St. Charles Avenue Magazine February 2022 by Renaissance Publishing

ST. CHARLES AVENUE MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 2022

JCRS’ “JEWISH ROOTS OF SPORTS”

LUXE WEDDINGS

VALENTINE’S AND MARDI GRAS DINING

C o n te n t s

VOLUME 26 ISSUE 7

On the Cover Gala Co-Commissioner Carole Neff, Executive Director Mark Rubin and Gala Co-Commissioners Sue Singer and Barbara Kaplinsky and for Jewish Children’s Regional Service's “Jewish Roots of Sports.”

Jewish Children’s Regional Service’s 11th annual “Jewish Roots Gala,” “Jewish Roots of Sports,” will take place on Sunday, March 27 at 6 p.m. at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. This year’s gala will celebrate the great achievements of Jewish athletes and professionals from across the country and will honor three Most Valuable Players – Gayle Baer Ph.D., Alan Krilov and Dr. Mark Sands – who’ve made a lasting impact on JCRS.

Features When Romance & Debauchery Collide 12+ Restaurants lure diners with Valentine’s and Mardi Gras drink and dining specials 39 Traditions Transformed 10+ experts on luxe weddings share their tips for today 46

In Every Issue Bev's Note A letter from Executive Editor Bev Church 8 Morgan's Note A letter from Editor Morgan Packard Griffith 10 Nonprofit Events Calendar February-March 2022 8 Arts Calendar 10 What's New on the Web StCharlesAvenue.com 11

The evening will feature a seated three-course dinner, music and a silent auction focused on sports memorabilia, once-ina-lifetime vacations and sporting experiences. This tribute will also feature sports notables in person and on video including Dan Grunfeld (author of By the Grace of the Game and son of an NBA Player), Olympic gold medalist Ernie Grunfeld and Donna Orender (sports executive, former collegiate and professional basketball player, and formerly president of the Women's National Basketball Association and senior vice president of the PGA), along with a special message from MLB Hall of Fame inductee Ken Griffey Jr. All proceeds will support the needs-based scholarship programs and services of JCRS for Jewish children throughout the Mid-South. JCRS is currently the oldest existing Jewish children’s social service organization in the United States, as well as the only regional Jewish child welfare agency in the country. JCRS provides needsbased scholarships for summer camp experiences, college aid and assistance to children with special needs. Additional outreach programs include the Oscar J. Tolmas Hanukkah Gift Program and the PJ Library program for Jewish children ages 11 and under. This year, JCRS will serve or fund over 1,800 Jewish children from 200+ communities across our seven-state Mid-South region. Tickets are available at JCRS.org and by calling 800-729-5277. Photo by Jeffery Johnston

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C o n te n t s

Celebration How to Host All Day Mardi Gras Brunch 56

26 Style What's Hot Mardi Gras 14 Designer Spotlight Jeanne Barousse, Interior Designer & Owner, Jeanne Barousse Designs 16 What to Wear Dr. Nigel and Shelley Girgrah show us how to celebrate AHA’s “Go Red,” Valentine's Day and National Organ Donor Day in style 18 Changemakers Libbie Sonnier Ph.D., Executive Director for the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children 20

Society

Entertaining With Bev Epiphany Throws & Starr Hagenbring are leading the way for a more environmental Carnival 52 With This Ring Norton – Bright 54

Along the Avenue Diane travels “From Pyramids to Parties” 22

Looking Back The Wohl Apartments: The height of fashion with a view 57

Philanthropic Faces Gia M. Hamilton, Executive Director & Chief Curator for the New Orleans African American Museum 24

Finishing Touches Elevate Your Offerings: Let Dunn & Sonnier Antiques, Flowers & Gifts raise your parade spread to a higher level 64

Philanthropic Events Audubon Nature Institute’s “2021 Hancock Whitney Zoo-To-Do” 26 Philanthropic Events American Cancer Society’s “Fire & Ice Honoree Ball” 28 Philanthropic Events Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s “Beneficiary Luncheon for Carnivale du Vin” 30 Philanthropic Events Le Petit Theatre’s “Curtain Call Ball” 32 Philanthropic Events Musical Arts Society of New Orleans’ “NOCTURNE XVIII” 34 Snapshots Quick looks at nonprofit events around town 36

4 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

Associate Publisher Kate Henry EDITORIAL

Executive Editor Bev Church Editor Morgan Packard Griffith Art Director Ali Sullivan Food & Dining Columnist Jyl Benson Web Editor Kelly Massicot Event Photo Coordinator Jeff Strout ADVERTISING

Vice President of Sales & Marketing Kate Henry Kate@myneworleans.com or 504-830-7216 Account Director Meggie Schmidt Senior Account Executive Rachel Webber Senior Account Executive Brooke Genusa Account Executive Erin Chiartano Advertising Consultant Penn Iarocci

MARKETING

Coordinator Abbie Whatley PRODUCTION

Manager Rosa Balaguer Arostegui Designer Meghan Rooney CIRCULATION

Subscriptions Jessica Armand Distribution John Holzer ADMINISTRATION

Office Manager Mallary Wolfe Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne For subscription information call (504) 828-1380

A Publication of Renaissance Publishing, LLC 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 MyNewOrleans.com St. Charles Avenue is published monthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005, (504) 828-1380. Subscription rate: one year $17.95, no foreign subscriptions. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to St. Charles Avenue, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright © 2022 by Renaissance Publishing, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark St, Charles Avenue is registered. St. Charles Avenue is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in St. Charles Avenue are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the magazine managers or owners.

Let te r f ro m t h e Ed i to r

A Note from Bev JCRS, Mardi Gras and More! Jewish Children’s Regional Service has been in existence since 1855 and is the only regional Jewish child welfare agency in the country! They provide needs-based scholarships for summer camp, college aid and assistance to children with special needs. This year, JCRS will serve or fund over 1,800 children in the Mid-South region. In order to fund these scholarships, JCRS will present its “Jewish Roots of Sports” gala on Sunday, March 27. We are honored to present our February cover featuring Gala Co-Commissioners Sue Singer, Carole Neff and Barbara Kaplinsky and Executive Director Mark Rubin. The evening will feature a seated three course dinner, music and a silent auction focused on sports memorabilia, once-in-a-lifetime vacations and sporting experiences. The gala will

celebrate the great achievements of Jewish athletes and professionals from all over the United States. Athletes, owners and professionals will appear in person and on video. The event will honor three Most Valuable Players, Gayle Baer Ph.D., Alan Krilov and Dr. Mark Sands, who have all made a lasting impact on JCRS. All proceeds will support the needs-based scholarships and services of JCRS! With this dynamic group leading the way, you don’t want to miss this event! Tickets are available at JCRS.org or by calling 800-729-5277. Please check out “Traditions Transformed” where more than 10 experts on luxe weddings share their tips for today’s luxurious weddings. And now that Valentine’s and Mardi Gras are upon us, you have to read, “When Romance and Debauchery Collide.” This

feature profiles more than 12 restaurants luring diners with Valentine’s and Mardi Gras drink and dining specials – even for your pups! You don’t want to miss my column on alternative throws for Mardi Gras featuring Allison Tiller, Dr. Melissa Montgomery, Penn Iarocci and Starr Hagenbring. We can all make a difference this Mardi Gras by using recycled and biodegradable throws and can have fun making our own! Be a part of the solution and not the problem. Our drains and the planet will thank you! Thanks to Barry Kern of Mardi Gras World for allowing us to photograph our column there! Happy Valentine’s Day and especially have a safe and Covid-free Mardi Gras! Beverly Reese Church

Every year the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of United Way of Southeast Louisiana presents its highest award for exemplary leadership in community volunteerism and philanthropy, the Alexis de Tocqueville Award. The 2021 recipient is philanthropist, public servant and volunteer Marcus V. Brown of the Entergy Corporation. Brown is pictured here with Board Chair Tod Smith, Former Board Chair Cathy McRae, (Brown) and President and CEO Michael Williamson. They invite you to celebrate with them and honor Brown on Thursday, February 10, at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. Discounted tickets are available for Tocqueville Society Members. Sponsorship benefits are also available. Learn more and purchase your ticket today by calling 337-540-5969 and visiting UnitedWaySELA.org.

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Let te r f ro m t h e Ed i to r

A Note from Morgan

NONPROFIT EVENTS CALENDAR

Podcasts, Parades & Promises

FEBRUARY 4 City Stars Soirée, benefiting Junior Achievement, JAGNO.org

With COVID, Carnvial, work, family, friends and those hobbies we're supposed to have to keep us sane and engaged with the world, I find that lately my mind is spinning a million miles every minute. To counteract that I’ve gone back to my Pilates classes (Hi Juan!), have been attempting to start a meditation practice and have taken to listening to podcasts while I clean and do laundry and dishes and such. I highly recommend anything from the Grim & Mild channel (if you like your folklore with a little spice), Gone South (by former TimesPicayune reporter Jed Lipinski about the murder of Margaret Coon, a prominent ex-prosecutor in Beau Chene. Thanks for the recommendation, Margaret!) and anything by Brené Brown (for when you're in the mood for challenging the status quo of the world and your place in it). I’ve also decided to farm out the section of my brain that keeps telling me to carve some time to learn to do all the cute crafty things for my kid (and to buy all the tools to do so) to others! I keep hearing about local moms who use their Cricuts, embroidery machines and talents to make wonderful, personalized things. If you’re one of those people (I know that more than moms are doing this), or you have a favorite, let me know (Morgan@MyNewOrleans.com). I promise to share the riches! Now isn’t the time to let down our guard. When you’re out and you feel that nagging sense that something isn’t right, pay attention to that and look around you, maybe walk a little faster, put on your mask and wash your hands. We have so many celebrations to look forward to and I know we all want to be able to catch something that's not a sickness on Mardi Gras Day! Quieting our minds is just the first step. Let’s listen to what our minds and bodies are trying to tell us (Maybe now is a great time for a glass of water?) and enjoy this joyous time safely together. Happy Mardi Gras! Morgan Packard Griffith

