and is served with a side of lemonade to pour into your drink. Like a science experiment, the drink changes color from blue to purple once the lemonade is added. Cool, right? Red Reve Redemption: Some drinks scream summertime, and this is one you’ll crave on those inevitable how-is-it-this-hot-in-October days. This red agua fresca is made with watermelon juice, cucumber, lime and mint mixed with sparkling Topo Chico mineral water and poured into a glass with a Tajin chili seasoning rim.

French Truck Coffee

Blue Eyes: Savor the floral and fruity taste of this refreshing hibiscus tea with notes of apple, orange, rosehip and blue cornflower petals. Decaf New Orleans Iced Coffee: Yes, you can get French Truck’s famous New Orleans iced coffee without bouncing off the walls. Order the decaf version brewed with chicory and mixed with sweetener and milk.

Light H ouse Coffee

Turmeric ginger lemonade: A good Arnold Palmer is both refreshing and tasty. This drink is just that—made with half turmeric ginger tea and half lemonade resulting in a citrusy and sweet, thirst-quenching experience.

Magpie Cafe

Decaf espresso: Do you love the coffee taste but not the caffeine that comes with it? No worries. Magpie Cafe offers a decaf espresso that can be paired with any latte or coffee drink. Superfood latte: Your afternoon pick-me-up doesn’t have to be filled with espresso. Get a superfood latte instead. These earthy drinks are made with mushroombased powders and supplements and combined with hot water and the milk of your choice. Flavors include beet, turmeric and chocolate.

The Vintage

Crimson Cooler: Stay cool with this hibiscus tea kept on ice. The fruity and light tea can be served hot or iced.

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Going global

INTERNATIONAL COFFEE FINDS IN BATON ROUGE

EVERY SIP OF coffee is a tether to the world’s great coffee cultivators, countries around the world with the perfect equatorial climate and soil conditions to grow beans. But there’s another way to enjoy coffee’s global reach, and that is to seek out its many different international preparations right here in Baton Rouge.

—MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

For Greek coffee, try: Zorba’s Greek Bistro

Owner Dinos Economides and his team prepare authentic Greek coffee by simmering finely ground medium roast imported Greek coffee in water. Once the coffee is brewed, it’s poured into a demitasse cup that’s “intended to be sipped, not shot,” Economides says. That’s because the fine grounds are meant to fall to the bottom of the cup. The restaurant also serves Mykonos coffee, which combines Greek coffee with spiced rum and cinnamon, and Athenian coffee, coffee and amaretto that’s topped with whipped cream. zorbasbistro.com

For Cuban coffee, try: Caribbean Joe’s Café

This hidden gem, located on the first floor of a Westfork Drive office building, takes Cuban coffee seriously. Owner Jake Boriel uses Café Bustelo to make Cuban espresso, prepared by pouring a tiny bit of coffee in an espresso cup, quickly stirring in sugar, then adding more coffee on top. “The effect creates a little bit of coffee foam on top,” he says. Boriel also prepares cortado, which he makes with equal parts Cuban espresso and cream, and café con leche, Cuban espresso combined with a generous pour of milk. Find it on Facebook

For Vietnamese coffee, try: Bao Vietnamese Kitchen

As Vietnamese eateries have thankfully grown in number around Baton Rouge, so have opportunities to sip Vietnamese coffee, an iced beverage with strong brewed French roast coffee and sweetened condensed milk. At Bao, this style of coffee is prepared by adding fine coffee grounds to a filter contraption that sits atop a glass, and has a built-in press for compacting the grounds. Boiling water is poured over the top, and brewed coffee slowly drips into the glass. After condensed milk is blended in, the mixture is poured into a separate glass filled with ice. baovietkitchen.com

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How climate change is reshaping coffee Reuters reported in August that while Brazil maintains its position as the biggest coffee producer in the world, it’s transitioning from the delicate and more expensive Arabica bean to what some would say is the less flavorful Robusta due to the effects of climate change. Robusta is a hardier bean that can handle the increase of temperatures and extreme weather conditions, and can be grown cheaply in flat terrain. Colombia, once a powerhouse in coffee production, has fallen behind other countries because of longer spells of dry weather in its growing regions.

Issue Date: OCT 2021 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. C O V • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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Autumn days are here at Greek coffee at Zorba’s Bistro

( Almost ) all coffee is international 40%

Share of the world’s coffee that’s produced in Brazil. Vietnam is in second place even though it’s a relative newcomer to the industry, having ramped up its production of Robusta coffee beans in recent years. Colombia and Indonesia have fought for third place, while Ethiopia, Honduras and India are also major players.

Biggest drinkers Finland is considered the biggest coffee consumer in the world, with Finnish people averaging 5-8 cups a day. In fact, most of its neighboring Scandinavian countries, like Norway, Sweden and Iceland, are also among the top consumers.

What about American-made? Hawaii is the only U.S. state where coffee growing is truly an industry. You’re likely to encounter “Kona” coffee that’s grown exclusively in the Kona region of the Big Island. Its light, sweet and fruity flavor profile is attributed to the volcanic soil of the slopes and frequent tropical rains.

Corporate Blvd at Jefferson • 225.925.2344 townecenteratcedarlodge.com • HEALTH • BEAUTY • DESIGNER SHOPPING HOME DECOR • GOURMET DINING • AND MORE 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

HASKELL WHITTINGTON

I N S I D E : A new thrift shop / Local watch brand

Mirror, mirror The newest wave of stylish restrooms inside Baton Rouge restaurants B Y J E N N IFE R TO R M O

SoLou’s customwallpapered restroom

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FILE PHOTO BY GABRIELLE FELD

Beausoleil Coastal Cuisine

Playa Bowls

Modesto Tacos Tequila Whiskey

STAFF PHOTO

MJ’s Café

STAFF PHOTO

Gov’t Taco

STAFF PHOTO

FILE PHOTO BY ARIANA ALLISON

STYLE //

THEATR

MANSHI

Season P

City Roots Coffee Bar

“YOU HAVE TO see the restroom.” It’s a refrain often overheard inside new restaurants these days. As restaurateurs deploy design as a way to tell their stories, their messages are carried through every element, from memorable menu typography to bespoke bathroom details. Spots like The Gregory and Overpass Merchant, which both opened in 2016, are decked out with sparkling chandeliers and gilded mirrors. Later came the famously wallpapered rooms at Soji: Modern Asian and Hayride Scandal. “Restaurants now are looking to create that big moment in multiple spaces in a restaurant. The bathroom is one of those places where we can have fun and introduce some color. You’ll see people taking selfies in there, so why not give a backdrop for that?” says Tiffanie Pitre, art director at Xdesign, Inc. Xdesign has done branding and design for restaurant clients around Baton Rouge, including SoLou, which opened this spring. SoLou, short for “South Louisiana,” is a complete celebration of the Capital Region, from the boudin- and seafood-studded menu items to the vintage maps of the Mississippi River above the dining tables. While Louisiana is the restaurant’s DNA, the design team also wanted to give diners an immersive escape. “We wanted to give people this experience where you don’t feel like you’re in this little restaurant off of Perkins Road,” Pitre says. “We had our theme, centering around magnolias and egrets. When someone gets up from their table, you want to ensure that experience continues.” For the restrooms, Xdesign senior graphic designer Simone Broussard translated some of the intricate, ornate illustration work she’d done for the restaurant into a custom wallpaper. White magnolias and majestic egrets glide over a deep teal background. “We were looking online for fun wallpapers and didn’t find anything that felt super SoLou, so that just opened the opportunity to create a custom wallpaper,” Broussard says. When Gov’t Taco opened last fall, Kenneth Brown Design interior designer Jake Loup similarly splashed themed “moments” all over the interior. The moody, sultry space’s subtle nods to the restaurant’s government conspiracy-theme are carried through the restrooms, with imagery of the moon landing and portraits of Marilyn Monroe and JFK carefully positioned on the walls. At healthy food restaurant Playa Bowls, the interior is painted with palm trees and pineapples. Step into the restroom to find the wavy arms of a giant painted octopus stretched across the wall. Even the floor is hand-painted to resemble waves crashing onto a sandy shoreline. And just like at SoLou, diners feel worlds away from Arlington Creek Center’s car-packed parking lot outside. thinkx.net

2 0 2 1- 2

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR OUR FIRST FEW SHOWS!

Philadanco! OCT 17, 2021 | 2 PM & 7 PM

The presentation of Philadanco was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Supported in part by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a Federal agency. This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, funded by the East Baton Rouge Mayor-President and Metro Council.

Chris Hillman

AN EVENING OF STORIES AND SONGS FEATURING HERB PEDERSON & JOHN JORGENSON

NOV 2, 2021 | 7:30 PM

Tab Benoit’s

SWAMPLAND JAM NOV 10, 2021 | 7:30 PM

Peabo Bryson

NOV 21, 2021 | 7:30 PM

M ANSH I PTH EATRE.ORG

•

(2 2 5) 34 4 - 0334 @MANSHIPTHEATRE

Supported in part by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a Federal agency. This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, funded by the East Baton Rouge Mayor-President and Metro Council.

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

STYLE //

Louisa Palmer opened Treasures Galore Thrift Store this spring, after she retired from teaching kindergarten for over 30 years.

TIME TO SHOP

Treasures Galore Thrift Store is at 5355 Government St. It is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

Issue Date: OCT 2021 Ad proof #1 STYLE //

S H O P TA L K

Heart of gold A retired teacher takes her love for helping others and opens a thrift store in Mid City

57 YEARS OF DOING WHAT WE DO BEST!

BY CYNTH E A COR FA H // P H OTOS B Y COLLIN R I C H I E

TREASURES GALORE THRIFT Store has the same warm and inviting energy you feel when walking through the door of your favorite aunt or grandma’s home. At the Mid City shop, there are complimentary snacks at the door, and the owner Louisa Palmer greets every customer with her sweet, Southern charm. Palmer opened the thrift store in March 2021 after she retired from teaching kindergarten for over 30 years. She’s a people person. She’s always enjoyed helping people in need, praying with others and sharing stories. Only a few weeks into retirement, she started selling gently used clothes from her closet at a flea market. She was doing so well at the market, she opened her own thrift store just a few months later. “I want to give thrifting a new look,” Palmer says. “I wanted to create a thrift store that didn’t feel like a thrift store. I want to help people by making shopping affordable, providing them with good service and a pleasurable experience.” Treasures Galore sells clothes for people of all ages. The clothing racks include men’s wear; women’s active, professional and casual attire; children’s clothing; and formal wear. There are high heels in every color and kitchenware of all kinds. The shop also sells small furniture, children’s toys, DVDs, books and household items. Sifting through the clothes on the rack, customers may stumble upon some fashion gems. Clothing brands

like Michael Kors, Lacoste and New York & Company are all commonly found at the shop. “Why not bless people with your so-called junk?” Palmer says. “Pass things on to the people who can use them.” Donations account for the majority of items sold at the Government Street shop. It accepts new and gently used items from the public. And Treasures Galore is not just a thrift store. Customers can also have shirts and mugs printed with custom designs and purchase Palmer’s educational card games for children. As a way to pay it forward to the community, Palmer gives away a cash card to one lucky shopper a month. Customers can also receive rewards throughout the week during shop events like Spin the Wheel Wednesdays, where shoppers can spin a wheel and receive discounts. In addition to managing her store, Palmer plans on starting a nonprofit called Homeless Help Mate Project. The organization will host weekly and monthly events to provide food and necessities like clothes and toiletries to homeless people. Purpose is woven throughout everything Palmer does. Over the years, she has used education and selling thrifted items as mediums to connect with people and reach out a helping hand. Though she may have retired from teaching, her purpose-driven lifestyle continues to blossom. treasuresgalore-thrift-store.business.site

Restaurant

ORDER YOUR HOLIDAY TURKEYS OR HAMS NOW!

