Dining: Fogo de Chão at JW Marriott Hotel
Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão opened last month downtown inside the JW Marriot on Canal Street. The New Orleans location is one of three that are opening this year in the United States. Specializing in grilled meat served to diners directly from a skewer, Fogo de Chão offers the “full experience” at both lunch and dinner with a literal cornucopia of skewered and grilled meats from well-seasoned filet mignon to lamb, chicken and pork sausage or linguiça. Diners can also order à la carte grilled meat or special seafood dishes like a jumbo shrimp cocktail or mango Chilean sea bass. 614 Canal St., (504) 412-8900, fogodechao.com
Shopping: Hattie Sparks
Located in the South Market District, Hattie Sparks is a locally owned and operated boutique shopping experience that features items created by independent brands and emerging artists. Discover a shop that has everything from unique women’s clothing designs and accessories to children’s toys and home decor. Pick up an elegant leather tote created by local designer Flying Fox, a Home Malone Day Drinking set of hand-painted wooden plaques or a Wild Rose Body Scrub from XODO Botanicals. Hattie Collins Moll opened and operated the original Hattie Sparks Uptown on Magazine Street back in February 2012 until recently; she decided to partner with Kelly Lore Merry and move the store to the South Market District last June. 939 Girod St., (504) 510-5060, hattiesparks.com
Events: Creative Industries Summit featuring the Downtown Nola Arts-based Business Pitch
On March 14, in anticipation of the Downtown NOLA Arts-Based Business pitch, the Creative Alliance of New Orleans and the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation will host two forums that explore feasible strategies to build the local creative economy in the Crescent City.
CANO’s panel will assemble leaders from various economic sectors in New Orleans to report on efforts on building the “Breakthrough Coalition for the Creative Industries.” The audience will be invited to to join the coalition and add recommendations for most critical needs for growth within their creative industries.
LCEF will host the second panel and do a presentation about new creative industries business incubator pipelines with representatives from LCEF and other incubators. Title: Pipelines and Lifelines for Creative Industries Business Development. From starving artists with hot ideas to innovative moguls, find out about new initiatives to help you get there.
The 4th annual Downtown NOLA Arts-Business Pitch is aimed at identifying and supporting entrepreneurs that have a scalable arts-based project situated in the creative, architecture, technology, digital media or film/entertainment fields that benefits Downtown NOLA. Come watch as local arts-based entrepreneurs compete for a prize package valued at over $40,000 in cash and in-kind services. downtownnola.com, noew.org