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4 New Orleans Go Red for Women Luncheon, benefiting American Heart Association, 504872-3500, NewOrleansGoRed. Heart.org 7 Galatoire Foundation’s Mardi Gras Table Auction, benefiting Covenant House, Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré and the Galatoire Foundation, Galatoires.com/events 10 Alexis de Tocqueville Gala, benefiting United Way of Southeast Louisiana, 337-5405969, UnitedWaySELA.org 11 SweetArts Ball, benefiting The Contemporary Arts Center, 504-528-3800, CACNO.org/ fundraiser/sweetarts-2022 18 Black & White Gala, benefiting The Hispanic Apostolate, ApostoladoHispano.org

MARCH 5, 12, 19 & 26 Health Fair, benefiting National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana, KidneyLA.org 5 Cocktails for KID smART, benefiting KID smART, KidSmart.org 5 Krewe Du Pooch Parade & Costume Contest, benefiting Old Mandeville Business Association, 985-624-3147, KreweDuPooch.org 10 World Kidney Day, benefiting National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana, KidneyLA.org 10-12 The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University, benefiting The New Orleans Book Festival, Bookfest.tulane.edu 12 Children’s World’s Fair, benefiting Louisiana Children’s Museum, 504-523-1357, LCM.org 12 St. Mary’s Dominican High School Legacy Gala: Seas the Night, 504-934-1490, bidpal.net/stmdhs

12 Red Tie Affair, benefiting Ochsner Health, Ochsner.org/redtieaffair 12 Notre Dame Seminary Gala, 504-866-7426 extension 375, NDS.edu 17 Paint the Town Green Gala, benefiting Raintree Children & Family Services, 504-8999045, RaintreeServices.org 18 Lark in the Park, benefiting Friends of City Park, FriendsOfCityPark.com/event/ lark-in-the-park 19 ART&SOUL Gala, benefiting NOCCA Foundation, 504-940-2914, NOCCAFoundation.org 19 Sugarplum Ball, benefiting Children’s Hospital New Orleans, 504-896-9375, CHNOLA.org/sugarplum 23-27 Art In Bloom 2022: In Full Bloom presented by IBERIABANK | First Horizon, benefiting New Orleans Museum of Art, NOMA.org/ artinbloom2022 23-27 Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival, 504-581-1144, TennesseeWilliams.net 24 HeartGift Heroes Gold Tournament, benefiting HeartGift Louisiana, 504-6764323, HeartGift.org 24 Celebration for Children’s Rights, benefiting Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, 504658-6882, LAKidsRights.org 25-27 Saints + Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival, 504581-1144, ASFest.org 25 Volunteer Activists Awards Luncheon, benefiting St. Elizabeth’s Guild, 504-2368720, StElizabethsGuild.org 27 Jewish Roots of Sports, benefiting Jewish Children’s Regional Service, 800-7295277, JCRS.org 29 Mad Hatter’s Luncheon & Fashion Show, benefiting The Women’s Guild of the New Orleans Opera Association, 504-267-9534

STCHARLESAVENUE.COM

A r t s C a l e n da r

February 3

Billie Eilish, Smoothie King Center,

1501 Dave Dixon Drive, SmoothieKingCenter.com

3 & 17

Ogden Museum Meditation,

Ogden Museum of Southern Art, 925 Camp St., 504-5399650, OgdenMuseum.org

4-6

Tet Fest:

Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus, Marigny/Bywater,

of a Valentine’s Show, National

WWII Museum, 945

Magazine St., 504-528-1944, Tool, Smoothie

NationalWW2Museum.org

King Center, 1501

10-20

Dave Dixon Drive, SmoothieKingCenter.com

Mardi Gras, citywide

“Danny Barker Festival,” New Orleans Jazz

Theatre, 1111 Canal St., 504-525-

Museum, 400 Esplanade Ave.,

1052, SaengerNola.com

NolaJazzMuseum.org

WWII Museum, 945

Sensory Friendly Mornings, National WWII Museum, 945

Krewe du

Magazine St., 504-528-1944,

Vieux Parade,

NationalWW2Museum.org

French Quarter, KreweDuVieux.org 'tit Rex, Marigny/Bywater, TitRexParade.com

12 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

Workshop, National

NationalWW2Museum.org

FROZEN,

March

Remembrance Lei

Magazine St., 504-528-1944,

Disney’s Saenger

New Year, Mary

14011 Dwyer Blvd.

A Sweetheart

Chewbacchus.org

Vietnamese

Queen of Vietnam Church,

O n Th e We b

NEW

On StCharlesAvenue.com

Shop Talk Blog

“

February is all about the Mardi Gras revelry in this hedonistic town, right? King Cakes become the breakfast of champions and Greco-Roman themed soirées become the weekend standard. But take heed my friends! A quick search on the internet will tell you there are other things to celebrate in February! This month on Shop Talk we’ll explore a variety of Carnival topics like King Cake and custom ball gowns, but also check in on those less acknowledged celebratory days like the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day and National Pizza and Bagel Day (it’s a thing)! Get your shopping bags out, we’ve got some delicious and indulgent shopping to do in this bacchanal of a month! To learn more, you can sign up for the St. Charles Avenue newsletter. You can also tune in every Friday on Instagram @StCharlesAvenueMag to watch interviews with local business owners and hear their top shopping pics!"

Find Penn Iarocci’s weekly blog, Shop Talk every Wednesday on StCharlesAvenue.com and additional interviews and highlights Fridays on Instagram live @StCharlesAvenueMag and Facebook @StCharlesAvenue.

Online Extras • An Extra Bite Looking for one more taste? It's Mardi Gras time! Whether you're looking for the perfect place to rent for your party or the perfect recipe for a punch that packs a punch, look no further than How to Hosts' Extra Bite!

• Nonprofit Events Calendar Continually updated with the latest information on when fundraisers are happening around town.

GET INVOLVED What local finds should we feature next? Email shoptalk@myneworleans.com.

STCHARLESAVENUE.COM

St y l e W hat ’s H ot

Mardi Gras The city is alive with the promising sound of Mardi Gras magic making its way back to us this season. As we excitedly prepare to gather round the bead trees to hoist our go-cups high, you’ll want to have a few celebratory essentials on hand when those good times begin to roll. By Amy Gabriel

2 5 1. Take your drink to go in style with a sleeve of 16-ounce pearlized cups with hand-illustrated partying gators. Alexa Pulitzer, AlexaPulitzer.com 2. Bring a little whimsical glamour to the festivities in a pair of jeweled Francis Klein Paris frames. Art & Eyes, 3708 Magazine St., 504-891-4494, ArtAndEyesNewOrleansLA.com

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3. Let your lobes in on the festivities with a pair of Mardi Gras Mambo earrings, 24 karat gold-plated with Swarovski Crystals. Ella Bartlow, EllaBartlow.com

4. Carry your party essentials in an AP x BENE King Gator metallic purse, made from fine Italian hide with hand-dipped gold hardware. BENE, BENEHandbags.com

5. Level up for Lundi Gras in a tossed crawfish Mardi Gras print performance polo with three-color signature crawfish embroidery logo. Perlis, 6070 Magazine St., 895-8661; 600 Decatur St., 1281 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville; 504523-6681, Perlis.com

SELECT PHOTOS BY CHERYL GERBER

6. The quintessential coffee table book, The Big Book of King Cake from local writer Matt Haines and photographer Randy P. Schmidt features more than 75 mostly New Orleans-area bakers and 150 unique King Cakes. The Big Book of King Cake, multiple local retailers, TheBigBookOfKingCake.com

7. Spills happen. Turn to a stack of “pour me something mister” cocktail napkins to save the day. The Parish Line, multiple local retailers, TheParishLine.com 8. When it’s time to put a cork in it, do so with a handmade ceramic fleur de lis bottle stopper. Home Malone, 629 N. Carrollton Ave., 504324-8352; 4610 Magazine St., 504766-6148; HomeMaloneNola.com

9. Outfit your wrist in a Carnivalthemed bracelet with a fleur de lis designed within each float, mask, King Cake baby, scepter and tiara charm. Jose Balli, 3138 Magazine St., 504-371-5533; 800 Metairie Road, 504-832-8990; JoseBalli.com

10. Lively up your kitchen with a King Cake on repeat towel, printed on 100 percent organic cotton. Nola Tawk, NolaTawk.com 11. Present your party guests with slices of King Cake served on a Lucite King’s float tray. Hazelnut, 5525 Magazine St., 504-891-2424, HazelnutNewOrleans.com

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St y l e D e si g n

Jeanne Barousse Interior Designer & Owner, Jeanne Barousse Designs By Stephen Maloney

In a getaway home, Barousse likes to design bedrooms that can be used as cozy areas to escape everything with a good book. “In bedrooms, I like to make sure that we have adequate lighting for reading, and that we have lights that can be dimmed to give you varying levels of light,” she says. “Also, a comfortable chair and an ottoman are always great features to have in a bedroom.” Jeanne Barousse Designs 2727 Prytania St., 504-897-5428 JeanneBarousseDesigns.com Instagram @ JeanneBarousseDesigns Facebook @ JeanneBarousseHome

For interior designer Jeanne Barousse, her chosen profession runs in her family. Barousse was influenced early on by her mother’s cousin, who was an interior designer in north Louisiana. That led to Barousse obtaining an interior design degree from LSU in the early 1980s, and then spending more than three decades dedicated to the design work with which she grew up. Working mostly on residential design projects, Barousse and her team

have developed a design philosophy that sticks to a path familiar to many following a family legacy. “We enjoy working with the things that clients have and have collected over the years,” she says. “We like to help them cull things out to bring out an edited version of their personality in each home.” The design projects that bring Barousse the most joy are weekend homes, where she says clients tend to be more creative with

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their choices and more focused on relaxing in the finished home. “It’s a time to get creative mixing old finds and new finds, old art and new art,” she says. “It’s critically important in a weekend home that everything be very comfortable and that all the seating is well scaled and comfortable to sit on; that you’ve got a table next to a chair to put your drink on and an ottoman to rest your feet on.” A favorite project in Poplarville, Mississippi,

was designed to maximize the client’s relaxation while incorporating lofty spaces, a mix of eclectic pieces and new round iron light fixtures. “We used lots of natural linen with lots of organic design on the linen,” she says. The completed effect is as warm and welcoming a space as a family looking to relax a weekend away on the banks of the Wolf River could hope. ✦

STCHARLESAVENUE.COM

St y l e Fa shio n

What to Wear The Month of February is filled with celebrations and days of awareness and love. The American Heart Association celebrates American Heart Month with its annual “Go Red Luncheon.” Valentine’s Day and National Organ Donor Day share their day on February 14th. Styled by Melissa Coleman Photographed by Theresa Cassagne King

Nigel Girgrah M.D. Ph.D. , Chief Wellness Officer and Medical Director, Liver Transplant, Former Medical Director, Multi-Organ Transplant Institute, Ochsner Health and his wife Shelley, a Director at Ochsner Health, show us how to support and celebrate in serious style. ➺ 18 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

With so many great causes and parties to attend, here’s what you should be hanging in your closet this month:

Party Heart-y

Debonair Date

LRD “little red dress”

Pair this MSGM tulle heart dress with your favorite heels and dance your Valentine’s night away. SOSUSU, 3427 Magazine St., 504-309-5026, SoSusuBoutique.com

Sports coat and polo shirt by Johnny O for those laid back evenings. Perlis, 6070 Magazine St.; 600 Decatur St.; 1281 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville; 800-725-6070, Perlis.com

This one shoulder ruffle mini dress by Solace London is perfect for a red hot Valentine’s date. Joseph, 5500 Magazine St., 504-900-1422, JosephStores.com

Dr. Girgrah is in a Tom Ford suit; Shelley is in a Solace London dress and heels by Jimmy Choo.