8353 Airline Highway • 225-926-5977 17425 Airline Highway • 225-673-8876

franksrestaurantla.com Like us on

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

STYLE //

Time is of the essence

Richard Burnett Jr. started R. Burnett Brand in 2019.

By Zane Piontek

Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

HOMEMADE TREATS DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR

PHOTOS BY ANTIONE LACEY, VISIONARY BLESSINGS / COURTESY R. BURNETT BRAND

A local luxury watch brand is making sales across the country and getting nods from publications like ‘GQ’ when it came down to my next step,” IT WAS AN uncertain time for Burnett says. Richard Burnett Jr. So, the then-25-year-old Baton Before Burnett launched his luxury Rouge native diverted all his energy watch and lifestyle brand, R. Burnett to the fledgling R. Burnett Brand. At Brand, he was a high-profile sales that point, he says, it was the “only consultant for CarMax. As the top option.” salesman in the region, he traveled Today, R. Burnett Brand sells men’s frequently between locations to offer and women’s wooden watches crafted his services. He had income enough to in an array of distinctive styles from cover his expenses and then some. He materials like African sandalwood was comfortable. and ebony wood, all of which Burnett A business-minded individual from designs himself. an early age, Burnett says financial The brand also sells T-shirts, stability had always been a priority. hoodies, and stainless steel and So, when he was fired from his zebra wood bracelets. The watches position at CarMax in August 2019, he are sold online and in retail stores in fell into a crisis—not just for himself, Alexandria and Monroe. but for his family, as well. Issue 2021 Ad proof #2Now, the brand is a hit, with “I hadDate: to haveOCT a choice between • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. mentions inhours GQ, Tatler and Hinton sinking for glory • AD WILL and RUN ASswimming IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre and Manship Theatre at Shaw Center for the Arts present:

October 17 2 & 7 PM Manship Theatre at Shaw Center for the Arts Tickets: 225-344-0334 Manshiptheatre.org

Philadanco!

Photo by Julieanne Harris

FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $45 | FREE LOCAL DELIVERY

225-306-8784 | MACANDETHELS.COM |

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

Breaking barriers since 1970 with performers of “virtuosos physicality”

STYLE //

HURRICANE RELIEF

“I never wanted anybody to feel sold to, I want them to feel like this is a part of (their) lifestyle.”

So sweet Following Hurricane Ida, Sweet Baton Rouge, the Power Pump Girls and Electric Depot partnered for a month-long donation drive. They brought vans full of water, canned goods, diapers, bath products and other supplies to LaPlace and other affected southeast Louisiana communities. sweetbatonrouge.com and powerpumpgirls.org

magazines and has made sales across the country. Burnett says the strength of the company’s brand identity has been just as instrumental in its success as the quality of its products. He’s taken great care in designing the company as a lifestyle brand; he doesn’t just want people to buy the watches because they’re good watches, but because they represent a brand the customer can be proud to represent. “I never wanted anybody to feel sold to,” he says. “I want them to feel like this is a part of (their) lifestyle.” In just two years, Burnett has experienced a dizzying ascent from joblessness and desperation to owning and operating a successful company—and better yet, one that embodies his ideals of innovation, forward thinking and, of course, style. “Everything,” he says, “is pretty much surreal to me.” rburnettbrand.com

$50,000 Amount raised by Mimosa Handcrafted for the Helio Foundation’s relief efforts in Houma. All proceeds of $25 purchases of the brand’s “I love you” pendant on cotton cord went toward the fundraiser. mimosahandcrafted.com

SALE ALERT The annual Baton Rouge Boutique Blowout Sale returns Sunday, Oct. 10. More than 20 local boutiques will set up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Crowne Plaza for the free event organized by the Southern Flair Blog. Brands like Wanderlust By Abby, Moxi and Blush & Rouge will offer discounts on apparel, accessories, shoes and more. southernflairblog.com

REFRESH. RESTORE. REPEAT. JUST CALL THE MAIDS. ®

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

$50 OFF GOOD TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF YOUR FIRST CLEAN

No cash value. New customers only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Offer Code: AD50 Limited Time Offer.

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

Call today to schedule your first clean.

22-STEP CLEANING PROCESS

PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED TEAM OF EXPERTS

225-755-8383 | MAIDS.com 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

COVID-19 VACCINE AVAILABLE STATE-WIDE FOR AGES 12+ COVID-19 variants are circulating in Louisiana, including the more contagious Delta variant. The vaccine still protects your children and families from the more contagious Delta variant, so students 12+ can head back to school with conﬁdence.

Call 855-453-0774 or visit COVIDVACCINE.LA.GOV for more information

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SPONSORED BY:

The back-to-school experience continues to be a challenge for parents and teachers due to COVID-19, but capital area schools are doing everything possible to make sure students have a safe and productive year. In these pages, they share not just important dates and details, but what makes them unique, how they have adjusted their learning styles, and what families can expect in the coming year.

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

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AND WE CANNOT LIE.

P R I VAT E TUTORING ACT® TEST PREP

WRITING WORKSHOPS

C O O L W O R K S PA C E S L O C AT E D I N P E R K I N S R O W E

J O I N T H E C L U B AT S T U D Y V I L L E . C O M

(225) 408-4553 | INFO@STUDYVILLE.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF BATON ROUGE To nurture and develop the whole child—spiritually, intellectually, morally, physically, and artistically

10:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

942

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1965

YEAR FOUNDED

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL, OR DISTINGUISHES IT FROM OTHERS? Episcopal takes a personalized approach to education with small class sizes, knowledgeable staff, and tailored education plans in which students progress through concepts at their own pace. School counselors meet students’ emotional, psychosocial and academic needs, and those with learning differences receive classroom accommodations, counseling support and assistive technology programs.

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE COVID-19? Episcopal is committed to the health and wellness of the community. Our students,

GRADES SERVED PRE K3-12

Open House OCTOBER 14 MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOLS: 4:30-6:30 PM OCTOBER 21 LOWER SCHOOL: 8:30-10:30 AM

faculty and staff are tremendously resilient and have worked together to mitigate the risk of illness. We monitor and adhere to the latest federal, state and local guidelines regarding the pandemic and prioritize in-person learning.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AT YOUR SCHOOL? For more than 50 years, parents have entrusted us with their children’s education. Students are empowered to pursue their interests with 90% arts participation and 80% athletic participation. We are a Newsweek Top 500 STEM High School and the area’s 2021 Best Private K-12 school, according to Niche.com. We offer challenging academic and co-curricular programs that prepare our graduates for college and for purposeful lives.

3200 Woodland Ridge Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70816 225.753.3180 episcopalbr.org

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #4 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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BASIS BATON ROUGE – MATERRA CAMPUS Empowering students to achieve at globally competitive levels with a transformative academic program

GRADES SERVED K-7

2018

YEAR FOUNDED

16:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

744

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

Admission

YEAR ROUND ENROLLMENT

Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #4

WHAT MAKES YOUR SCHOOL UNIQUE?

Tuition-free K-12 BASIS Charter Schools rank among the best in the nation. Our subject experts tap into the STEM-inspired, liberal arts BASIS Charter School curriculum, to educate students at the highest international levels and prepare them to excel in college and compete in a global workforce. We embrace a diverse school community that’s represented by many backgrounds and perspectives.

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU EXPERIENCED DUE TO COVID-19?

Our curriculum is a rigorous, accelerated curriculum that is best experienced live. But due to COVID-19, our expert teachers used technology, creativity, and deep content knowledge to adapt lessons for online delivery during the school year. Please read our COVID Mitigation Plan: https://bit. ly/3Ekgg7e

7550 McCall Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70817 225.308.7450 • basised.com/baton-rouge

BASIS BATON ROUGE PRIMARY – MID CITY CAMPUS Empowering students to achieve at globally competitive levels with a transformative academic program

GRADES SERVED K-4

2021

YEAR FOUNDED

15:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

331

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

Admission

YEAR ROUND ENROLLMENT

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

WHAT MAKES YOUR SCHOOL UNIQUE?

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU EXPERIENCED DUE TO COVID-19?

7921 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70806 225.347.0209 basised.com/baton-rouge-mid-city

SPONSORED BY:

GLASSES MAY NOT BE ENOUGH:

HOW YOUR CHILD’S VISION BE COULD BE HURTING THEIR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

he most common cause of visual impairment in children between 5 and 15 years of age is myopia, and it increases the risk of eye diseases as they age. If left uncorrected, myopia can have a significant impact on school performance. Once children are old enough to start reading, prev-alence in myopia tends to increase dramatically. Often called “short-sighted’’ or “near-sightedness”, a person with myopia can see clearly up close—when reading a book or looking at a phone— but words and objects look fuzzy on a blackboard, on television or when driving. There have been a multitude of studies showing the impact on quality of life in patients of all ages. Severely myopic children who have visual symp-toms like tired eyes and headaches often tend to have lower self-esteem. Adolescents with myopia also tend to experience a higher level of anxiety. Dr. Reshma Amin is a local expert. A Baton Rouge native and graduate from Baton Rouge Mag-net High School, Dr. Amin received her BS in Microbiology from LSU, then received her doc-torate in Optometry from the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, IL. Dr. Amin returned home and has been serving the Baton Rouge community and proudly opened her own private practice called TRIO Eyecare in 2019. “Spending more time doing close work such as reading, playing computer games, drawing or using smart phones and tablets has been linked to

development of myopia,” Dr. Amin says. “These days, even toddlers use electronic handheld devices, resulting in an increase in expo-sure to close work at a younger age leading to more myopic children.” In younger children, myopia can progress at an alarming rate because their eyes are growing faster, leading to higher levels of myopia, stronger glasses and more eye health risks: • Retinal Detachments when the light sensitive ‘film’ lining the back of the eye pulls away from its base, causing distorted vision or blindness depending on its location • Glaucoma, causing increased pressure in the eye which damages peripheral vision • Cataracts: a cloudy window in the middle of the eye, like looking through a foggy windscreen • Myopic maculopathy (MM), also known as myopic macular degeneration, is the most serious, irreversible, vision-threatening complication and the leading cause of bilateral visual impairment and blindness. Smart phones are great, but too much screen time can increase the risk of eye damage and diseases in adulthood. Harmful blue light emitted from tablets and phones can damage long-term eye health and affect sleep. While there are no set guidelines yet on how much to limit a child’s overall time spent on screens, Dr. Amin recommends screen time outside of school work be limited to one hour daily and should be avoided close to bedtime.

GLASSES ARE ONLY PART OF THE SOLUTION.

DR. AMIN GIVES A FEW WAYS TO SLOW MYOPIC PROGRESSION:

1 2

3 4

GET OUTSIDE. The odds of developing myopia is reduced by 2% per additional hour of time spent outdoors per week. “Outdoor sports and playing at least 90 minutes a day can reduce the risk of myopia, and looking at your tablet or phone when you’re outside doesn’t count!” Yearly or bi-yearly visits to the eye doctor can help catch early signs of myopia before it fully develops can help slow its onset and progression. Children should not spend more than three hours a day— in addition to school time—on close work such as reading, homework or screen-time. When using a computer, ensure it is properly positioned and avoid eye strain by applying the 20-20-20 rule: look 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. Blue Blocking glasses are preferred at all times while looking at any screen.

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #1 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

THE BRIGHTON SCHOOL WHAT DISTINGUISHES YOUR SCHOOL FROM OTHERS?

Preparing students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences to succeed

GRADES SERVED 1-12

1972

YEAR FOUNDED

STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO VARIES BY GRADE LEVEL

180

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

Admission

ONGOING ENROLLMENT AND WALK-THROUGH WEDNESDAYS Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #2

Our academics are taught through a multi-sensory approach. Social-emotional development is nurtured and developed with ample opportunities for practice. Brighton’s daily language therapy programs are Orton-Gillingham based and taught by highly trained instructors. Our faculty helps students strengthen their executive function skills, which extend beyond the classroom.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AT YOUR SCHOOL?