STCHARLESAVENUE.COM

St y l e C ha n g e maker s

Libbie Sonnier Ph.D. Executive Director, Louisiana Policy Institute for Children By Lindsay Mack

GET INVOLVED To get involved, organizations and businesses can join the Ready Louisiana coalition, an organization advocating affordable early care and education in Louisiana. She also encourages everyone to follow the LPIC on social media and stay engaged with their message. “Everybody has a voice, and if we can use these voices to champion children, we can move the needle,” says Dr. Sonnier. “We need everybody’s voice to make sure they have what they need.” Louisiana Policy Institute for Children 504-442-0298 PolicyInstituteLA.org info@policyinstitutela.org Facebook @PolicyInstituteLA Twitter @PolicyInstLA Ready Louisiana ReadyLouisiana.org info@readylouisiana.org Twitter @Ready_Louisiana

As Executive Director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC), Dr. Libbie Sonnier has served the youngest residents of Louisiana for years. By supporting legislation and helping fund early care and education programs, Sonnier has worked her whole career for the benefit of children. Inspired by a nephew born

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with special needs, Sonnier dedicated her career to ensuring all children in the state have what they need to thrive. This includes education and other forms of support. At LPIC, Sonnier is building and working with a board of stakeholders dedicated to making sure Louisiana’s children have what they need to thrive – not just survive.

A nonprofit, nonpartisan group, the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children gathers data and research about the issues affecting children from birth to age four in the state. Currently they’re advocating for increased investment in the state budget for children. This shift is intended to benefit both the children and the state’s economy overall.

“Young children are critically important to our economy. We want parents to go to school and work, so we must provide early childhood care,” says Sonnier. “It’s about what children and families need in our state. At the end of the day, we want to make sure families thrive and can be the best versions of themselves.” ✦

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER

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S o cie t y A l o n g T he Avenu e

From Pyramids to Parties By Diane Sustendal

Goodness, a gal slips out the country for a bit of educational and personal R & R and Omicron arrives with a vengeance, making a mess of everyone’s plans for Christmas, a big Deb Season and New Year’s Eve. Now who knows how this will impact February? So far Mardi Gras and the big Rex Gala, honoring the 150th Anniversary of the School of Design at the Presbytère, hosted by the Louisiana Museum Foundation, are still on. So let’s back up a bit. Yours truly hops a plane to Cairo for a trip up the Nile. At least six other people from New Orleans had been or were traveling at the same time, so I figure this is a great time to go. Besides, Egypt has always been on my bucket list, and this is as good a time as any to check off that box. I marveled at the pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, the Valley of the Kings, the temples

of Hatshepsut, Tutankhamen and Ramses II and other gravesites that date back to c. 2613-2494 BC; camels, donkeys and all modes of transport; essential oils that date back to Cleopatra; and so many more sensory delights. But returning to the States was like running the gauntlet of vaccination

Boysie Bollinger at The National WWII Museum Canopy of Peace ribbon cutting

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papers in Cairo, London and the United States. Worth it? You bet. Arriving home was a welcome of Christmas cards and invitations, exchanging Indiana Jones khakis for cocktails dresses. The first night home, many of the city’s finest were on hand to see Joy and Boysie Bollinger cut the ribbon on

Debutante Everett Heebe and Dad Odom Heebe

the Canopy of Peace at The National WWII Museum. To say it was a glorious evening would be an understatement. Parties took us on imaginary visits to Monaco’s famed casino and to Paris, others took place behind convent walls, in hallowed temples of art and under tents. Then it began again. Emails and phone calls announced, “Due to the rising COVID numbers the party, event, wedding, anniversary celebration has been canceled.” If a soirée happened, it was very small and private, and you can bet everyone was vaccinated. As I write in early January, I wonder, hope and pray that the numbers drop, Mardi Gras ball go on (Heaven knows our Carnival Royalty and their courts have waited long enough), parades march, everyone is careful and cautious and beads are thrown with abandon. ✦

Debutante Mary Kathryn Fitzpatrick

S o cie t y P hila n t hro p ic Faces

Gia M. Hamilton Executive Director & Chief Curator, the New Orleans African American Museum By Sue Strachan

In the heart of Treme, the New Orleans African American Museum is ideally situated to tell the history of the city through its Black citizens, as well as expanding their stories beyond it borders. “The contributions of African Americans in Treme, New Orleans and our nation are so vast and important to American culture that at the New Orleans African American Museum, we situate ourselves as an international cultural epicenter,” says Museum Executive Director and Chief Curator, Gia M. Hamilton, on the museum website. Hamilton, whose background is in anthropology, knows how to make meaningful and lasting cultural connections. She has been the Consultant and Director of the Joan Mitchell Center and created her own projects, the Afrofuture Society and Dark Matters Projects. Hamilton is focusing her time and talent on the museum, which was most recently part of Prospect.5, the contemporary art triennial, as the Hancock Whitney Welcome Center and as an exhibition space. But there’s a lot more she wants to do. “To renovate the entire two-acre campus, we have to raise $10 million,” says Hamilton, “and I urge New Orleanians to support this important endeavor as we consider the importance of Treme and its culture in comparison to American Culture. It will truly take all of us working to bring this campus to life.” Education: Eleanor McMain High School; Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from New York University and Masters of Arts in Applied Anthropology from City University of New York Age: 43

How many years have you been with the organization? Since January 2019, after the museum was closed for seven years. I started as a consultant to reopen the museum, which was in April 2019. Tell us what your organization does. The mission of the New Orleans African American Museum (NOAAM) is to preserve the history and elevate the art, culture and contributions of African Americans in New Orleans and the African Diaspora. NOAAM is open ThursdaysSundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and scheduled tours and the Treme Experience can be found on the website, NOAAM.org. What has been the most important accomplishment that has happened while you have been at the organization? The New Orleans African American Museum was closed for seven years, from 2012 until it reopened under my leadership in 2019. Putting forth the type of energy required to start up a business that has a history is the biggest accomplishment, along with the incredible Board of Directors who have worked to transform the governance of NOAAM. NOAAM’s ability to stay consistent about its values through the many challenges since reopening is also admirable. NOAAM works to convert community members into muse-

um-goers, which means we employ a strategy that supports all the members of a neighborhood and community through our programming. By centering our decision-making in being artist-driven and centered around what people need and want, we’re able to create opportunities for learning, exchange and reciprocity. Our model is called Decolonize the Museum, which looks at partnerships, exhibition making, acquisitions and collecting from an equity lens. Because NOAAM understands the importance of culture and the creation of spaces that foster imagination as epicenters for the future, we present and unpack complex historical narratives and give opportunity to plan and visualize the future and its possibilities.

we can continue to think about new ways to solve old problems. Is there a person or mentor that inspired you? I’m so fortunate to have had so many mentors, but I would have to share that Thelma Golden and her work building The Studio Museum of Harlem has always inspired me and given me a marker for Black excellence. In my hometown, brilliant arts workers such as Kalamu Ya Salaam, who has guided me directly and indirectly; Carol Bebelle; and Mama Jennifer Turner at Community Book Center are people who are important my success. But, I have also looked closely at those who have made mistakes and examined those mistakes without judgment so that I can better understand my blind spots. As a leader, it’s very important to have a support system that can point out areas that require examination.

What’s something about your organization that people most likely don’t know? A recent New York Times article referenced how What's your idea of New NOAAM is partnering to support the Backstreet Cultural Museum, Orleans bliss? My job is inherand I think it’s important to note ently social and requires lots of energy to bring a big vision to that we’re a small startup growfruition, and I’m a proud mother ing in resources and assets. of six, so any time that I get to However, it’s important not to be alone with my books or dancconsume and extract the work ing and taking care of myself of the Backstreet Museum, but allows me to restore so I can rather partner and work to susconnect with my intuition, which tain its work on our campus. I heavily rely on as a leader. We look forward to our longterm relationship with them and hope it will inspire visitors, *Extended version online at donors and members to give freely and generously so that StCharlesAvenue.com ✦

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Audubon Nature Institute’s “2021 Hancock Whitney Zoo-To-Do” More than 2,000 attendees enjoyed an evening of fine dining and dancing at the Audubon Zoo.

➺ By Shelby Simon

The 43rd “Zoo-To-Do” gala fundraiser was held Thursday, October 28, 2021, at the Audubon Zoo, accented by beautiful wetlands-chic décor following a whooping crane theme. The event, usually held the first Friday in May, was rescheduled due to the pandemic and scaled down to a Sponsors & Patrons only experience to accommodate COVID safety measures. Patrons’ benefits included specialty entertainment, cocktails and delectable cuisine, while Sponsors enjoyed the addition of recognition on printed materials, including the event invitation, program and welcome signage, as well as the Audubon Nature Institute Annual Report. More than 25 of New Orleans’ most famous eateries provided an array of cuisine, as well as specialty and full-service bars crafting premium cocktails. The headline entertainment on the Capital One Bank Stage was Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers. Also performing were the Electric Yat Quartet on the Miriam Walmsley Cooper Plaza and the Cajun Music Preservation Society at the Lupin Arrival Plaza/Front Gate. A Luxury Vehicle Raffle of a 2021

LEXUS UX200, generously donated by LEXUS of New Orleans, sold out before the event. Nine additional raffle prizes included a FreeportMcMoRan Species Survival Center Tour with Family Plus Membership; an After-Hours Audubon Zoo Tour for six; charcuterie from Graze + Friends and an Audubon Family Plus Membership; an off-shore fishing trip with Southern Way Charters; a three-night vacation in Orange Beach, Alabama; artwork by Hunt Slonem and Clare Henderson; jewelry from Friend & Co. and Diamonds Direct; and a $1,000 gift card to Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights. Contributions from Chap’s Rental Service; CHL Linens, Inc.; Distressed Rentals and Revival; Dunn & Sonnier Antiques, Flowers & Gifts; Element Productions; Federico’s Family Florist; Firefly Ambiance; Kim Starr Wise Floral Events; NOLA Flora; Pyramid Audio Productions; and Whole Foods Arabella Station contributed to the décor. Hancock Whitney served as Title Sponsor. In attendance were Gala Chairman Dr. Leslie P. Gottsegen and husband Dr. G. Bradley Gottsegen, and Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Ron Forman and wife Sally Forman. ✦

Follow Audubon Nature Institute on Facebook @AudubonNatureInstitute, on Twitter @AudubonNature and on Instagram @AudubonInstitute 24 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

P hi la n t hro p ic E ve n t s

EVENT AT A GLANCE

WHAT “2021 Hancock Whitney Zoo-To-Do,”

benefiting the Audubon Nature Institute

October 28, 2021

WHERE Audubon Zoo

Photographed by Jeff Strout

WHEN Thursday,

1. Representing Title Sponsor Hancock Whitney Gary Lorio and Joe Exnicios with Sally and Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Ron Forman 2. Representing Children’s Hospital New Orleans Dr. Ellis Arjmand, Chairwoman Dr. Leslie P. Gottsegen and Kelly Duncan 3. Poco and Liz Sloss with representing Lexus of New Orleans Clifton and Elizabeth LeBlanc 4. Stephanie and Ludovico Feoli with Jodi Yuspeh 5. Terrah Green with Field and Michelle Ogden 6. Zoo-To-Do for Kids Chairwoman Betsy Laborde with Katie Stream and Anne Long

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American Cancer Society’s “Fire & Ice Honoree Ball” Twenty honorees were recognized for their ongoing commitment to ACS’ mission.

➺ By Shelby Simon

The American Cancer Society hosted its “Fire & Ice Honoree Ball” presented by Ochsner Cancer Institute, to recognize an elite group of individuals who have shown support for the fight against cancer in the New Orleans community. The Audubon Tea Room hosted the memorable program, three-course dinner, libations, live music, an online auction, raffle and more. The proceeds from the event will be used to support the safe reopening of the ACS’ Patrick F. Taylor Hope Lodge on River Road, which needs additional operating funds to recover from the COVID-19 health crisis and offer a free home away from home and community for cancer patients and their caregivers. This event fully funds the operating costs of the Hope Lodge. The Honorees were: Dr. Nelly Aoun, West Jefferson Medical Center; Warren Backer, Engel & Volkers New Orleans; Dr. Charles Ballay, West Jefferson Medical Center; Al Copeland Jr., Al Copeland Investments; Tina Dang, Expressway Pharmacy; Kevin Dolliole, New Orleans International

Airport; Dr. Rebekah Gee, LSU School of Medicine; Dr. Nihal Godiwala, Children’s Hospital New Orleans; Dr. Kendra Harris, Tulane Medical Center; Heather Hays, Philanthropist; Ann Heslin, Ochsner Health System; Dr. Sarah Jackson, Audubon Dermatology; Deanna McLendon, Wells Fargo Advisors; John Nickens, Children’s Hospital New Orleans; Erin Pierce, R.N., Ochsner Health System; Kenneth Ritter, Audubon Nature Institute; Dr. David Silvers, Metropolitan Gastroenterology Associates; Desi Vega, Mr. John’s and Desi Vega’s Steakhouse; Dr. Jules Walters, The Modern Plastic Surgery and Med Spa; and Kim Starr Wise, Kim Starr Wise Floral Events. The Patron Party began the program at 7 p.m., followed by the Honoree Ball. In addition to the auction and raffle tickets, Hope Bears were available for a minimum donation of $50 to receive an adorable Gund Bear, which patrons could either keep or donate to Children’s Hospital in honor or memory of a loved one. Event Co-Chairs were Stacy Guest and Jessica Schulman.✦

Follow the American Cancer Society's “Honoree Ball” on Facebook and Instagram @ACSHonoreeBallNola 26 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

P hi la n t hro p ic E ve n t s

EVENT AT A GLANCE

WHAT “Fire & Ice Honoree Ball New Orleans,”

benefiting the American Cancer Society

WHEN Thursday,

November 4, 2021

WHERE Audubon Tea Room

1. Jordan Schulman and Co-Chair Jessica Schulman with Co-Chair Stacy Guest and James Guest 2. Honorees Kim Starr Wise, Warren Backer and Ann Heslin 3. Honorees Kevin Dolliole, Dr. David Silvers and Kenneth Ritter 4. Honorees Dr. Nelly Aoun, Dr. Jules Walters and Tina Dang 5. Honorees Dr. Nihal Godiwala and Desi Vega 6. Sponsorship Chair Karey Haslauer and Uncorked Chair Elizabeth Gracee

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Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s “Beneficiary Luncheon for Carnivale du Vin” Students from several local schools participated in an inspiring culinary experience.

➺ By Shelby Simon

A beneficiary luncheon Hosted by Alden, Meril and E.J. Lagasse, kicked off the festivities of the “Carnivale du Vin” fundraising weekend for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. Presented at the New Orleans Board of Trade, the event featured students from several local schools throughout the program. St. Michael Special School Cheerleaders welcomed guests, and the school’s Bell Choir served as entertainment during the lunch. Hors d’oeuvres served during the reception included shrimp remoulade deviled eggs and everything bagel biscuits with herb cream cheese prepared by students from Cafe Hope; and Gruyère quiche with crème fraîche and caviar prepared by students from Café Reconcile. Students from Dr. John

Ocshner Discovery Health Sciences Academy and Belle Chasse Academy’s culinary learning lab prepared a drink: a pear ginger spritzer with ginger and basil from Emeril’s culinary garden and teaching kitchen. Emeril Lagasse spoke on stage to welcome guests and speak about the importance of the weekend, in which interns from hospitality programs worked alongside chefs during the fundraising weekend to give students an inspiring work experience that fuels them for the future. Melissa Sawyer also spoke about the impact the Emeril Lagasse Foundation has had on the Youth Empowerment Project. The luncheon menu was created and served by NOCCA Culinary Students and led by Chef Dana Tuohy. ✦

Follow the Emeril Lagasse Foundation on Facebook @EmerilOrg

28 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

P hi la n t hro p ic E ve n t s

Photographed by Jeff Strout, Photo 4 courtesy Emeril Lagasse Foundation

EVENT AT A GLANCE

WHAT “Beneficiary Luncheon for

WHEN Friday,

Carnivale du Vin,” benefiting the Emeril Lagasse Foundation

November 5, 2021

WHERE New Orleans

Board of Trade

1. Gary Solomon and Sissy La Forge 2. Mark Romig and Bivian “Sonny” Lee III 3. Gerald Duhon, Bridget Harrell and Carr Bender 4. Alden and Emeril Lagasse 5. Paul Frank, Brian Kish and Luis Arocha 6. St. Michael Special School cheerleaders welcomed guests

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Le Petit Theatre’s “Curtain Call Ball” Musical performances and mingling supported community theater.

➺ By Shelby Simon

The “Curtain Call Ball” brought guests “back to the theatre” for an evening of mingling and musical performances that support keeping the curtains open with new works at Le Petit Theatre. The event began at Tableau, where patrons could mingle and enjoy cocktails, dinner and a silent auction. The musical performance and live auction followed in Le Petit Theatre, where guests were treated to entertainment by Broadway Star Kathleen Monteleone, whose career includes credits such as the role of Elle Woods in the national tour of Legally Blonde and Dede HalcyonDay in Tales of the City, the Musical, and her Broadway debut originating the role of Heather Stovall in Hands

On A Hardbody. Additional credits include the feature Are You Joking? directed by Jake Wilson, TNT’s Good Behavior alongside Michelle Dockery and Comedy Central’s Goatface with Hasan Minhaj. She stars in the feature film American Reject, which she also wrote and produced, which will be premiering early spring of 2022 on Amazon. A cast of local favorite entertainers offered additional performances, including Bryan Batt, Keith Claverie, Leslie Claverie, Rachel Looney and Kathleen Moore. Following the performances was a live auction and paddle raise, led by auctioneer Mark Romig. Dessert and nightcaps followed in Tableau. Anne Redd and Judith Oudt served as Chairs. ✦

Follow Le Petit Theatre on Facebook @LePetitNOLA and on Instagram @lepetit_nola

30 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

P hi la n t hro p ic E ve n t s

EVENT AT A GLANCE

WHAT “Curtain Call Ball,”

WHEN Monday,

benefiting Le Petit Theatre

November 8, 2021

Photographed by Kenny Martinez

WHERE Le Petit Theatre

1. Edmund and Chair Anne Redd with Board Chair Kathleen and Charlie Van Horn 2. Chair Judith Oudt and Daniela Khoury 3. Tony and Board Member Katherine Gelderman with Henry Lambert and Carey Bond 4. Board Members Janet Daley Duval and Joey Brown 5. Performers Shola Adewusi and Barry Schabaka Henley 6. Ned Randolph, Jessica Shank and Elizabeth and Edwin Bragg

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Musical Arts Society of New Orleans’ “NOCTURNE XVIII” World-renowned pianist Angela Cheng performed for patrons of the arts.