Brighton celebrates the learning differences of our students. We teach them that they are not defined by their difference, but rather given a gift that makes them unique and creative. Our faculty revitalizes the learning experience for students who have been misunderstood or under-served before attending Brighton.

12108 Parkmeadow Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70816 225.291.2524 • thebrightonschool.org

WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL A safe and supportive environment that fosters opportunities for all students to achieve academic success and grow intellectually, socially and philanthropically

GRADES SERVED 9-12

1949 YEAR FOUNDED

26:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

+ 1,400 TOTAL ENROLLMENT

Open House OCTOBER 7

Admission

OPEN ENROLLMENT (TRADITIONAL) OPEN ENROLLMENT WITH APPROVAL (GIFTED, TALENTED, GREAT SCHOLARS ACADEMY) OCTOBER 4-DECEMBER 3 (MAGNET)

WHAT DISTINGUISHES YOUR SCHOOL FROM OTHERS?

WHS is an all-inclusive school that features specialized academic and arts programs, including Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, Academically Gifted, Great Scholars Academy, Magnet, Talented Music, Talented Theatre, and Talented Visual Arts. WHS also offers a learning environment for English Language Learners and special education students to succeed.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AT YOUR SCHOOL?

WHS is committed to the development of the whole child with opportunities in academic, athletic and art-related programs. All students have access to a college-prep pathway through advanced coursework, can pursue industrybased certifications through specialized programs, and are encouraged to join athletic teams, service clubs, and student organizations.

15755 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70817 225.753.1200 • woodlawnhighbr.org

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

HEART OF THE PARK. S O U L O F T H E C O M M U N I T Y. THE REIMAGINED BATON ROUGE ZOO & GREENWOOD COMMUNITY PARK Phase 1

The Master Plan vision for BREC’s Greenwood Community Park and the Baton Rouge Zoo is focused on creating a one-of-a-kind, world class destination for the entire Parish and larger region! Phase 1 focuses on the core of the master plan’s vision - heart of the park and the new zoo entry experience.

• New main Zoo entrance + plaza featuring:

A “Green” Parking Lot, Cypress Bayou Promenade

• New Giraffe exhibit + feeding platform for guests of all ages • New Underwater Pygmy Hippo exhibit • First phase of Adventure + Nature Playground SCAN HERE

TO SEE THE REIMAGINATION! 66

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #1

600

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1984

YEAR FOUNDED

GRADES SERVED 9-12

Open House OCTOBER 27

from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

We praise God, love, grow and share our Christian faith by providing an “Education Anchored in Christ”

The ideal environment for students to achieve their full potential

21:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions.

ADGWILL ASO IS N unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S •I N S ERUN C TI

ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL HIGH SCHOOL WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL? St. Michael is a co-educational, college preparatory school for students who are seeking a traditional, comprehensive Catholic education. With a passionate, experienced faculty and a rich and challenging curriculum, students are given the opportunity to recognize and develop their God-given talents.

17521 Monitor Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70817 225.753.9782 • smhsbr.org

15:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1957

YEAR FOUNDED

GRADES SERVED K-8

Open House OCTOBER 21 JANUARY 20, 2022

TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL? We are Anchored in Christ—cultivating a culture of grace • Anchored in Academics— inspiring a lifelong love of learning • Anchored in Character—developing leadership and good character in students • Anchored in Service—building community • and Anchored in Diversity—sharing hope with students of all backgrounds.

15160 S. Harrell’s Ferry Road Baton Rouge, LA 70816 225.272.1288 • trinitylutheranschoolbr.org

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

Dedicated Kids Floor at The Grove Ochsner Medical Complex – The Grove is opening a one-stop pediatric super-clinic. The top floor will be dedicated to kids - with 30+ pediatricians and pediatric specialists separated by feet, not traffic.

Excellence meets convenience at The Grove. Learn more about our pediatric services at ochsner.org/forkids

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PARKVIEW BAPTIST SCHOOL

A Christ-centered, college preparatory education that guides students to grow and mature in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man

15:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

1132

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1981

YEAR FOUNDED

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL, OR DISTINGUISHES IT FROM OTHERS? Parkview’s devotion to a curriculum balanced in abundant life, academics, arts and athletics in a Christ centered community provides an exceptional environment for each student to reach their full potential. We also offer a flexible, individualized learning program for students in high commitment athletic or artistic endeavors.

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE COVID-19? We have learned how to have as much normalcy for students as possible while using a variety of age-appropriate strategies to protect

GRADES SERVED PRE K-12

Open House OCTOBER 12, NOVEMBER 9, JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 8, MARCH 8

our students and faculty. Our faculty has met the challenge of providing both virtual and in-person learning through extensive training, professional development, and creativity.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AT YOUR SCHOOL? We continually prepare students for an everchanging world. Through an inspiring and faithful community we call family, we build upon a proven academic program and collaborative environment meant to identify, nurture, and accelerate individual talents both in and out of the classroom. Our unique approach to learning goes well beyond the classroom, designed to build character, instill faith, develop relationships, recognize responsibility, and shape the entire student.

5750 Parkview Church Road Baton Rouge, LA 70816 225.291.2500 parkviewbaptist.com

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

SACRED HEART OF JESUS SCHOOL Steeped in Catholic tradition, Sacred Heart of Jesus School is a diverse community dedicated to educating the mind, body, and spirit

GRADES SERVED PRE K4-8

1929

YEAR FOUNDED

10:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

205

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

Admissions

CALL TO SCHEDULE YOUR PRIVATE TOUR

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL?

The historic campus of Sacred Heart of Jesus School situated in the heart of Baton Rouge is welcoming and beautiful. Sacred Heart provides a holistic approach to the development of each child’s potential. Our newly renovated classrooms add a modern touch to our traditional campus.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR?

Sacred Heart prides itself on a caring, nurturing, faith-filled learning environment, and close-knit community. Teachers value reaching each child by creating an individualized learning experience, and our school counselor is implementing a social emotional learning curriculum. Students attend Mass weekly and live their faith daily to discover their Catholic identity.

Knock Knock_FT&PD - Halfpage Ad_Final for Print.pdf

CMY

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

9/12/21

5:43 PM

2251 Main St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 225.383.7481 • sacredheartbr.com

PEC I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER •SANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2021. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

HEALTHCARE SERVICES

right around the corner.

SERVICES

Medical • Dental • Behavioral Health • Pediatrics • WIC Podiatry • OBGYN • HIV/AIDS • COVID-19 Vaccines/Testing

BATON ROUG E | Z AC HAR Y | P L AQ U E MIN E | DO N AL D S ONV I L L E

225.650.2000 | WWW.CARESOUTH.ORG 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

PEC I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER •SANY TYPOS

Come Home

to the

“I live in my own little world. But it’s ok, they know me here.”

Program!

–Lauren Myracle

Gifted and Talented Programs are as unique and extraordinary as your child. We are trained to nurture your child’s specific gifts. THE GIFTED PROGRAM is an educational program for students identified as gifted in grades Pre-K-12 and enrolled in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. Pre-school candidates must be between the ages of 3 and 5. Classes provide a

Characteristics of Gifted Children:

Learns rapidly/easily • Reads extensively/has an advanced vocabulary Retains a large quantity of information • Is curious about a variety of interests Works independently • Has a good sense of humor • Is self-motivated Comprehends and recognizes relationships • Is a high academic achiever Demonstrates task commitment • Likes difficult and/or challenging activities Exhibits a long attention span concerning personal interests • Thinks creatively

high degree of complexity and extend beyond the prescribed curriculum offered in regular classes. Classes are taught by teachers certified in Gifted Education and have a reduced class size in order to individualize each student’s educational program.

Characteristics of a talented student:

Exceptional ability in Art, Music, and/or Theatre • Intense appreciation of Art, Music and/or Theatre Ability to demonstrate feelings and emotions through the arts Self-motivation and intense power of concentration. • Total absorption and enjoyment in artistic performance Sensitivity, intuitiveness, responding emotionally to people, events, and art forms Highly critical of his/her own work but can learn to accept his/her strengths and weaknesses as an artist Ability to think on his/her feet and improvise with common place materials Energetic and impulsive, he/she may become turned off if not given the time and freedom to express himself /herself

We Have Over 40 Years of Serving the Gifted Child:

Flexibility is Important • Every Student is Unique • Exceptional Teachers Develop Exceptional Students • Advocates are Important

Does your child need these services? Contact the Gifted & Talented Office at: 225-929-8642 ○ gifted@ebrschools.org ○ www.ebrschools.org/gt 72

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE DUNHAM SCHOOL

Educating the mind and the heart for Christ through excellence in academics, arts and athletics

8:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

782

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1981

YEAR FOUNDED

GRADES SERVED PK2-12

Open House OCTOBER 29 FEBRUARY 4 PRE K/K PLAY DAYS: SEPTEMBER 24 OCTOBER 22

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL, OR DISTINGUISHES IT FROM OTHERS?

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE COVID-19?

Dunham focuses on the individual student while delivering an academic program that includes STEM, robotics, coding, and virtual reality. Harkness—a robust discussion-based methodology applied across humanities courses— prepares students to communicate effectively as they share ideas and perspectives. A seven-time Apple Distinguished School, Dunham integrates technology across the curriculum.

Health and safety protocols developed in partnership with Ochsner Medical have enabled The Dunham School to remain open in a face-to-face learning environment. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the highquality Christian education and strong sense of community that are hallmarks of the Dunham experience have remained constant.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AT YOUR SCHOOL? Dunham students thrive in an environment where they are known and prayed for by talented teachers and coaches. In addition to academic, arts, and athletic programs, Dunham offers numerous extracurricular opportunities for students to explore interests and stay connected with peers. Small classes provide greater academic engagement and achievement.

11111 Roy Emerson Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70810 225.767.7097 dunhamschool.org

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

GREATER BATON ROUGE HOPE ACADEMY Taking children on a journey from struggle and self-doubt to success

6:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

100

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

2007

YEAR FOUNDED

GRADES SERVED K-12

360° Virtual Tour

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL, OR DISTINGUISHES IT FROM OTHERS?

students who need more support, a Life Skills Lab and an ABA clinic are provided on-site.

HOW IS INFORMATION COMMUNICATED TO PARENTS?

Hope Academy’s curriculum fits the child rather than forcing the child to fit the curriculum. A K-12 diploma program and individualized special education classes provide integrated technology with STEAM and robotics.

Hope Academy communicates with parents by website, social media, RenWeb and face-to-face at carpool drop-off and pick-up.

DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR PHILOSOPHY OR APPROACH TO TEACHING?

WHAT TYPE OF EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS DO YOU OFFER?

Hope Academy understands and accepts a student’s individual challenges, focusing on the student’s strengths and capabilities instead. Learning strategies are implemented to enhance and enrich students’ lives. For

Opportunities for intramural sports competitions, parade participation, and school dances enhance a student’s social growth … one component of educating the whole child. Year-round media camps when there are breaks in the calendar school year are available for students to progress in Photoshop, Illustrator, coding, 3D skills, game making/playing and socialization.

15333 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70817 225.293.0141 hopeacademybr.org

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OUR LADY OF MERCY SCHOOL Foundations for a life of prayer, knowledge and service

GRADES SERVED 3Y-8

1953

YEAR FOUNDED

9:1 (3-YR); 10:1 (PK-1); 25-1 (2-8) STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

968

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

Open House NOVEMBER 17

Admission

Issue Date: OCT 2021 Ad proof #3 NOVEMBER 29-JANUARY 18, 2022

WHAT DISTINGUISHES YOUR SCHOOL FROM OTHERS?

At Our Lady of Mercy, we are committed to smaller class sizes of 25 students or less in grades 3Y through 8th grade. We emphasize the study of the arts and we work with students who are in need of accommodations.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AT YOUR SCHOOL?

Mercy’s goal is to teach the whole child academically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally. Our Pastor, Father Cleo Milano, instructs new Mercy families that we care about “getting our children not only into Harvard but most importantly into Heaven.” We are about more than just information; we are about transformation. Issue Date:

400 Marquette Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70806 225.924.1054 • olomschool.org

October 2021 Ad proof #1

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS

Higher Minds of Education

Empowering students to become innovative thinkers, creative problem solvers, and inspired leaders

How does Higher Minds of Education impact the community? We provide families, schools and community

“

organizations with information to help their students excel in college and/or the workforce. With scholarship and financial aid assistance, we ensure students have access to funding which will aid them in making their dreams come true.

Don’t slip through the cracks of education …

excel.”

225-627-3009 • www.hmofed.com

20:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

240

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

2014

YEAR FOUNDED

GRADES SERVED K-8

Admission YEAR ROUND ENROLLMENT

IBERVILLE CHARTER ACADEMY WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR? Iberville Charter Academy is a welcoming, supportive environment where children thrive. We know the importance of balancing a highquality education with extracurricular activities like athletics and the arts. We cultivate the whole child and help develop confidence and leadership skills in all of our students.

24360 Enterprise Blvd. Plaquemine, LA 70764 225.238.7346 • ibervillecharter.org

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Central 225 2021 ad_Layout 1 9/13/2021 1:50 PM Page 1

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

CENTRAL SC H O O L SYST E M Providing a World-Class Education for All The Central Community School System is investing in excellence to ensure every student receives a world-class education. World-Class Academics • Multiple High School Pathway Opportunities: Health Sciences, LSU Engineering, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Hospitality & Culinary, and Business • All High School Graduates receive credits toward a college degree or a high-wage/high-demand industry-based certification • Numerous gifted and talented programs offered • K-12 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programming integrated into learning World-Class Facilities • Multi-million dollar upgrades at Tanglewood Elementary School and Central High School • Athletic improvements in newly turfed Wildcat Stadium: new entrance and concessions • New baseball turf, new track, and new athletic locker rooms

CENTRAL S C H O O L SYST E M

www.centralcss.org 76

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

Tanglewood Elementary Rendering (Background)

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ST. THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC SCHOOL Continuing a legacy of excellence in religious and academic education in a nurturing environment that fosters self-discipline

20:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

668

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1960

YEAR FOUNDED

GRADES SERVED PRE K3-8

Admission ENROLLMENT FEBRUARY TO MAY

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL, OR DISTINGUISHES IT FROM OTHERS? We offer leveled math and language arts classes in 1st through 4th grades. We can enhance or remediate the curriculum as needed to fit a child’s academic needs. In 5th grade, students can move into an honors track and can earn high school math and/or English Carnegie units.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AT YOUR SCHOOL? We believe in a well-rounded education, which sets the foundation for success, and in an academic focus, which teaches key concepts promoting success in school and in life. Partnering academics with athletics, co-curricular activities and fine arts is vital in helping students recognize their strengths and interests. Prayer is a significant part of the day along with special religious experiences that help students develop a deeper understanding and love of their faith. The vehicles of prayer, religion curriculum and paraliturgy experiences form the overall climate of the school.

11400 Sherbrook Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70815 225.275.2820 stmbr.org

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

BECOME A PART OF THIS LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY

Apply today at latech.edu/apply

SAFEST COLLEGE IN LOUISIANA SAFESTREETS

#2 PUBLIC

UNIVERSITIES IN LOUISIANA U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

QUICKEST TIME TO DEGREE COMPLETION IN LOUISIANA

ONE OF LOUISIANA’S BEST EDUCATIONAL VALUES FORBES

MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOL — 8 YEARS STRAIGHT VICTORY MEDIA

Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #1

Inspiring students to lead lives of purpose, faith and integrity

ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL 8:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

220

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1957

YEAR FOUNDED

GRADES SERVED PRE K3-8

Admission YEAR ROUND ENROLLMENT

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions.

ADGWILL ASO IS N unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S •I N S ERUN C TI

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL, OR DISTINGUISHES IT FROM OTHERS? St. Luke’s is the only K-8 model Episcopal school in Baton Rouge. Our passionate faculty identify and respond to the learning styles of our students, who are encouraged to be themselves and find confidence both in and out of the classroom. We provide continuous academic, social, spiritual, and physical opportunities that prepare them to live lives of meaning and fulfillment.

from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

A positive, diverse, student-focused environment that provides a high-quality education that meets the needs of the whole child

20:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

800

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

2015

YEAR FOUNDED

GRADES SERVED PRE K-8

8833 Goodwood Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70806 225.927.8601 • stlukesbrschool.org

Admission YEAR ROUND ENROLLMENT

SOUTH BATON ROUGE CHARTER ACADEMY WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR? We enable students to explore their creativity and build their confidence while gaining a solid, wellrounded education. We offer vibrant arts, STEM, and dual-language programs, and the opportunity to earn high school credits. We continually engage students to apply what they have learned in a collaborative classroom setting.

9211 Parkway Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70810 225.349.7489 • sbrcharter.org

COME EXPERIENCE

2021

Tour campus with Student Ambassadors.

OPEN HOUSE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2021

For Girls in Grades 7-8 and Their Parents We can’t wait to see you! Socially distanced tours offered between 4 and 6:30 p.m.

Visit with teachers and administrators.

Learn all about what makes the Academy so special.

Please note that you must register for a specific tour time. Reserve your time at visitsja.org. Questions? Our Admissions Team is ready to help. admissions@sjabr.org or (225) 388-2243 Founded in 1868 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. St. Joseph’s Academy has a non-discriminatory admissions policy. 1991 • 1996 • 2002 • 2016

3015 Broussard Street | Baton Rouge, LA 70808 (225) 383-7207 | www.sjabr.org

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BATON ROUGE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Individualized, multilingual approach to education that provides students with meaningful academic and cultural experiences to prepare them for success in an increasingly global world

3:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

235

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1999

YEAR FOUNDED

WHAT DISTINGUISHES YOUR SCHOOL FROM OTHERS? As an IB World School and part of ISP, our students benefit from being part of a wider international community, which provides many additional learning and cultural opportunities. Students receive an authentic global learning experience within a diverse community of educators from all over the globe. No prior language experience is required.

WHAT ARE SOME CHANGES OR CHALLENGES YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE COVID-19? We prioritize safe in-person learning. We believe that our students learn best and are

better emotionally supported if they are in the classroom, even if they are wearing masks and socially distanced. Our class sizes are small and we have implemented enhanced cleaning protocols and take full advantage of our beautiful 18-acre campus.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR? Being a student at BRIS is about so much more than languages. A BRIS education involves international learning opportunities (virtual), award-winning robotics and chess teams, visual and performing arts, athletics, and other extracurricular activities that empower students to follow their unique passions and explore new and exciting paths.

GRADES SERVED INFANTS (6 WEEKS) GRADE 12

Admission YEAR-ROUND ROLLING ADMISSION. WEEKDAY PRIVATE TOURS OF THE 18-ACRE CAMPUS

5015 Auto Plex Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225.293.4338 brintl.com

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S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

90 18

% of students receive financial aid months to complete BSN (Full time status, after prerequisites)

5 8

years combined faculty nursing and education experience routes to RN licensure: • •

Pre-licensure BSN LPN Advanced Placement BSN

Interested in being a registered nurse Apply for Fall 2022 by february 15th DISCOVER OUR 100% ONLINE & HYBRID PROGRAMS TO HELP YOU REACH YOUR HEALTHCARE CAREER GOALS. Health information management

Health Administration & Education

The best-kept secret in healthcare, HIM combines business, biomedical science, and information technology principles into the management of healthcare data and information resources.

Associate-level practitioners are prepared for roles as educators, leaders, and managers in a variety of healthcare settings. Advance to higher degrees in education, business, and administration.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE * • 100% online • Annual Fall admission • Earn your RHIA in 18 months! • CAHIIM-accredited program

Bachelor of Science* Master of Science* PhD †

Small campus.

School of Nursing Advance your nursing degree and prepare to educate and lead new generations of nurses. RN to BSN* Master of Science - Nursing Education * Post-Masters Program - Nursing Education* PhD - Nursing Education & Administration † DNP to PhD - Nursing Education † *100% online program † Hybrid program (Meets 4X annually)

Big opportunities!

batonrouge@wmcarey.edu

(225) 953 - 7017

www.wmcarey.edu

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

Put their little hands in the hands of our experts.

Children’s Hospital New Orleans brings a world of expertise to make sure your little ones have everything they need to get back to being happy and healthy kids again. From ENT to Dermatology and Cardiology to Orthopedics, Children’s Hospital New Orleans offers unmatched pediatric expertise, sized just for kids in Baton Rouge and beyond.

Specialty Care Baton Rouge

Learn more at chnola.org/BatonRouge

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

This Month [ O C T O B E R ]

@ BREC BREW AT THE ZOO BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Oct. 1 | 7 p.m. (6 p.m. with VIP ticket)

ART UNWINED: HANAMI Milton J. Womack Park Oct. 1 | 6:30-8:30 p.m.

NEIGHBORHOOD MOVIE IN THE PARK

North Sherwood Forest Community Park Oct. 1 Mayfair Park Oct. 7 Anna T. Jordan Community Park Oct. 8

GEAUX FISH CATFISH RODEO

Zachary Community Park Oct. 16 | 7:30 a.m.-noon

“BOO”VIE : MOVIE IN THE PARK

Zachary Community Park Oct. 16 Howell Community Park Oct. 30

5-8:30 p.m. | Movie begins at dusk

CAMP-IN’

E-SPORTS TOURNAMENT: MADDEN NFL 22 Red Oaks Park Oct. 23 | noon

JR. CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF TOURNAMENT

Beaver Creek Golf Course Oct. 23

JACK-EAUX-LANTERNS

Zachary Community Park Oct. 25 Greenwood Community Park Oct. 27

North Sherwood Forest Community Park

4:30-6:30 p.m.

Oct. 8 + 15 + 22 | 6 p.m.

SPOOKY SPECTRUM

Milford Wampold Memorial Park

HOOPER HALLOWEEN TRAIL RUN Hooper Road Park

Oct. 16 | 6-10 p.m.

SWAMP HAUNTED HIKES

Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center

Oct. 9 | 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

MOVIE IN THE PARK: ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Greenwood Community Park Oct. 9 | 8-10 p.m.

TEEN POP UP & UNPLUG Zachary Community Park Oct. 9 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

SATURDAY MORNING STUDIO: THE COLORS OF KENTE Milton J. Womack Park Oct. 9 | 10:30 a.m.-noon

SUNSHINE SOCIAL: CAST A SPELL

Milton J. Womack Park Oct. 15 | 6-9 p.m.

Oct. 16 | 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Highland Road Park Observatory

BOO AT THE ZOO BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Oct. 16 + 17 + 23 + 24 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. | Grounds close at 5 p.m.

GLOBAL COMMUNITY DAY

Highland Road Community Park Oct. 17 | 1-6 p.m.

PUMPKIN PADDLE PARADE

Oct. 28 | 5:30 - 7 p.m.

FULL MOON FETE + TRUNK AND TREAT Forest Community Park Oct. 29 | 4 p.m.

US LACROSSE TRYLAX CLINIC Kathy Drive Park

Oct. 30 | 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

TRICK & TREAT: ART UNLEASHED

Forest Community Park Oct. 22 | 5-9 p.m.

GREAT FAMILY CAMP OUT Forest Community Park Oct. 23 + 24 | 3 p.m. - 10 a.m.

BREC.ORg/thismonth BREC does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, veteran status or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.

Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #3 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL Committed to developing each child’s unique gifts by providing a strong foundation of academic excellence and spiritual formation

GRADES SERVED 18 MO.-GRADE 5

1948

YEAR FOUNDED

7:1 STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

280

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

Admission

ROLLING ADMISSION WITH PRIORITY ADMISSION FOR APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY DECEMBER. PRIVATE TOURS DAILY

WHAT DISTINGUISHES YOUR SCHOOL FROM OTHERS?