➺ By Shelby Simon

“NOCTURNE XVIII” brought music to the ears of arts patrons with a champagne reception, a salon recital by a world-renowned pianist and a seated dinner at the Ritz-Carlton. The annual gala and fundraiser of the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans, this beautiful and anticipated evening allows MASNO to continue offering a wide variety of musical programming throughout the year. Internationally acclaimed Canadian pianist Angela Cheng, known for her technique and musicianship, performed works by Haydn, Chaminade and Chopin. Praised as one of her country’s national treasures, Cheng has performed with virtually every orchestra in Canada and with symphonies

all over the world and is an avid recitalist throughout the United States and Canada. Cheng was Gold Medalist of the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Masters Competition, the first Canadian to win the prestigious Montreal International Piano Competition and was awarded the Canada Council’s coveted Career Development Grant and the Medal of Excellence for outstanding interpretations of Mozart from the Mozarteum in Salzburg. The program was presented with support from Drs. Andrea and Archie Brown; Ritz-Carlton New Orleans; Steinway and Sons; Hall Piano Company; WWNO 89.9 and Classical 104.9 FM; Where Y’at; The Wine Seller; and Victoria Z Photography. ✦

Follow Musical Arts Society of New Orleans on Facebook @MASNO1980, on Twitter @CaraMASNO and on Instagram @MASNO1980

32 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

P hi la n t hro p ic E ve n t s

EVENT AT A GLANCE

WHAT “NOCTURNE XVIII,” benefiting the

Musical Arts Society of New Orleans

November 7, 2021

WHERE Ritz-Carlton,

New Orleans

Photographed by Jeff Strout

WHEN Sunday,

1. Chair and Board President William Marshall, Tessa Izdepski, Rebekka Veith and Board Member Jason Burge 2. Board Member Mary Albert, Dr. James Farrow and Board Member Anne Gauthier 3. Board Member Emeritus Julianne Nice, former New Orleans International Piano Competition Gold Medalist Dustin Gledhill, Board Member Casey Dietz Zainey and Executive and Artistic Director Cara McCool Woolf 4. Board Member and Co-Director of the New Orleans Piano Institute Hristo Birbochukov, Board Member Joni Jensen and Chairman of the Jury of the New Orleans International Piano Competition Alan Chow 5. Board Members Chuck Taylor and Robert Edgecombe 6. Nocturne Guest Artist Angela Cheng

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SNAPSHOTS

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1. Gayle Benson and Rebecca Pennington, Ph.D, CFRE, attended Girl Scouts Louisiana East’s fifth annual “Juliette Gordon Low Leadership Luncheon” in October 2021 in the Audubon Tea Room. More than 200 guests attended this year’s event, raising more than $60,000 to support needs including camp experiences, uniforms, horse feed and case and the “Badge in a Box” program for troops impacted by Hurricane Ida. 2. Kim Hunter Reed, Ph.D., Arthur Morrell, Charlotte Bollinger and Kacy Kernan are pictured at the 2021 “Juliette Gordon Low Leadership Luncheon,” held in October at the Audubon Tea Room. Reed was honored with the Four Pillars Award; Morrell was named Outstanding Man of the year; and Bollinger was named Outstanding Woman. Kernan represents United Way, which was given the title of Outstanding Organization of 2021. 3. Christina Watkins and the Rev. Liz Embler-Beazley celebrated the legacy of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of America, at a luncheon held every year in her honor to recognize leaders who have made a positive impact on girls and women in the community. 4. Guests engaged in a rousing game of croquet at the second annual “Games in the Gardens” fundraiser to benefit Longue Vue House and Garden’s educational programming and stunning natural environment. 5. Attendees of the second annual “Games in the Garden” were surrounded by garden arrangements curated by Amy Graham and the beauty of Longue Vue House and Garden’s grounds, outdoor games, hors d’oeuvres by Hippie Kitchen and music by the Harry Hardin Trio while raising money to benefit the nonprofit’s educational programming. 6. Ivan Griffin, Michael Francis, Ann MacDonald and Ranord Darensburg enjoyed a day of food, fun and philanthropy at Longue Vue House and Garden’s second annual “Games in the Gardens” in October 2021.

S na p sh ot s

7. Staff members of The Mardi Gras Spot posed with the overflowing boxes of diapers and supplies collected during a donation drive organized by Plush Appeal – the Mardi Gras Spot and the Junior League of New Orleans in response to Hurricane Ida. 8. Junior League of New Orleans President Shannon Brice, Plush Appeal Vice President Alyssa Fletchinger Higgins and JLNO President-Elect Holly Paszak stood together amid the collected donations in Plush Appeal’s storefront The Mardi Gras Spot. 9. JLNO Presided Shannon Brice and Plush Appeal Vice President Alyssa Fletchinger Higgins showcased donations collected during a joint drive held in response to Hurricane Ida and a national diaper and supply shortage, which resulted in nearly 3,000 diapers for JLNO to distribute. 10. Cory J. Howat and Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond celebrated 2021 St. John Paul II Award winners Jan and Lloyd Tate at the award reception in October. The award recognizes the generosity and Christian stewardship exhibited by a Catholic layperson or laypersons of high moral character and exemplary values, who has rendered unselfish volunteer service to the institutions and programs of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. 11. Sarah Foote, Evan Tate, Jessica Vicknair and Rachel Mulry enjoyed an intimate in-person gathering in place of the Catholic Community Foundation’s usual awards dinner. The event was coupled with a virtual Celebration of Catholic Generosity, broadcast on WLAE-TV in October 2021. 12. Sr. Sue Pablovich and Sr. Dorothy Trosclair attended an intimate reception for the closest friends and family of St. John Paul II Award winners Jan and Lloyd Tate at Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond’s residence.

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36 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

WHEN ROMANCE & DEBAUCHERY COLLIDE RESTAURANTS LURE DINERS WITH VALENTINE’S & MARDI GRAS DRINK & DINING SPECIALS BY JYL BENSON

STCHARLESAVENUE.COM

As is often the case, Carnival season will encompass Valentine’s Day, though, lucky for lovers, the annual celebration that’s the apex for romance falls on a Monday this year when no parades are scheduled to roll. On its surface Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love and romance. As such, this would logically lead celebrants to the bedroom. However, a casual, and in no way official, survey of New Orleanians who routinely acknowledge Valentine’s Day with celebration revealed that the romance of Valentine’s Day leads not to the bedroom but to a special meal a deux, most often in restaurants accustomed to the arrival of such gustatory-minded romantics on the feast day of St. Valentine. In preparation for their arrival chefs and restaurateurs plan special menus and bits of lagniappe to accommodate them. Likewise, special provisions are often undertaken to welcome Mardi Gras revelers. cream on the Commander’s menu or you can grab it to go from Le Petit Bleu, Commander’s next door to-go market. Open daily and just steps from the St. Charles Avenue parade route, the upscale take-out spot is ready for paradegoers and party throwers with muffulettas; pimento cheese and pepper jelly finger sandwiches; Chisesi ham and brie croissants; parade route poor boys; and daily selections from the Commander’s menu.

Four Seasons Hotel (Photo by Aleks Danielle)

Below: Commander’s Palace, 1403 Washington Ave., 504899-8221, CommandersPalace. com; Le Petite Bleu, 1423 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221, CommandersPalace.com/to-go

Copper Vine, 1001 Poydras St., 504-208-9535, CopperVine.com (Photo by Emily Ferrett)

Always top-of-mind for both Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day celebrations, this year is no exception at Commander’s Palace. On February 18th, Commander’s will start celebrating you and your favorite Krewe, Mardi Gras or otherwise, over lunch. Guests are encouraged to show up in costume (dress code appropriate still applies) or wearing some kitschy Mardi Gras throws. Every day over lunch through Lundi Gras, a different King and Queen will be designated to reign over each dining room, making for much royalty and frivolity under one roof. Chef Meg Bickford kicked off the Carnival season when she rolled out King Cake ice cream. The rich confection is currently on offer as the house-made, daily special ice

Commander’s is accepting reservations for Valentine’s Day or, for lovebirds cozying up at home, consider Veal Chop Tchoupitoulas from Le Petit Bleu. Each order Includes two raw 14-ounce center cut bone-in veal chops, asparagus spears, stone ground grits enriched with Creole cream cheese and green peppercorn Tchoupitoulas sauce. Just sear off the chops, plate up the delicacies and enjoy adoring applause. A burnished grid fitted with hanging plants of many varieties drops a few inches from the ceiling at The Bower in the Lower Garden District, and a large rectangular planter bisects the dining room lending a secret garden effect to a clean-lined space. To one side of the room a jewel-like craft cocktail bar headed up by Mickey Mullins is lit in an intimate way to offset the vibrant concoctions on the counter. At the rear of the space is the open kitchen manned by Chef Marcus Woodham and expansive picture windows overlook a lushly planted courtyard and outdoor dining spaces. The menu is divided into small plates, house made pasta, large plates, house-made charcuterie, cheeses and boards.

On Valentine’s Day the cocktail bar will be serving up Rums and Roses cocktails (Diplomatico and Don Q rums, rhubarb liqueur, grapefruit juice and rose syrup garnished with dried roses). Located in the Central Business District, for the past four years Briquette has inhabited the space built in the 1800s as the home of Rodd Brothers Molasses Refinery. At the center of the vibrant, contemporary space is an exposition-style kitchen enclosed with glass. An 18-foot char grill and parallel chilled bar displaying numerous specimens of whole fish divides the restaurant from the kitchen and sets the tone for the menu. On February 14, proprietor Anna Tusa will welcome romantics with a Two Can Dine for $99 three course menu. Guests will be seated with an amuse buche from the kitchen, followed by a choice of the Briquette Salad or Crab Bisque. Entrées on offer for the special evening include choices of filet medallions served with seasonal sides and seafood garnishes and finished with sauce Béarnaise, or blackened redfish served over fresh arugula with fried green tomatoes and topped with grilled Gulf shrimp. For dessert diners will enjoy bread pudding beignets to share with demitasse cups of Irish coffee. Check the Briquette website for

This page far left: The Bower's inside and outside dining Left: Romantic dining at Briquette, 701 S. Peters St., 504-302-7496, Briquette-Nola.com

Opening page photos clockwise from top: Commons Club's Short Rib & Chicken Confit Tablescape; Snack Pack from Bourrée, 1510 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-510-4040, BourreeNola. com; Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel (Photo by Christian Horan); St. John Restaurant, 1117 Decatur St., 504581-8120, StJohnNola.com (Photo by Randy Schmidt)

Tujague’s, 429 Decatur St., 504-525-8676, TujaguesRestaurant.com (pictured: Creme Brulée (Photo by Sam Hanna) and Tujague's Mardi Gras Smash) a date and details but, per annual tradition, Briquette will partner with a top winery to offer a five-course Mardi Gras Masquerade Wine Dinner for $125 per person on a Friday evening in February. With a prime location on St. Peters Street, Briquette will be open all day on Mardi Gras Day. A few blocks away, Copper Vine’s lush hanging garden, climbing vines and deep, plush seating create a sexy atmosphere. Gorgeous both inside and out, Copper Vine features several seating options both upstairs and down, including a deep balcony overlooking the action on Poydras Street. A popular spot with people who live downtown, the graceful building is on the National Register of Historic Places and once housed the legendary Maylie’s. The original bar inside was restored to serve 30 aromatic and flavorful wines on tap. Chef Amy Marthens’ menu pairs and shares easily. This place is a sure bet for

scoring points for style on Valentine’s Day. Copper Vine will also host a Mardi Gras Wine Dinner. Visit the website for details. Located in the ultra-hip Virgin Hotel, for dinner on Valentine’s Day Chef Alex Harrell of the Commons Club will offer three-course prix fixe dinner, complete with a large format entrée (to be revealed) that’s guaranteed to be perfect for sharing. Spirit Guide Christy Bradley will have lovers and others swooning for her special Raspberry Truffle Martini (Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, Skyy Raspberry Vodka, Chambord and blackberry syrup served up in a cocoa rimmed glass with Luxardo cherry garnish). Couples looking for an extraordinary Valentine’s experience will find it in the Four Season’s Hotel’s A Streetcar Experience to be Desired package. A stay in the ultra-luxe

Miss River, (in the Four Seasons Hotel), 2 Canal St., 504-434-5100, MissRiverNola.com

Couples dining in Miss River on Valentine’s Day will experience the launch of the restaurant’s Love Letter menu. Curated by Chef Alon Shaya, the menu is the culinary personification of Alon’s Love Letter to Louisiana based on his experience of our local culture and cuisine in his nearly 20 years here. As the signature lobby-level restaurant of the long-awaited Four Seasons Hotel at the foot of Canal Street, Miss River is an over-the-top celebration of the kind of grand dining once so common here (and now something of a rarity). Culinary theater takes place around the Food Stage where chefs display extravagant plating of signature dishes like the Whole Buttermilk Fried Chicken served with dipping sauces and Clay Pot Dirty Rice that arrives with a crispy bottom, topped with pan-roasted duck breast, duck egg yolk, creamy liver pâté and scallions.

hotel includes a private streetcar ride on our city’s historic St. Charles line. Your streetcar will be customized with music and décor to suit your special occasion. A local historian will await your arrival, ready to share the sights and sounds of the of the city you think you already know. Upon arrival back at the riverfront hotel you and your honey will enjoy a wine-paired dinner at Chef Alon Shaya’s Miss River, before retreating to your sexy suite. Upon your return home, you’ll receive an online album with professional photographs from your streetcar tour of town. On Valentine’s Day Tujague’s will be welcoming guests to a new location on upper Decatur Street with an array of specialty Valentine’s Day desserts from Pastry Chef Karen Anderson. Throughout Carnival season Tujague’s will offer special Carnival-inspired cocktails from Beverage

Four Seasons Hotel, 2 Canal St., 504-434-5100, FourSeasons.com/neworleans (pictured: A Streetcar to be Desired Experience) Photo by Aleks Danielle

Director Amber Harrington. The Mardi Gras Smash (bourbon, blackberry syrup and Giffard passion fruit liqueur) celebrates the season.

Commons Club (in the Virgin Hotel), 550 Baronne St., 833-791-7700, VirginHotels.com/ new-orleans/dine-and-drink/the-commons-club (pictured: Raspberry Martini)

Intimate and always interesting, Palm & Pine invites you to BYOD (Bring Your Own Dog) to Brunch on February 20, aka Barkus Sunday. The restaurant will be open with their normal hours and menu, and will have special dog treats and to-go drinks. On February 27, there will be a special Bacchus and Thoth Brunch 10:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m. The private Rampart Room is available for booking and a restaurant buyout is an option for bigger party needs. Lundi Gras will bring a “Pining for the 90’s Brunch” with a special 1990s theme, jams, offerings from an à la carte themed menu and themed cocktails. Get ready for some Cosmopolitans! Costuming as your favorite 1990s icon is highly encouraged.

On Mardi Gras Day, Palm&Pine will be open 9 a.m.-noon for to-go only for drinks and a limited menu of paradefriendly dishes like breakfast tacos, Foie Gras King Cake and Turkey Neck Gumbo. On Valentine’s Day Palm&Pine is offering a special three-course menu for $60 with optional wine pairings for $30. There will be choices for each course and the menu will have some signature items as well as a few new dishes. Check the website for the latest details. Not open on Valentine’s Day but still super sexy, St. John is the spot for a pre- or post-Krewe du Vieux (February 12) meal or cocktail. The parade rolls one block from the French Quarter hot spot. With cozy booths overlooking the open chefs’ kitchen as well as outdoor balcony seating overlooking Decatur Street, Chef Eric Cook’s mind blowing haute-Creole cuisine and crafty cocktails make for an unforgettable experience.

STCHARLESAVENUE.COM

Galatoire’s Mardi Gras Table Auction, 209 Bourbon St., 504-525-2021, Galatoires.com Chef Nathanial Zimet usually takes Mondays off, but he’s making an exception for Valentine’s Day at Boucherie in the Riverbend area, where the covered tropical outdoor patio was recently doubled in size. If the evening is a cool one, towering outdoor heaters will keep you cozy while enjoying a special multi-course menu with wine pairings. Visit the website for more details.

The Mardi Gras Museum at Arnaud’s, 813 Bienville St., 504-523-5433, ArnaudsRestaurant.com Around the corner Bourree is offering the Bourree Snack Pack for at-home and parade route feasting. The $50 to-go pack includes a half-gallon of one of the daily daiquiri offerings (including King Cake, available through Mardi Gras Day), one dozen wings (with choice of two sauces), two orders of fries and two spicy fried chicken sandwiches. Bourree is also an official pick-up spot for those hard-to-get Dong Phuong King Cakes. Both Arnaud’s and Galatoire’s are popular and worthy destinations for both romantic dinners for two and larger gathering for a Carnival krewe. The former boasts the perennially popular Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum, named for successor and daughter of the restaurant’s founder, Count Arnaud. Wells allegedly reigned as Queen of over 22 Mardi Gras balls from 1937 to 1968, more

Palm & Pine, 308 N. Rampart St., 504-814-6200, PamAndPineNola.com

Boucherie, 8115 Jeannette St., 504-862-5514, Boucherie-Nola.com (Photo by Randy Schmidt)

than any other woman in the history of Carnival. The museum, located on the second floor of the expansive restaurant, showcases over two dozen lavish Mardi Gras costumes, including 13 of Mrs. Wells’ Queen costumes. The collection is enhanced by vintage photographs, fabulous Carnival masks and faux jewels, elaborate krewe invitations and party favors. The museum is free and open to all, not just restaurant patrons, during restaurant hours. Each year, the Galatoire Foundation Mardi Gras Auction raises funds to aide local nonprofits. To date the auctions have raised more than $2.2 million. Now in its 16th year, the Mardi Gras auction will be held this year on Monday, February 7. One hundred percent of the funds raised at the auction will benefit Covenant House and Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré – the organization that produces Caroling in Jackson Square every holiday season – and the Galatoire Foundation. The auction allows attendees the opportunity to reserve the most coveted tables of the year for the Friday before Mardi Gras (February 25), the busiest day of the year for the restaurant. Reservations for the Mardi Gras auction are now open. Cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m. The auction begins at 6:30 p.m. A $50 donation is required per couple with a $25 donation for every additional guest. Call Galatoire’s to secure a spot. Limited seating is available. ✦

Traditions Transformedl 10+ EXPERTS ON LUXE WEDDINGS SHARE THEIR TIPS FOR TODAY

BY SUE STRACHAN

hile weddings – even the most perfectly planned – have an element of unpredictability, the COVID-19 pandemic threw yet another agent of chaos into the mix. But, brides, grooms, parents and the wedding industry have learned to pivot and adjust. “The one constant is that there is no constant,” says Susan Zackin, Owner of Z Event Company, about planning events in today’s sort-of postCOVID-19 pandemic world. It’s a sentiment echoed by those involved in making special events happen in New Orleans. Beth Biundo of Beth Biundo Sweets is finding that wedding cakes have become less traditional. Biundo says pre-pandemic most cakes were the same with some variations, but couples are now requesting color frosting, chocolate or rosemary olive oil cake flavors, embellishments such as more piping and over-the-top flower presentations incorporated into the cakes. Or, matching the frosting and embellishments to the walls of the venue, as Biundo did for one couple who got married at Hotel Peter & Paul, which was coordinated by Mary Spera of Spera Special Events. Spera says the wedding had been postponed due to COVID-19, and throughout the two years of planning, the couple didn’t want a wedding cake. “When we reconvened in person for tastings and final site visits in August 2021 – the week Hurricane Ida hit – the couple who positively

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didn’t want a wedding cake now wanted a wedding cake. But they didn’t want a white, traditional cake,” says Spera. “They wanted a cake with a moody, dramatic vibe. Our color story was deep red, mauve, copper, dark emerald green and black.” The bride originally wanted a dark green cake, but Biundo pointed out that those dark, intense colors, although gorgeous on the cake, stain teeth, so Spera suggested pulling in the lightest color in the color story – mauve – that was originally inspired by the interior of Hotel Peter & Paul. “We pumped up the drama with gorgeous red and rusty florals, which appeared to erupt organically from the cake. We kept the dark emerald green on the velvet table linens and brought in the copper on the cake stand. And the couple did, in fact, take photos with the cake,” Spera says. Two new elements sparked by COVID-19 that Spera doesn’t see going away any time soon is a shorter time frame in which to plan and guest lists with fewer people. “There are newly engaged couples who want a smaller, more intimate, luxury affair, with guests counts under 50 and a more curated experience for everyone.” This is something John Rowland, Owner and Founder of Southern Hospitality Catering, has been experiencing “We’re seeing an emphasis on more weddings at either the bride’s or groom’s family homes or at a friend's home,” he says, adding “with an emphasis on making the experience more personal for the couple.” “We catered a sit-down dinner for 80 for a wedding at home,” says