St. James is steeped in a rich legacy of academic excellence and spiritual growth. Our traditions, new and old, help make our community second to none. From Gingerbread Day to Carnival to Easter Egg Hunts at the Old State Capitol, St. James traditions create an air of excitement all year long.

WHAT ARE SOME CHANGES OR CHALLENGES YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE COVID-19?

St. James has prioritized safe, in-person learning for all of our students. Using practices such as mask wearing and social distancing, we have continued to provide high-quality learning in a kind and loving environment.

445 Convention St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 225.344.0805 • stjameseds.org

Begin with big dreams. Finish Stronger at Southern University.

Apply today at subr.edu #WeAreSouthern 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

S P E C I A L A DV E RTI S I N G S E C TI O N

Our Future Is Healthier with

Jacob LeBas, MD Pediatrician

Lane Pediatrics is here to help you with the most important job in life – raising your children.

Lacey Clark, D.O. Pediatrician

Same Day Appointments Available! Call 225-658-4070

At Lane Pediatrics, our team is experienced in caring for newborns, toddlers, children and teens. From wellness checks and immunizations, to diagnosing and treating childhood illnesses including the sudden onset of viral or bacterial infections, we provide high quality care your children need and deserve. Issue OCTLane Ad Pediatrics proof #1 to make their future healthier! YouDate: can trust

6110 Main Street, Suite B LaneRMC.org

Let us make it simple for you to work from home!

Iberville Parish School System The Iberville Parish School System promises to

Invigorate our community by serving each student through Innovative practices that Inspire them to graduate prepared for their chosen future.

➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢

OFFICE FURNITURE WORLD, INC. Locally owned and operated for over 30 years “Affordable, Quality Office Furniture and Unmatched Service”

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

12944 Coursey Blvd 225-751-4024 ofwbr.com

PreK3- 12th Grade 1:1 Chromebooks K-12 1:1 Tablets for PreK Gifted and Talented Programs Advanced Placement Courses Dual Enrollment Career and Technical Programs

➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢

Robotics eSports Drone Certiﬁcation Course Cosmetology Athletics- Elementary, Middle, & High Fine Arts, Music, and Dance FFA

As a “B” rated school system, we continue to strive to be the best we can by offering various opportunities and choices throughout our district. We are proud to offer programs such as Math, Science and Arts Academies (East and West), Iberville STEM Academy, Crescent Atchafalaya Basin, Iberville Elementary, A Montessori Program and Iberville Virtual Learning Academy. We also offer traditional schools such as Crescent Elementary, Dorseyville Elementary, East Iberville Elementary and High, North Iberville Elementary, Plaquemine High School and White Castle High School. Website:www.ipsb.net Facebook: Iberville Parish School District Twitter: Iberville Schools

Invigorate, Innovate, Inspire

I N S I D E : The birria taco trend / Behind the Village Bread / Tuscan-style recipes

Quality

’que COLLIN RICHIE

Sitting down to hefty plates of barbecue and sides at Memphis Mac

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

SPONSORED BY:

THE FUTURE WE MAKE:

nyone can be a maker. Maker education is an approach that connects to all subject areas and embraces hands-on learning through designing and building. A community of do-it-yourselfers who tap into science, art, performance, creative reuse, and technology to make something fresh and useful. Maker-centered learning teaches life skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. This fosters a maker’s mindset in students, developing their creative confidence and showing them that they have the ability to solve problems creatively, both on their own and together with their peers.

BATON ROUGE EMBRACES A MOVEMENT

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library gets local makers making. Anyone, student or an adult, can be a maker. For hands-on learners, kinesthetic learners, or artistic and creative thinkers, maker education offers the chance to learn in all different ways. The Library has several maker spaces available for the community to use. The newest River Center Branch and the regional branches (Bluebonnet, Greenwell Springs and Jones Creek Libraries) all have dedicated community areas to create things, invent, and meet other people with similar interests. There are real benefits to fostering a

maker mindset in young people. When kids connect with the maker community’s culture of problem solving and creating, they learn new ways of thinking and collaborating. In the maker space, it doesn’t necessarily matter if a student has high test scores or can memorize all of their spelling words. The learning isn’t targeted at students who excel in math or reading. The maker space provides an opportunity for every child to bring their personal strengths to the space and learn in a way that makes sense for them. This gives students a chance to shine in new and different ways.

IT’S TIME FOR THE 8TH ANNUAL MINI MAKER FAIRE. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, this is a venue for makers of all ages to connect with the community, share their projects, show off their creativity, and engage the public with their work. This year’s weeklong hybrid event, October 18 - 23, will celebrate makers, library maker spaces, & folks with a passion to learn new skills through interactive workshops, grab and geaux crafts, an outdoor maker market, a showcase of robotics excellence, and a celebration of terrible robots fighting sumo style. Stay in the know: visit batonrouge.makerfaire.com and connect on social media @BRMakerFaire.

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

TA ST E / /

R E S TA U R A N T R E V I E W

THE BASICS: Memphis native Carlos Thomas opened Memphis Mac Louisiana BBQ in early 2020 in a space formerly occupied by Sky Hook Cafe off Chippewa Street. It quickly gained a following among the industrial workers nearby, but it’s also become a favorite of barbecue lovers in the know from around the city.

Memphis Mac B Y D. J. B EAUTI C I A // P HOTO S B Y CO LLIN RICHIE

WHAT’S A MUST: The straightforward menu features several platters of varying sizes depending on your appetite. Don’t miss the opportunity to pile on several meats at once, such as the tender pork ribs or 12-hour smoked brisket. Substantial sides like green beans stewed down with sausage and potatoes mean you won’t leave hungry.

Our food critic’s name may be false, but the credentials are not. This gastronome has studied the history, cultivation, preparation, science and technology of food for more than 30 years.

Pitmaster Willy Jackson slices tender brisket that’s been smoked for 12 hours.

memphismac.com 2785 Larkspur Ave. Tuesday-Saturday. 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

DRIVING DOWN CHIPPEWA Street toward Memphis Mac had my mind and heart filled with fond memories of a much smaller Baton Rouge. Memories of when there wasn’t a north or south Baton Rouge and everything below LSU was country. It felt like coming home. Housed in a small, red wood-clad building with a collection of outdoor tables, this place screamed “real deal” barbecue. Inside, I was greeted incredibly warmly by Carlos Thomas, Mr. Memphis Mac himself. Hailing from Memphis (go figure) he shyly explained that after graduating from LSU, it was the women and the food that kept him here. Among the several barbecue plates on the menu, there’s only one thing to order in my estimation: the Greedy Gutt. It consists of all the meats and sides you could want. We were unsure how many of our party it would feed, but Mr. Carlos jovially explained, “It depends on just how greedy your friends are.” Very. And the bonus was the ability to try everything. Served quickly and efficiently from a small steam table, it’s no wonder this place is so popular with the across-the-street Exxon lunch crew. I’m no rib aficionado and prefer off-the-bone meat, but the generously meaty and tender pork ribs had a noticeable smoke ring beneath the savory dry rubbed bark. The bones released the mild, juicy meat quite nicely. A dab of thick, slightly sweet, peppery barbecue sauce brought out the inherent caramelization of the pig.

Don’t pass up the sides, like green beans slow cooked with sausage and potatoes, classic coleslaw or mac ‘n’ cheese. 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

TA ST E / /

old-school fare: creamy, simple, a nottoo-thick sauce and just past al dente noodles. Green beans were slow cooked with bacon, punches of black pepper and a delightful surprise of potato chunks throughout. I was thrilled to see pork floss floating throughout the sweet and peppery baked beans. There’s nothing wrong with adding a touch more pork to your plate! I’ve never been a fan of traditional Southern coleslaw or potato salad. But my apprehensive bite showed the slaw was crunchy with a touch of sugar, while the potato salad was laden with yellow mustard and pickle relish. It tasted made-today-fresh. My partner confirmed the potato salad was pickley with a predominant mustard, as opposed to a mayonnaise base, with very small rather than chunky potato pieces. It was gobbled up. Memphis Mac is a short drive from downtown, Southern University, LSU and Mid City. But good barbecue is worth the drive—from anywhere, at any time. So get your pork butt over to Chippewa Street for some tasty “que” and feed your own greedy gut. Your stomach will thank you.

Owner Carlos Thomas outside the Larkspur Avenue restaurant

The Big Mane platter gives you three helpings of meat, two sides, bread and housemade sauce.

CATRICE COLEMAN

A plump link of smoked sausage had a wonderful snap and slightly sugary and fatty interior. Married with the simplicity of the mild chicken leg quarter, these two brought out the best in each other. But I was saving myself for the pulled pork and brisket. At first, the two chopped meats were indistinguishable from each other inside the requisite styrofoam containers. Upon closer inspection, the pork revealed itself. Pulled pork is generally my go-to barbecue with its mix of tasty shredded bits, fatty parts and the glorious bites of crusty exterior. This large portion was supremely juicy, with a mildly smoked and salty quality that enhanced the pork. On to the brisket—my second favorite barbecue meat. I’m used to sliced brisket, but this lightly chopped version brought all the best parts together in a solitary bite. A squirt of the sauce on both the brisket and pork enhanced the salt and elevated the smoke. But just a drop will do ya. The quality flavors mean there’s no need to drown your food here. Once the meat sweats kicked in, it was on to the sides. The macaroni and cheese was

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TA ST E / / Pan-Asian inspired birria tacos at Chow Yum Phat, washed down with a refreshing Paloma cocktail

Where to try it

ARIANA ALLISON

• Find Birria & Barbacoa de Chivos los Compadres on Facebook • chowyumphat.com • eatmodesto.com

TRY THIS

Just dunk it

By Maggie Heyn Richardson

BIRRIA TACOS HAVE ascended as one of the country’s hottest street eats. The images are all over social media: hands ceremoniously dunking the tacos into accompanying cups of consommé. Traditionally prepared in Mexico with slow-braised beef or goat, the tender meat is stuffed into a taco, then given a quick sear on each side on the griddle or a quick fry in the pan. In Baton Rouge, you can find birria tacos in a range of spots, including restaurants, food trucks and traditional taquerias. Chow Yum Phat under the Perkins Road overpass is one. “We tried them first when we were doing food at Beauvoir Park, and it led to us doing them as a special,” Chow Yum Phat co-founder Jordan Ramirez says. The Pan-Asian restaurant runs its riff on birria tacos as a special every Tuesday for lunch and dinner. The kitchen braises beef short ribs in ginger and Szechuan spices for four to five hours. Fork tender, it’s shredded and folded into flour tortillas with two

different cheeses. Then, the tacos are briefly grilled on the flat top, giving them their characteristic toothsome exterior. The restaurant’s take on consommé sees rich beef stock infused with citrus, ginger and other ingredients. “We’ve been selling upwards of 100 tacos every Tuesday,” Ramirez says. “For a ramen place, that’s pretty crazy.” For a more traditional approach, try Birria & Barbacoa de Chivos los Compadres, a popular, small counter service taqueria on South Airline Highway at Cedarcrest Avenue. The birria taco special comes with four beef birria tacos served with a small Styrofoam cup of consommé. At this taqueria, you can also find versions with goat or chicken. Modesto founder and owner Ozzie Fernandez grew up eating birria tacos when he spent summers as a child visiting family in northern Mexico. He added them to the restaurant’s list of tacos when Modesto opened in September 2020. “We make it with prime brisket,

[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

STAFF PHOTO

Birria tacos are trending in Baton Rouge—with a variety of takes on the dippable side of consommé, too

Birria & Barbacoa’s birria taco special includes a requisite side of beef broth for dipping.

Other spots for birria tacos • Baton Rouge food entrepreneur Valencia Labostrie serves birria tacos with a Southern flair from her BR Guilty Pleasures food tent, posted up at 12065 Florida Blvd. on different days of the week. She also prepares them at Culture Reggae Club on Tuesdays. Follow BR Guilty Pleasures on Facebook or Instagram. • The authentic taqueria menu at Azteca’s food truck includes birria tacos, elote and other items to try. The truck is usually found at 9375 Florida Blvd. Follow it on Facebook or Instagram.

stewed for several hours,” Fernandez says. “And we serve it with a beef consommé that we make with guajillo chiles. It’s pretty traditional.” The shredded brisket, along with Oaxaca cheese, is stuffed into a housemade tortilla and grilled briefly

on each side in beef tallow rendered from the brisket, which Fernandez says gives the tacos an extra depth of flavor. They’re garnished with cilantro, onion and fresh radish, and served with the consommé and tomatillo salsa.

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TA ST E / /

A N AT O M Y O F A D I S H

Breaking bread How Little Village makes its insanely popular Village Bread IT’S HARD TO find a more beloved restaurant menu item in Baton Rouge than the Little Village’s Village Bread: a warm, tender Italian loaf whose quilt of savory toppings and pull-apart texture spark frenzied nibbling. The appetizer has won the Best of 225 Awards’ Best Bread at a Local Restaurant category year after year, usually by an overwhelming margin. Most recently, 46% of readers gave it top honors, with the runner-up, Gino’s Laurence Bread (itself, excellent), garnering 13%. The Village Bread is filling, no doubt. But that doesn’t stop the vast majority of diners from munching on it before jumping into the menu’s equally bold entrees. “It’s unusual if someone doesn’t order Village Bread,” says operations manager Hugh Freeze. “I’d say 95% of tables.” Its history dates to 2001, when Little Village owner Wayne Stabiler launched the eatery as a reboot to the storied Baton Rouge Italian restaurant, The Village, which closed in 1999. Here’s more about this classic-in-the-making. littlevillagebr.com

Secret recipe

It’s a texture thing

Variety is the spice of life

Go halfsies

Take-and-bake

The restaurant’s proprietary recipe for the twisted Italian bread is made by an offsite partner bakery, which sends the loaves to the Little Village partially baked.

Each loaf is baked until the surface is just crisp. While hot, it’s painted with olive oil, and showered in fresh, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, cracked black pepper and chopped French parsley.

Village Bread purists like to savor each morsel in its simplest form. Those who prefer to gild the lily dip their bites in olive and garlic tapenade, add a schmear of nutty roasted garlic, or use the bread to sop up sweet-tangy red gravy.

The 17-inch loaf demands an investment of stomach space, but half-loaves are available for smaller tables and appetites.

The restaurant also sells par-baked, take-andbake bread with toppings for diners who want to replicate the experience at home.

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

COLLIN RICHIE

—MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

On the menu • Pan-Toasted Gnocchi with Roasted Fall Veggies and Cream • Tuscan Salad • Torta Di Mele (Tuscan Apple Cake) Recipes by Tracey Koch

Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #2 TA ST E / /

DINING IN

Tuscan-style supper Try this rustic fall menu inspired by the Italian countryside BY TRACE Y KOCH A N D ST E PH A N IE R IE G E L PHOTOS B Y A M Y SH UT T

ITALIAN FOOD IS one of our favorite types of cuisines to prepare and eat. The cooking varies among the different regions, and we love them all. Tuscany is possibly our favorite, though—and with good reason. The region is known for beautiful landscapes, rich history, art and culture. It is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and is home to

magical Florence. The food in Tuscany is heartier and more rustic—though no less excellent—than what you’ll find in Rome or more southern regions. That homey vibe makes it the perfect type of cuisine to enjoy on a crisp autumn evening. 225 recipe writer Tracey Koch has created a Tuscan-style supper menu that is simple to make and is perfect any night of the week.

Pan-Toasted Gnocchi with Roasted Fall Vegetables and Cream Gnocchi are typically associated with northern Italian cooking, but several regions in Italy lay claim to them, and they are generally found all over Italy in many recipes. Gnocchi are small dumplings usually made from potatoes, flour, eggs and cheese. The region they come from will determine the sauce that accompanies them. This hybrid gnocchi dish we created is a nod to both Tuscany and northern Italy. It’s a filling, rustic dish full of flavor and texture, and the vegetables can be changed up depending on the time of year. Most gnocchi recipes call for boiling them, much like pasta. However, we use shelf-stable packaged gnocchi that can be toasted on the stove to create a nice crust on the outside while keeping a soft pillowy interior. You can find gnocchi in the pasta aisle, but gnocchi from the freezer section work just as well. The roasted vegetables, cheese and touch of cream make this a hearty main dish that is perfect for a supper on a cool fall night.

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with foil.

2. Place the vegetables into a

large mixing bowl and toss them with the olive oil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and grated Parmesan cheese.

3. Arrange the seasoned vegetables

in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and roast for 6 to 7 minutes.

4. Gently stir the vegetables and continue roasting for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

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Servings: 6 2 cups small zucchini, cut into ½-inch thick slices (approximately 2 small zucchinis) 2 cups cubed butternut squash 1 pint (2 cups) baby Bella mushrooms tops, stems removed 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons butter 1 (16-ounce) package of shelf-stable, refrigerated or frozen gnocchi 1 cup heavy cream ¼ teaspoon dried thyme 2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat leaf parsley Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-

high heat and melt the butter. Add the gnocchi, toss them around in the melted butter, and then arrange them in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes. Gently toss the gnocchi again and continue cooking another 2 to 4 minutes or until they become crisp and golden.

6. Reduce the heat to medium, add in the cream and fold in the roasted fall vegetables. Sprinkle in the thyme and parsley, and season with a little salt and pepper. Serve with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

Editor’s note: If using frozen gnocchi, allow them to thaw 5 minutes before you toast them.

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Meet

Karl LeBlanc, md, mba, facs, fasmbs Karl LeBlanc, MD, MBA, FACS, FASMBS, general and bariatric surgeon at Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Bariatric and Metabolic Institute and The Surgeons Group of Baton Rouge, has been preparing for a career as a physician for most of his life. “As a child, I enjoyed caring for the animals on the farm that I grew up on,” he says. “I loved fixing things, so this was a natural fit.”

Following a Calling

After earning his medical degree from Louisiana State University Medical School in Shreveport, where he also completed his internship and residency in general surgery, Dr. LeBlanc went on to specialize in hernia and abdominal wall reconstruction, as well as bariatric surgery, both areas he knew would allow him to make a significant difference in patients’ lives. “Hernias can be a very difficult problem for many patients, especially those that have large and longstanding hernias. The repair of these complex conditions allows me to help patients with issues that could not be solved otherwise,” he says. “And with bariatric surgery, along with the weight loss, patients can see chronic diseases disappear.” In addition to obtaining a Master of Surgery, which is the most advanced qualification in surgery, Dr. LeBlanc made history when he invented and performed the world’s first laparoscopic incisional hernia repair in 1991. He also developed a special interest in robotic surgery, due to the expanded capabilities of such procedures. “The robot allows us to use ‘wrists’ that traditional laparoscopic surgery does not. Accurate visualization of the tissues and this added flexibility allows the surgeon to perform delicate operations as well as, and in many cases even better than, the older laparoscopic method,” he says.

Sharing a Gift

Dr. LeBlanc is proud to be a part of the Surgeons Group of Baton Rouge, which regularly gets referrals from outside the area, even from other states. “Our surgeons provide a complete surgical practice for nearly all simple and complex surgical problems,” he says. “We are a multifaceted group that works well together.” Dr. LeBlanc also enjoys sharing his knowledge with other surgeons. He has written eight textbooks on hernia and hernia repair as well as numerous articles in peer-reviewed medical journals. In addition, he speaks frequently at major surgical conventions and meetings about hernia repair around the world.

Taking Time

With such a packed schedule, Dr. LeBlanc still finds time to relax and be with his family. During his time off, he takes advantage of the many outdoor activities and sports the Baton Rouge area has to offer. He also enjoys woodworking and building furniture, watching Star Wars and listening to Fleetwood Mac. A self-proclaimed history buff, his bookshelf contains titles like A History of the Crusades. But most of all, Dr. LeBlanc is grateful to have the opportunity to make a difference through the work he does with the Surgeons Group of Baton Rouge. “Our ability to improve patients’ lives is truly rewarding.” Learn more about our surgeons and the Our Lady of the Lake Robotic Surgery Institute at ololrmc.com/robotics

TA ST E / /

Tuscan Salad Tuscan cuisine is rich in olive oil, olives, beans and fresh vegetables. This salad delivers all of these flavors in one dish. One of the main greens is Tuscan kale, which is much more tender than what you may typically find. It’s also the best variety of kale to eat raw. If Tuscan kale is not available at your local grocer, you can double up using more of the deep green leaves of romaine lettuce. What makes this salad so delicious is the tangy lemon and garlic in the dressing. The robust dressing we’ve created is able to stand up to the bold leaves of the kale and romaine. The creamy beans and rich olives make this salad hefty enough to serve as a meal in itself, but it’s also a delightful starter.

Servings: 6 FOR THE DRESSING 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon mayonnaise ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ cup olive oil

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except the olive oil until well blended.

2. Keep whisking as you slowly drizzle in the olive oil until everything is incorporated.

3. Transfer the dressing to a jar with a

tight-fitting lid. Chill until you are ready to toss the salad.

Editor’s note: For a bolder flavor, try substituting a teaspoon of anchovy paste in place of the Worcestershire sauce.

FOR THE SALAD 1 bunch Tuscan kale (or black kale if available) 1 large head romaine lettuce 1 small head radicchio 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

1. Wash the kale, romaine and radicchio. Dry the leaves well. Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Place them into a large mixing bowl.

2. Pour the cannellini beans into a

strainer and rinse them under cold water. Drain them well.

3. Add the beans, olives and red onion

slices to the salad. Toss while drizzling in the salad dressing a little at a time to your desired amount.

4. Top the salad with the shaved Parmesan cheese, and serve.

Torta di Mele (Tuscan Apple Cake) Torta di Mele is a simple and rustic Italian dessert that is perfect for the fall because it is filled with in-season apples. It is a bit like an upside-down cobbler, with the dense moist cake on the bottom and topped with buttery, sugary apples on top. This is a delicious cake to finish off a meal while sipping an aperitif, but it is also great as a breakfast treat served with coffee and tea.

Servings: 6 4 tablespoons melted butter 1 cup sugar 4 large apples 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 large eggs 1 1/3 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt Zest of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ cup whole milk Powdered sugar for topping

3. Cut the remaining apples into thin slices, and toss them with the remaining melted butter, another tablespoon of sugar and the rest of the cinnamon.

4. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat 2/3 cup of the sugar and the eggs together until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is light in color. 5. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking

soda, baking powder, salt and lemon zest together. Meanwhile, in another bowl, stir the vanilla into the whole milk.

6. With the mixer still running, alternately add the flour mixture and milk until all is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

7. Fold the chopped apples into the batter and pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Gently tap the pan to make sure the batter is even.

8. Spread the apple slices all over the top of the batter in a neat pattern, pressing them slightly into the batter. 9. Sprinkle the top of the apples with the

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an

remaining sugar. Bake the Torta di Mele for 1 hour or until deep golden and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.

2. Peel and core the apples. Chop one of

10. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and continue cooling completely before slicing.

8-inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter, and sprinkle the sides and bottom of the cake pan with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. the apples, and toss it in 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon.