WHO’S WHO Beth Biundo Sweets 3917 Baronne St. 504-899-8059 BethBiundoSweets.com Boudreaux’s Jewelers 701 Metairie Road 504-831-2602 BoudreauxsJewelers.com Betty Hunley Designs 6057 Magazine St. 504-895-2870 BettyHunley.com Infinity Farms 504-975-4860 InfinityFarms.com Lavoisier Suits 504-210-6979 LavoisierSuits.com Miller Murphy Travel 985-727-5577 MillerMurphyTravel.com Mitch’s Flowers 4843 Magazine St. 504-899-4843 MitchsFlowersNola.com Suzanne Perron SuzannePerron.com Southern Hospitality Catering 3529 Chippewa St. 504-897-0477 SouthernHospitalityCat-ering.com Spera Special Events 504-452-6761 SperaSpecialEvents.com Town & Country Bridal 1514 St. Charles Ave. 504-523-7027 TownAndCountryBridal.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF Z EVENT COMPANY OPPOSITE PAGE: RING FROM BOUDREAUX'S JEWELERS

Z Event Company 504-510-5838 ZEventCo.com; Retail party store: Sparkle & Swag 508 Metairie Road 504-510-5838 SparkleAndSwag.com

MITCH'S FLOWERS

WEDDING TIPS FROM SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY CATERING Southern Hospitality Catering’s John Rowland says, “Be sure to take in the moment,” adding, “Look around at everyone in attendance and think about how much they personally mean to you and your partner. It will probably be the only time all of these people will be together at one time. Realize how amazing you feel at that moment.” And more practically, Rowland suggests, “Be sure the caterer packs food for the couple, as they will have no time to eat during the reception and will be hungry by the end of the night.” PHOTO BY JESSICA BACHMANN

Rowland, “and another for 300 at home with chef’s active stations serving different dishes – shrimp and grits, Louisiana wild mushroom polenta and chargrilled oysters – throughout the house and garden.” For the sit-down dinner for 80, Southern Hospitality Catering created a menu with items that reflected the bride’s time in France and its culture, featuring French cheeses, French-style Chateaubriand, pommes frites and haricots verts. “Being the part of the personalization of an event gives us the ability to create elements that are not traditional or follow the norms,” says Rowland. Z Event Company owner Zackin says, “I’ve done more private home weddings than ever.” She also notes her clientele is doing what they want to do with their weddings and not allowing COVID-19 to dictate their life going forward. And, brides now have an easier attitude about what could happen. “Everyone wants to celebrate and are spending money to do so,” says Zackin. She emphasizes that good food, wine and entertainment all come into play for a good party, but she added another important element that a party planner can organize and finesse: How the evening flows. “It is so important … all the things that go into the mix, including guest list and the progression of the evening,” she says. “Planning a wedding isn’t just ‘throwing a little party’,” says Zackin. “It is a very expensive investment and it should not be done without professional guidance in this day and age. A reputable planner should be retained just like any other type of consultant you would use for other important investments in life. The cost of having one will pay off in the long run.” Kicking off any wedding are the invitations, with Betty Hunley Designs Inc., a longtime a favorite for couples to turn to: Betty Hunley started designing for customers in 1978, with her store opening in 1983. “It has definitely been a crazy two years for weddings,” says Hunley. “We had so many couples that had to either cancel, downsize or just postpone their weddings.” Hunley says she was blown away about how every single bride she met with was such a good sport, adding, “I knew their hearts were broken, but we managed to come up with plan to reinvent their big

day,” which often meant inviting fewer guests. One trend she has seen with couples is to order custom envelope liners for the wedding invitations. “We have done watercolor images of venues, churches and gardens,” she says. And, cyphers are still in demand. One big change from the pandemic for Hunley is response cards. “During the pandemic, we recommended couples use a response card that requested the guest RSVP to the wedding website,” she says. “I’m very ‘old school’ and traditional when it comes to wedding etiquette, but because of the mail service being so unpredictable and so many people doing everything electronically these days, I think it makes perfect sense,” adding that is also saves the couple money. But in some ways, this new tradition recalls an old one that had almost been forgotten. “If the guest is ‘old school,’ they have the option of sending a hand written response to the bride, which is really the way it was done ‘back in the day’!” Hunley recommends couples get their lists completed as quickly as possible after the engagement because almost every vendor is going to ask how many people will be invited and make an appointment because most everything is taking longer than normal to be completed and delivered, an issue Mitch’s Flowers also mentioned. “The market is pretty challenging for us with lack of help at farms, shipping concerns, supply and demand,” says a representative of Mitch’s Flowers. “It’s always good to have a few favorites, but it’s also difficult to break the news of not being able to get that one flower that they have to have.” Splurging on floral wedding arches has been a trend, and there’s a preference with stylized bouquets as opposed to the standard open-ended flowers. Moody colors were also trending, “using deep burgundy, reds, blacks and purples. The addition of dried and preserved items has also been a hit all-year long,” the representative adds. The demand for quality diamonds pushed up prices in 2021, says Brandon Boudreaux, lead designer of Boudreaux’s Jewelers. But, “I’ve never had to turn away a client for lack of availability. Our sources are worldwide, so as long as a client has a workable time frame,

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SPERA SPECIAL EVENTS CAKE: BETH BIUNDO SWEEETS FLORIST: PISTIL & STAMEN LINEN: BBJ CAKE STAND: JUST ASK RENTALS CANDLES: LUMINOUS EVENTS PINSPOT LIGHT: SEEHEAR PRO VENUE: HOTEL PETER & PAUL PHOTO BY BRANDON O’NEAL

LAVOISIER SUITS CORTEZ E. JACKSON IN HIS OWN DESIGNS

LAVOISIER SUITS PHOTOS FROM THE WEDDING OF MR. & MRS. KAYLYN FRANKLIN BY JAMES WILLIS PHOTOGRAPHY

anything is possible.” Boudreaux says they are finding that the “hidden halo ring is becoming one of our most popular styles. It features diamonds surrounding the gallery of the diamond to give a hidden detail that only the bride sees,” says Boudreaux. Couples are also becoming more interested in custom rings, which is something Boudreaux’s can do because “We have control over the design process from start to finish to deliver what couples are looking for in a custom engagement ring,” Boudreaux says. Custom is what Cortez E. Jackson of Lavoisier Suits does. His suits and tuxedos – for men, women, boys and girls – are custom-made and are known for attention to detail. Originally from St. Louis, Jackson moved down here for a job, but realized his heart was in fashion and made the leap, starting at home in New Orleans East and in 2019, moving to Canal Place office building. Jackson named is company after his uncle, Walter Lavoisier, who made men’s clothing in St. Louis. “It’s how I honor him,” Jackson says. Jackson’s process starts with an appointment, followed by the initial consultation to find out what the suit or tuxedo is for, be it for a wedding, business event, Carnival ball or the like. Based on the conversation, which includes the color palette, Jackson pulls fabric books, filling in with textures, fabric and finishes, such as thread color, monograms and lining. He also takes detailed measurements, including kneecaps and calves. What Jackson is finding popular with weddings are custom linings, which can include a montage of photos of the important moments for the couples.

Another unique touch: Jackson can add the wedding hashtag under the collar of the suit jacket as a fun reminder of the special day. Another couturier making New Orleans their home is Suzanne Perron. While she’s known for her Carnival designs for Debutantes, their mothers and Queens, her wedding dresses are among the most coveted. For 2022, Perron sees sleeker silhouettes for wedding dresses. Unique details also matter, noting she has added feathers on a dress’ skirt and hem. White isn’t the only choice for dress color, as Perron has used shades of champagne and blush. And, “The mother-of-the-bride doesn’t want to look like the ‘mother-ofthe-bride,’ they want to be more fashionable and current in style,” Perron says. “Three mothers-of-the-brides dresses were made with a patterned fabric and had volume at the shoulders.” Over at Town & Country Bridal, which has been in business for nearly 100 years, Jess Sapera says, “Brides are heavily favoring long sleeved gowns, puff sleeves, exposed corset tops, slits, clean and classic gowns with modern twists and 3D floral laces.” Sapera, Town & Country’s Business Development Manager and Master Stylist, adds that square necklines or straight-across strapless are popular, as well as fitted gowns with a dramatic overskirt that can be removed,

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50 ST. CHARLES AVENUE FEBRUARY 2022

allowing for a ball gown effect, but also a fitted look when the skirt is removed for the reception. According to Sapera, “Most brides wear ivory, but we’ve seen a large amount of brides going with more of a champagne or honey underlay which makes the laces pop more.” For bridesmaids, Sapera says, “Brides are loving the silk faille and satin for their bridesmaids’ gowns. We’ve seen a lot of brides choosing a color and fabric, and allowing their girls to choose the dress style.” Sapera mentioned black and ivory bridesmaids gowns are big right now, while champagne and blush pinks remain favorites. One thing couples definitely look forward to is the honeymoon. According to Stephanie Miller Murphy, CTA, of Miller Murphy Travel, safari and adventure honeymoons are in right now. “What better way to begin married life than with a romantic glamping adventure in the bush of Africa? Adventure and romance go hand-in-hand on a safari honeymoon. It absolutely will be a vacation that can be checked off of the bucket list,” she says. Or, newlyweds “can pick adrenalin over endorphins and venture to destinations that offer a wide variety of adventures for their honeymoon,” Miller Murphy adds, noting that Australia is a wonderful destination for thrill-seekers and, “Peru offers wonderful adventures for honeymooners and is a great destination to combine with the Amazon or the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador.” For some couples, the honeymoon adventure can start at the wedding. Infinity Farms is designed as an outdoor wedding venue set in the rolling hills of Carriere, Mississippi. But no worries, if there’s rain, it has a number of indoor spaces to use, the main one a beautiful 7,000 square foot pavilion, overlooking the bucolic scenery, with a party space, catering kitchen and two guest suites. It can hold up to 250 people. There is a separate residence with two rooms where the bride and groom can get ready, or stay overnight to kick off the honeymoon. “We are the venue only, clients bring their own vendors,” says Co-Owner Donna Russell, who also adds they’re constructing new buildings to expand overnight accommodations. “It was designed as a walking venue,” says Russell, describing how the space is laid out: when guests arrive, one area can serve for the cocktail hour, then move to the ceremony space, then to a back yard for a pre-dinner reception or head straight to the pavilion for the reception. “Each experience is unique, whatever your vision is,” says Russell. ✦

INFINITY FARMS PHOTO BY DEANNA HUNT PHOTOGRAPHY

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C e le b rat io n W i t h T hi s Rin g

Norton – Bright By Megan Holt

On New Year’s Day 2016 in New York City, a friend introduced Edgar Allen Gordon Bright IV to Kathryn Frances Norton. Shortly after, he learned that he had won two tickets to a matinee performance of The Book of Mormon, and he decided to ask her to join him for the show. They met at Shake Shack before the performance, and after it was over Gordy walked Kathryn home from Time Square to Chelsea. The two have been together ever since. Almost exactly four years later, on December 17, 2020, the couple was living in Dallas and had planned a holiday date night. Their first stop

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was the Arboretum, and when they got to the giant Christmas tree, Kathryn felt Gordy get uncharacteristically nervous. The next thing she knew, he was down on one knee proposing! After she said yes, they went to the Mansion on Turtle Creek for dinner, where both of their families were waiting to celebrate. The families gathered again 10 months later in Tyler, Texas, Kathryn’s hometown, for a weekend of wedding festivities. The Grove Kitchen + Gardens, with its beautiful event space and adjacent courtyard, was the ideal place for a rehearsal dinner that offered deli-

cious meals for vegetarians and omnivores alike, followed by welcome party for the wedding guests. The next day, October 23, 2021, the couple was married in a place Kathryn has loved since childhood. Gordy got his first look of Kathryn in her wedding dress as she walked down the aisle at the Willow Brook Country Club Golf Course, to a piano instrumental of “Moon River.” The piano also featured prominently during the post-ceremony cocktail hour, when it was adorned with a stunning arrangement of cascading florals. Floral arrangements of roses, ranunculus, café au lait dahlias and anemones in soft pinks, whites and corals also wrapped around the columns and lined the ballroom stage of the Willow Brook Country Club, where the reception took place. These classic wedding colors perfectly complemented the timeless

feel of the song that played for the newlyweds’ first dance, “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green. Not only did Willow Brook Country Club offer a beautiful location for a reception, it also created a delicious menu! Guests raved about the mushroom risotto and chicken piccata, Kathryn’s childhood favorite, and the late-night sliders and fries were a huge hit! After an unforgettable evening surrounded by family and friends, Gordy and Kathryn took a fiveday trip to Aspen. They had both grown up going to Colorado, and so seemed like the perfect place for them to start making memories as husband and wife. They relaxed, took in the gorgeous views, ate some delicious food and did lots of hiking. They then returned to Dallas, where Gordy works in mortgage banking and Kathryn works in health and wellness ✦

Reception Décor: La Tee Da Flowers and All American Party Rentals Coordinator: Missy Rogers Peck (rehearsal); Esther Yeager (wedding) Celebrant: Father Kirkland “Skully” Knight Ceremony Music: Gary Freeman Wedding Gown: Romona Keveza, Warren Barron Bridal Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Katie May, Bella Bridesmaids Groom’s Attire: Knot Standard, custom Groomsmen’s Attire: Mister Tuxedo Rings: Adler’s Florist: La Tee Da Flowers Invitation: Shine Wedding Invitations Favor: Tom Brown Cookies Caterer: Willow Brook Country Club Wedding Cake: Designs by D’Anne Groom’s Cake: Gambino’s Bakery Photographer: Sarah Kate Photography Hair & Makeup: Maitee Miles Music: Manhattan (a Jordan Kahn Orchestra band)

See more photos from this wedding online at StCharlesAvenue.com

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C e le b rat io n En ter t ainin g w i t h B ev

Mardi Gras Epiphany Epiphany Throws & Starr Hagenbring are leading the way for a more environmental Carnival By Bev Church

Starr Hagenbring, Allison Tiller and Dr. Melissa Montgomery wearing environmentally safe throws

What do four very busy women with major careers have in common this Mardi Gras? They all had an epiphany when it came to Mardi Gras beads and throws that are clogging up our gutters and causing major damage when it comes to the environment! Three of these women, Allison Tiller, (Avenue’s own) Penn Iarocci (not pictured) and Dr. Melissa Montgomery created Epiphany Throws, which creates sustainable Mardi Gras throws as well as festive accessories. Their mission is to bring awareness to the environmental harm that traditional plastic throws create, while giving you an alternative. Their throws are made with recycled silk and cotton, bamboo and biodegradable seeds, and their retail accessories are made from upcycled Mardi Gras costumes. They also sell in bulk and package their throws in burlap bags.

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Some of their items are made by Eden House residents and they use ethical sourcing, which means they pay fair wages to the people who create their beads, bracelets, hats, bags and throws. Because they’re creating items that you will want to keep, they’re reducing waste and creating biodegradable Mardi Gras throws! You can find Epiphany Throws locally at The Historic New Orleans Collection Store, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art Store, Judy at the Rink and more, and online at EpiphanyThrows.com. Starr Hagenbring, Owner of Art & Eyes, had an epiphany of her own. She’s a member of Krewe du Vieux and Krewe of Tucks and decided to make all her own throws that people will want to keep. She used to make jewelry and has lots of beads and findings to create earrings, bracelets, cool

SELECT PHOTOS BY JEFF STROUT

pins and objets d’art. Everything that she makes will be attached to a cardboard card in a biodegradable bag that says, “Made with Mardi Gras Spirit and Love with Recycled Objects!” She wants to encourage people to recycle and lists 10 ways you can help the environment. Hagenbring shares that Krewe du Vieux members are all helping to make 1950s-style ray gun necklaces out of Shrinky Dinks in keeping with their theme, and she’s encouraging children to get in on the act as well! These women are making a difference this year, and we encourage you to be a part of the solution. Thank goodness that recycling is returning, but we all must be part of the solution. Talk to your krewe members and Captains and see if they’ll try to help our fragile planet and clogged drains! ✦

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C e le b rat io n H ow to H os t

All Day Mardi Gras Brunch Have no doubt, this Mardi Gras will be one for the books, an overthe-top debacle of debauchery. If you live on or close enough to a parade route and you have a functioning bathroom you might as well plan a party: Guests are on the way. By Jyl Benson

A Big B atch L ibation Emily Walker, sommelier for Copper Vine Winepub as well as Bonfire Events + Catering, recommends pre-batching a signature cocktail for guests to self-serve from a punchbowl that you replenish throughout the day. Her Bacchus Mule punch is bright and invigorating so you can sip on it all day long without regret. “This drink is made using retsina, a Greek white wine infused with pine resin that has been made for over 2,000 years,” Walker says. “Bacchus, the Greek god of wine, would surely approve of imbibing this delightful, refreshing cocktail while enjoying Mardi Gras festivities. As the Greeks toast, ‘Yamas’ or ‘to your health!’” See “An Extra Bite” on StCharlesAvenue.com for recipe.

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Just Throw It in the Pot

Make it Festive

A contemporary version of an old school door-to-door vendor, Larry Thompson Jr., aka “Mr. Shrimp,” offers door-to-door service to restaurant chefs, businesses and home cooks, bringing fresh from the dock raw Gulf shrimp, boiled shrimp or changing daily plates around in ice chests loaded into his truck. His own one-step seafood boil seasoning, Throw It in the Pot, makes boiling seafood on a stovetop a cinch. Supremely affable and engaging, Mr. Shrimp brings life to any party and is available to cater your gatherings for you should one-step Throw It in the Pot leave you feeling overwhelmed. Mr. Shrimp, 504-734-5483, MrShrimp504.com

Hand painted in Louisiana, this food-safe 22 karat gold trimmed ceramic Carnival chip and dip bowl will add extra sparkle to your Mardi Gras-themed parties. Exclusive to Home Malone. $58 Home Malone, 629 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-324-8352; 4610 Magazine St., 504-766-6148; HomeMaloneNola.com

C e le b rat io n Lo o k in g B ack

The Wohl Apartments The height of fashion with a view By Seale Paterson

The late 1940s in New Orleans saw a building boom for new homes, including apartment buildings. One of the largest, built Uptown in 1949, was The Wohl Apartments, on the corner of St. Charles Avenue and Josephine Street. The site had previously been the Coleman Adler home, which was demolished to make room for the 300 families that would have apartments in the new 13-story brick building. The Wohl, built at a cost of $3 million, was ready for its first residents in March of 1951. Unfurnished studio apartments were $72 per month, while fourroom apartments were $95 per month. Model apartments were furnished and decorated by Masion Blanche, and each bathroom showcased the latest craze: pastel-colored tubs, sinks and toilets. A special penthouse type space was the Far East Suite, described as “probably the most fabulous apartment in the South” and completely furnished and decorated in a mix of Chinese modern décor and antiquities. This affinity for Asian design was also evident in the lobby in 1955, when a nine-foottall Chinese idol, complete with a jewel in the forehead, was placed alongside ancient temple doors.

The ground floor had retail spaces flanking the marble lobby. The first tenants were a McKenzie’s Bakery, the Wohl Beauty Salon, the Fur Salon (featuring fine furs for the “prominent ladies of the city”) and the Rumpus Room. This cocktail lounge, described as both swanky and cozy, proved to be a popular spot, partly because of its

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nightly show featuring jazz pianist Armand Hug. The Wohl Apartments thrived for the next few decades, with residents appearing in the society pages regularly. However, in the late 1970s, there was talk of the building being sold and used for subsidy housing for the elderly and handicapped. Neighborhood associations spoke out against

The Wohl Apartments, seen here newly completed in 1950, had a building shape and apartment layout that ensured each room had a window to the outside. Building owner and manager Bernard Wohl claimed it was the first building in New Orleans with a “genuine apartment house floor plan,” popular in more modern places like New York City. Image provided courtesy of Charles L. Franck / FranckBertacci Photographers Collection, The Historic New Orleans Collection, 1994.94.2.706

this, citing the value and historic character of a St. Charles Avenue address; the City Council agreed and rejected the proposal. The Wohl was sold in 1980 and rebranded as the Garden District Apartments. In 1982 it sold again, this time to developers who converted it into a mixed-use luxury hotel and timeshare called Avenue Plaza, which it remains today. ✦