11. Sprinkle it with a little powdered sugar before serving. 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

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CULTURE I N S I D E : BR native’s Louisiana-inspired film / Local arts and music events

MUSIC

Ready for the

OPEN ROAD Members of the creative collective Col-Der-Sac talk growth and working together

COURTESY ARUM JOSEPH

BY ZA NE PIONTE K

225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

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C U LT U R E / /

ON A BLISTERING afternoon in early August, the five emcees of Baton Rouge creative collective ColDer-Sac are gathered at the home of one of their founding members, Josh Simmons. They’re recording in the storage-room-turned-studio that for years has served as the group’s de facto base of operations. It’s a cramped space adjoining the carport behind Simmons’ home, with mementos of the collective’s history—graffiti tags, slogans, signatures from visiting artists— inscribed in Sharpie all over the particle-board walls. Guarding the room from the late summer heat is a single window unit that must be shut off whenever anyone steps up to the mic to record. It never stays on long. The five members of Col-DerSac—Keon Josh Simmons, aka JoshSimmons; Austin Johnson, aka Wakai; Robert Hishaw III, aka V!lla or Vabyface; Aaron Lee Day, aka Ronday; and Doubrell J. Lange III, aka Nochvll or Jo, all in their early 20s—have grown close between those particle-board walls. “It’s a collective, but it’s really deeper than that,” Simmons says. “This is really like a family.” Since its inception in the mid 2010s, the collective’s emcees have been constantly collaborating on solo and group projects alike. Be it a feature from Ronday on a track, a beat contributed by Wakai, or creative advice from JoshSimmons, any music released by one Col-DerSac emcee will have been touched in some way by the others. As each of their careers has picked up speed, however, their meetings in Simmons’ studio have grown less frequent. That’s not to say they’ve grown apart. In fact, they’re currently working on a group project: the collective’s first full-length album to follow up Dead End, the seven-song EP released in May 2021.

But with each member pursuing increasingly ambitious solo endeavors, frequently traveling to places like nearby New Orleans and as far as Los Angeles and Atlanta, they’ve begun to outgrow the humble recording space where they made some of their first work as a collective. Right now, all of the members are working on solo projects to be released over the next year that each suggests will mark the beginning of a new, more refined chapter in his artistic career. And they aren’t limiting the collective’s oeuvre to just music. While not part of the founding crew, Orlando Burks Jr., known as Osha, specializes in visual arts such as photography, videography and graphic design. He says Col-Der-Sac has accepted him like a brother. “Once that happened, they just made me tap in more to my creative side. Everything I put out, I send to them to make sure it’s up to par,” he says. “They don’t just say something’s raw when it’s not raw, something’s great when it’s not great; they’re gonna let you know what to fix and how to fix it.” Burks isn’t the only one tapping into the visual side. Johnson has long had a knack for photography and videography, shooting photos and videos for musicians outside the collective, such as Baker rapper Quadry’s “4 My… & We Were” music video. Needless to say, the collective has come a long way from time spent freestyling around lunch tables and under staircases at Woodlawn High School. As with any circle of close-knit friends, there have been plenty of ups and downs, and it’s this history that’s helped them carve a new lane. Find the collective on Instagram, @coldersac.

“It’s a collective, but it’s really deeper than that. This is really like a family.” —Josh Simmons

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[225] October 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

Members of Col-Der-Sac are, from left, Aaron Lee Day (Ronday), Doubrell J. Lange III (Nochvll), Keon Josh Simmons (JoshSimmons), Austin Johnson (Wakai), and Robert Hishaw III (V!lla).

C U LT U R E / /

How has being in Col-Der-Sac helped you, both personally and professionally? WAKAI: Everybody makes each other better in a certain way. They genuinely make me a better person. In 2016, I was putting out my first tape. Everybody (in Col-Der-Sac) really cultivated it. They were really helping me make something bigger than myself and make something more full, and I don’t feel like I could’ve done that alone. It’s 2021 now and people still talk to me about it, and it wouldn’t have been that way if it was just me. NOCHVLL: Everybody is just inspiring. I was with Wakai in high school, underneath the staircase, just making songs, and he’d just be making something crazy, and I’d be like, I got to step it up. It’s friendly competition, and it’s helped me as an artist. RONDAY: I’m always trying to achieve or get to the next step, and subconsciously, I attract different things into my life that’s gonna help me build the bridge to get to that next step. People say you can’t do it alone, or it takes a village; I feel like this is my village. JOSHSIMMONS: On an even deeper level, they’re all like my brothers. I actually lost my (biological) brother, so these guys are the closest thing to that that I have. Blood couldn’t make us deeper. We’re really here for each other, we really talk, and we really have those uncomfortable conversations that people are scared to have.

How would you define being part of an artistic collective? JOSHSIMMONS: We’re all individual artists with common interests. We’re all doing our own thing, but at the same time, we’re still coming together to create something that’s bigger than us. We’re standing on something; we have a real foundation.

COURTESY ARUM JOSEPH

WAKAI: If we think about food, we’re really the gumbo. There’s so many things you’re putting into this pot, but when it comes out, you’re feeding the whole table. … We’re giving you a whole little plethora of things to like and gravitate toward. V!LLA: How I like to say it is, when the Avengers would get together, Iron Man would be doing his own thing, Captain America would be doing his own thing, Hulk would be doing his own thing—but when they got together as the Avengers, you’re seeing a bigger picture. We’re all doing our own thing, we’re all being ourselves, we’re all on our own journey—but we’re all in it together. You can’t say we’re all the same, we dress the same, we make the same music; each one of us is a different individual.

Find Your Fun

Support DBA Members in Downtown Baton Rouge Visit downtownbr.org for upcoming events and places to eat, stay and play! ch ec k ou t al l of ou r me mb er s!

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C U LT U R E / /

M OVIE S

‘Charmed,’ I’m sure

By Zane Piontek

COURTESY OF THE FILMMAKER

Gretchen Zufall gets back to her Louisiana roots in first feature film

Film stills from The Charmed Life of Fig Dauphine

ALTHOUGH GRETCHEN ZUFALL now lives and works in Brooklyn, New York, she took inspiration from her home state of Louisiana for her first feature film. In The Charmed Life of Fig Dauphine, the Baton Rouge native captures the vibrant whimsy of New Orleans through the eyes of a child fortune teller. Fig Dauphine and her teenage sidekick go on a series of escapades through the Crescent City, all in an effort to solve the mystery of Fig’s long-lost father. This is also Zufall’s first screenplay to be set in her home state, and much of the cast hails from south Louisiana, too. The film has already won awards at several festivals, and it will screen locally at the Manship Theatre this month (see the box at right). 225 talked with Zufall about capturing what she calls a “lyrical sense of place,” the resplendent creative inspiration of New Orleans and more.

First, tell us about the film.

It’s about a 10-year-old fortune teller trying to solve the mystery of her own life. She lives with her mother and two tenants, whom her mother pays to take care of her. Her mother is more interested in her own life with her girlfriend, and Fig is left on her own to wonder who her father is. It’s kind of a buddy film, because there’s Fig, and the teenage tenant is kind of like her sidekick. As a fortune teller, Fig can see the future of others, but she wants to solve the mystery of her own absent father, and she can’t see anything about her own life.

So there’s a little bit of magical realism in this, and Fig has been taught that her father was an egret (yes, the bird), so she’s surprised to find out that he’s a real human being. What inspired this story? I’ve wanted to make a film in New Orleans since I was a little child, and I’ve always wanted to capture the magic that I remembered from the city. I would go to New Orleans, and I would sneak out at night with my childhood friend to ride streetcars. I remembered the charms of the fortune tellers that I visited in the French Quarter, and the idea of a young girl fortune teller came to mind. I’ve written a lot of screenplays, and they always take place in New York, but I knew that I was ready to make a feature film on my own, and I wanted it to be in New Orleans. I wanted to capture the anything-can-happen-and-probably-will spirit, because I think New Orleans is kind of a fun, crazy place.

How’d you come up with the film’s vibrant characters, and what do they mean to you? My hope was to represent the beautiful range of genders, races, ethnicities and sexual orientations of New Orleans. I cast 22 out of the 24 actors from the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and south Louisiana area. I wanted the characters to seem as real and authentic as possible; I didn’t want fake Southern accents. I also felt that it was important to give local actors the opportunity. What do you want audiences to take away from the film? That Alice in Wonderland sense of adventure and whimsy. I also hope I’ve depicted a lyrical sense of place, because I think everyone thinks New Orleans is special. I also want people to be caught a little off guard with emotions. It’s mostly a comedy, but there are some serious moments. The film is also about mothers and daughters trying to be perfect and failing

... and about how family doesn’t have to mean “related.” A group of people can come together and make a family.

Can you speak to the significance of setting in your work? New Orleans is so vibrant, and I also love the swamps and the whole countryside of Louisiana, so that’s partly what draws me there. But also, I just feel this need to be closer to home right now, because I feel really far away from it. Both of my parents have passed away fairly recently, so I feel like I need to keep some kind of connection with down there. Your IMDb page says you wrote the film on your iPhone while traveling on the subway. Tell us about that. I’ve written three feature screenplays on my phone, because I am on the subway more than I’d like to be. This is the third script I wrote on my phone (and I’m writing a fourth one now). It’s really easy to just think of a scene or lines of dialogue while you’re traveling and write them down. I can hold onto the bar of the subway and still be writing on my phone. Can you give us a preview of your next film, The Namesake? It is a tale of the friendship of two young women who go from New Orleans to spend a weekend in Cajun Country to get away from all their money problems— and all their other problems. It’s a comedy, but it’s not a typical comedy. And it’s not about sex. These women might like men or not, but they don’t need a man, and at no point does the film allude to them focusing on this sort of fulfillment, which I think is really rare in films, especially comedies. I think a lot of movies about young women are just about them trying to get a boyfriend. I think the film in this way is about women’s empowerment.

ARTS BEST BETS OCT. 5-28 Baton Rouge Gallery displays works from artists Justin Tyler Bryant, Rosemary Goodell and Haejung Lee all month, featuring pieces in drawing, painting, print and sculpture. An opening reception is set for Oct. 6, either in-person or virtual as of press time. Check with the gallery for updated information. batonrougegallery.org OCT. 8 Manship Theatre hosts a screening of The Charmed Life of Fig Dauphin. Written and directed by Baton Rouge native Gretchen Zufall, the comedic film follows a child fortune-teller and her teenage sidekick on a whimsical odyssey through New Orleans. manshiptheatre.org OCT. 22 Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra returns with the fifth annual Bachtoberfest at the Main Library on Goodwood Boulevard. Prepare for a family-friendly outdoor concert featuring plenty of beer, brats and Bach. brso.org OCT. 28-31 Theatre Baton Rouge stages several performances of The Rocky Horror Show, the classic, campy romp featuring beloved songs and flamboyant characters. theatrebr.org

Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity. 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

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C U LT U R E / /

MUSIC

The iconic Chelsea’s sign that once adorned its Perkins Road location is reportedly being moved to the new digs at 1010 Nic.

Call it a comeback

FILE PHOTO

Chelsea’s expected to return as music venue CHELSEA’S CAFÉ, A longtime bar, restaurant and live music venue that closed in 2015 under the Perkins Road overpass, plans to open late this year in a new location as Chelsea’s Live, three people behind the project announced. The new “artist-friendly venue” will be at 1010 Nicholson Drive between LSU and downtown in the historic warehouse now dubbed 1010 Nic that was once home to Montalbano Produce. Chelsea’s Cafe owner Dave Remmetter and a team of co-owners are working on the project, which has started drumming up support via social media posts in August and September, and through early announcements of booked gigs for acts

like The Black Angels and Mock Orange set for January 2022. “A 6,300-square-foot space featuring a state of the art sound system, 30×20 foot stage, one of a kind artist greenrooms, and custom bars, Chelsea’s Live will have a wide diversity of tour programming accommodating all genres, as well as local showcases and private events,” the social media announcement said. A followup announcement also clarified that the initial focus of the venue will be live music and entertainment only, though a food menu—including Chelsea’s much-loved grilled cheese sandwich with tomato-basil soup— may be incorporated later. For now, check out chelseaslive.com for the latest. —FROM STAFF REPORTS

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C U LT U R E / /

E VE NTS

MUSIC BEST BETS

Tunes across the river

Cajun French Music Association Jam Chad Huval of the Cajun band Beausoleil leads this informal jam session—normally held the third Sunday of the month—where musicians can come together to play Cajun tunes. The public is invited to watch the jam session free of charge. Oct. 17, 3-5 p.m.

OF TE SY

Historical Happy Hour Bring along your blankets, lawn chairs and your favorite drink for a free outdoor performance by Smokehouse Porter, Miss Mamie and the Gutbucket Blues Band on the museum grounds. Oct. 15, 6-8 p.m.

OCT. 15 As part of the Red Dragon Songwriters series, legendary singersongwriter Paul Thorn takes the Manship Theatre stage, featuring guest performances by Bill Romano and Patrick Cooper. manshiptheatre.org

UR CO

Paul Thorn

OCT. 15 A household name in Baton Rouge and a pillar of the rock world at large, Better Than Ezra’s prolific status is undeniable. This month, the band returns to the city where it first formed for a performance at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel. lbatonrouge.com

S AY WH AT

“We don’t know what’s going to happen if we can’t do our events. It’s a tough situation because we’ve got a lot of deposits out there to a lot of big acts.”

Issue Date: October 2021 AdBasin proof #2Hall downtown, about the one-two punch of the —Brian Ott, co-owner of The Music • Please responddelta by e-mail or fax with approval orIda minor revisions. variant andyour Hurricane and the “wait-and-see” attitude of many touring bands • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Better Than Ezra

COURTESY GREG MILES

SugarFest An annual sweet celebration of the sugar cane harvest returns for an in-person and socially distanced festival. The free event includes demonstrations in folk art, crafts and sugar cane farming as well as food, rum tastings and plenty of live music from zydeco to jazz and blues. Oct. 3, 11 a.m.4 p.m.

ISTOCK

‘Music Behind the Gates’ This exhibit in collaboration with the Angola Museum and several researchers focuses on prison inmates who looked to music for a respite and in the process created bands and iconic songs. Exhibit ongoing through January 2022.

THE ARTIST

OCT. 15 Acclaimed country musician Joe Nichols brings his talents to the Texas Club, performing old classics and selections from his upcoming album Never Gets Old. thetexasclub.com

The West Baton Rouge Museum in Port Allen is hosting several music-centric events in October. westbatonrougemuseum.com

OCT. 30 Hip-hop icon and New Orleans native Kevin Gates heads to the Raising Cane’s River Center as part of his “Khaza” international tour. raisingcanesrivercenter.com

WIN A TICKET PACKAGE TO AMAZING PERFORMANCES IN 2021 AND 2022! You don’t have to go far to immerse yourself in music, theatre, and an arts scene that has been recognized around the globe. 225 has joined our Capital City fine arts partners to deliver a cultural experience that will not disappoint. Scan the QR code to enter.

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Issue Date: Feb 2021 Ad proof #1

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2021. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

CALENDAR //

October

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OCT. 2-31 The LSU Rural Life Museum and the LSU AgCenter Burden Museum & Gardens have a calendar’s worth of fall fun, including Harvest Day (Oct. 2), Haints Haunts and Halloween (Oct. 31), Corn Maze Saturdays and more. lsu.edu/botanic-gardens

Issue Date: October 2021 Ad proof #1

#AM-50-BAJ

C hampions We dress

everyday.

OCT. 16-17 + 23-24 Baton Rouge Zoo presents Boo at the Zoo, a day of kidfriendly Halloween fun, including photo-ops, animal encounters and more. Come dressed in your best costume with an appetite for some spooky festivities. brzoo.org

TAYLOR MORAN

#38003

OCT. 27-31 Cheeky Monkey’s, an indoor recreation center, will host a kid-friendly haunted house this month for Halloween fun with the little ones. cheekymonkeysbr.com OCT. 28 In BREC’s Pumpkin Paddle Parade, participants will meet at BREC’s Milford Wampold Memorial Park to decorate their own canoe, kayak or paddle board in Halloween fashion, then parade in front of a panel of judges. brec.org OCT. 28 At the Spirits of Louisiana annual event at the Old State Capitol, attendees will taste cocktails made with Louisiana-distilled spirits while munching on food by Heirloom Cuisine and exploring the building’s exhibits. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org OCT. 29 In the free BREC event Trunk + Treat, children of all ages are invited to sport their favorite costumes and roam through Forest Community Park, going from one trunk to the next and collecting lots of Halloween treats. brec.org OCT. 30 Baton Rouge’s annual Fifolet Halloween Festival will look a bit different this year due to COVID-19. Fifolet’s main event, the Halloween parade, will now take the form of the “Fifolet Flip Flop” a reverse parade where participants will drive through Halloween displays. 1031consortium.com/fifolet RE A

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SEPT. 30-OCT. 10: Crescent City Chamber Music Festival, crescentcitychambermusicfestival.com

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OCT. 11: Shorty Fest, tipitinas.com

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ALSO THIS MONTH OCT. 13-16 The Junior League of Baton Rouge’s Hollydays market is a fantastic opportunity to find some unique gifts from local vendors while also contributing to a worthy cause. There will be an in-person market hosted in the Raising Cane’s River Center, as well as a virtual market for those who prefer to shop from home. juniorleaguebr.org

RAISE A GLASS

RAEGAN LABAT

OCT. 1 The Baton Rouge Zoo’s annual Brew at the Zoo will return this month for the seventh year running. Come celebrate the beginning of the fall season with a night of food and beer tastings, live music, and lots more—and be sure to show up in your finest “safari chic.” brzoobrew.org

OCT. 23 Zapp’s International Beerfest brings a selection of more than 200 foreign, domestic, and home-brewed beers and ales into one location for a true beer-lover’s dream. Hosted in LSU’s Rural Life Museum, this event is a can’t-miss for both verified beer aficionados and anyone who just appreciates a good brew. lsu.edu/rurallife

8+9 HOT AIR

The Boucherie and Balloon Festival merges the signature flavors of Louisiana staples like jambalaya and cracklin with the spectacle of the hot air balloon display for a truly unique event. Head down to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, grab some tasty eats, and watch in awe as the fleet of hot air balloons takes to the skies. boucheriefestival.com

OCT. 21 Jambalaya is a culture in itself here in the Pelican State, and the Capital Area United Way Jambalaya Jam celebrates just that. Featuring live music, cold refreshments, and, of course, a jambalaya cookoff, the event wraps up many Louisiana favorites into one night at North Boulevard Town Square. Note: Look out for a late September announcement on any changes caused by the current COVID-19 pandemic. cauw.org/jamjam OCT. 22 Legendary comedian and Emmy Award-winning actor Katt Williams comes to the Raising Cane’s River Center as part of his “World War III” stand-up comedy tour. Come out and enjoy his signature comedic style of side-busting laughs and social commentary. raisingcanesrivercenter.com OCT. 28-NOV. 7 The 55th annual Greater Baton Rouge State Fair returns this fall, featuring fair favorites like games, concessions and rides, as well as live music and a livestock show. A Baton Rouge tradition since 1965, the fair is an opportunity for wholesome family fun. gbrsf.com OCT. 30 While the in-person Louisiana Book Festival was canceled this year due to COVID-19, some of the virtual programs will be going forward. Visit louisianabookfestival. org for the latest.

Editor’s note: Event details are as of press time in mid-September. Please check with the events for the latest information.

LAFAYETTE

OCT. 6: Kiss “End of the Road” world tour, cajundome.com

337 OCT. 23: Sugar Jam Concert Series, facebook.com/sugar.jam/events

OCT. 9: Lafayette Artwalk, downtownlafayette.org 225batonrouge.com | [225] October 2021

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COMING THIS NOVEMBER! We know you’re a foodie and you love to dine out. That’s why we created this giveaway. 225 and local restaurants are partnering up to give away the ULTIMATE restaurant gift card prize. Look for the big restaurant reveal and dollar value in 225 Daily the first week of November. We hope you are the lucky Winner Winner!

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Issue Date: OCT 2021 Ad proof #3

Coffee break dip a Coffee Call beignet into a steamTOFFEE NUT BREVE latte. I knew the ing cup of cafe au lait, trying not to get order by heart. powdered sugar all over my clothes. During my first job out of college, And I’d people watch, sometimes it was my editor’s go-to coffee. I can listening in on the conversations a few still recite it, all these years later. Like tables over. a song from your childhood you someI remember thinking at first it how still remember all the lyrics to. was surprising how relatively few We used to walk to get coffee every Starbucks locations were in the week. I remembered the latte not so city—and then quickly realizing that much because I was thinking about the brand wasn’t really the drink, but because it needed here. Baton was our sacred ritual. It Rouge has so many was our few minutes in unique coffee brands of the day when we could its own. It’s always been take a break and chat—to a coffee town. be humans, really, rather And it only keeps than just cubicle workers. getting better, with Have you ever thought new additions like about how many Rêve Coffee Roasters moments in our lives are and City Roots Coffee set inside coffee shops? Bar providing truly I’ve pondered it more inspirational settings than usual this past By Jennifer Tormo and innovative menus. month—and not just Here’s the funny thing because we were working for me, though. I don’t even really on this coffee cover story for 225. like coffee. Or at least I didn’t until No, I was thinking about the literal recently. During almost every coffee and figurative power of local cafes as meeting I’ve had, I’ve sipped on a chai they reopened after Hurricane Ida. latte or some type of tea. When I was When much of the city was still in college, it was—don’t laugh at me— without power, they became a refuge always a hot chocolate. But I’d gladly for those who needed an escape from venture to coffee shops regardless, their overheated homes. And even as taking the excuse to sit in a new envimany offices remained closed, cafes ronment with a friend or colleague. provided space to get work done comQuarantine is what finally got me fortably and safely. to experiment more and to work on Because coffee shops are not just developing a palate for coffee. Now, about the elaborate, inventive drinks I always have a bag of French Truck you can order. The lattes are simply a Coffee or Cafe Bustelo ready to brew at way to get a foot in the door, to step home. I love trying the creative drinks inside a space where great conversaat The Vintage, lattes shaken with tion can be had, where ideas are born. basil- or orange-infused simple syrup. Many of the stories published in And when I travel to see my family, 225 have been conceived inside coffee I finally get to sit and slowly sip a cup shops. Our editors and writers often of coffee with my mom. It’s become conduct interviews at cafes around a new way for us to bond in the town. We’ve had story brainstorming mornings. meetings there. We’ve posted up As I was editing this cover story, a with stacks of magazines, digging for stat grabbed my attention: Millennial inspiration for shoots and layouts. coffee drinkers spend about $2,000 Cafes, after all, are makeshift offices. per year at coffee shops. I know—insert They offer freedom, a chance for avocado toast joke here. office workers and freelancers alike to But maybe that figure has nothing shake up their environments, to get at all to do with trendy PSLs or “basic” re-energized in a new setting. Starbucks drinks. Maybe we’re actually When I first moved to Baton Rouge, onto something. We know a secret: I tried to schedule every coffee meetCoffee shops are about so, so much ing I had at a different cafe. It seemed more than caffeine. like an easy way to get to know the No wonder so many new city. I’d sift through the menus at Brew coffee shops are opening up in Ha-Ha!, CC’s Coffee House, Magpie neighborhoods across our community. Cafe and Highland Coffees, looking for Baton Rouge is all the better for it. interesting drinks or snacks to try. I’d

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In every issue of 225, you’ll find a free print on this page. FRAMED celebrates life and art in Baton Rouge, each one featuring a local photographer, place or graphic designer. Cut it out to hang in your cubicle, or frame it for your home gallery wall. Show us where you hang them by tagging them on social media with #225prints.

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ILLUSTRATION by Sweet Baton Rouge / sweetbatonrouge.com GET FEATURED We love collaborating with local photographers, artists and designers for this page! Shoot us an email at editor@225batonrouge.com to chat about being featured.

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