sHTo P aLK
BY MORGAN RIBERA
SHOPPING NEWS BY NICOLE CARROLL MARIPOSA SALON & SPA (3700 Orleans Ave., Suite D, 484-0440; www.mariposasalonandspa. com) hosts BLOWOUT FOR CANCER, a fundraising class and mixer for the American Cancer Society, on Thursday, Oct. 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Guests will learn professional blow-drying techniques and receive prizes, complimentary food and wine. Admission is $20.
Hacienda Agenda
I
t was a beautiful challenge with an amazing history,” says Santa Fe Restaurant (3201 Esplanade Ave., 9480077) co-owner Lale Ergun of her decision to reopen the eatery. German chef Mark Hollger opened the original Santa Fe Restaurant on Frenchmen Street in the 1980s. With his secret margarita recipe and the European kick he gave Southwestern dishes, the eatery was a success, amassing a band of avid followers during the 20 years that it remained open, until Hollger was diagnosed with cancer. “When I found out about Santa Fe and that it was having trouble, I fell in love with the history. It was just what I needed at that time in my life,” Ergun says. She and husband Carlos Lourenco reincarnated the restaurant on Esplanade Avenue in August 2009. Today, some traditional dishes remain, like chicken Maximilian and the Santa Fe combo, but an updated menu adds a Latin touch to the Southwestern cuisine. “In Santa Fe, they don’t put nuts and raisins on your burrito, but Hollger did. I have a lot of respect for him and kept a lot of those little details ... but we have improved the old menu, modernized it and innovated it to include a Latin influence,” Ergun says. Having lived in numerous countries, the couple brings international experience to the table when concocting dishes. All items are seasoned with international spices made in house. New favorites include tortilla-crusted crab cakes and other offerings that cater to what Ergun calls “the lighter palate” of the younger generation.
More than just great food...
BLUE NILE (532 Frenchmen St., 948-2583; www. bluenilelive.com) hosts the 15TH ANNUAL NOLA DESIGNER HALLOWEEN COSTUME BOO-TIQUE on Saturday, Oct. 23, from noon until 5 p.m. featuring costumes, masks, props and more. Free admission.
While food is a top priority for Ergun, ambience is another focal point in the restaurant’s rejuvenation. Ergun added an outdoor seating area that customers love, and more remodeling is in the works. “I want to turn the whole building into a little hacienda. Something very elegant but simple. I want guests to feel comfortable bringing children, elderly parents and even pets,” Ergun says. On Thursdays the restaurant features live Latin jazz, and on Sunday nights Brazillian musician Riccardo Crespo plays the guitar. “Several customers have said, ‘When we sit here, we could be anywhere in Spain. It is a vacation to come here,’’’ Ergun says.
NOBA Presents
The DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT (615 City Park Ave., 671-5000; www.dcc.edu) GrowthWorks club holds a fall plant sale Thursday and Friday, Oct. 21-22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the school’s Horticulture Greenhouse. FRIENDS OF THE JEFFERSON PUBLIC LIBRARY hosts its BIG BOOK SALE Oct. 21-23 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 24, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Pontchartrain Center (4545 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 465-9985; www.pontchartraincenter.com). Admission and parking are free. SAKS FIFTH AVENUE (The Shops at Canal Place, 301 Canal St., 524-2200; www.saksfifthavenue.com) hosts KEY TO THE CURE, a charity shopping weekend during which Saks will donate 2 percent of all sales to research programs at the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium. The event runs Oct. 21-24 and begins with a gala Oct. 20 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Gala admission is $50. Food, beverages and entertainment will be provided.
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October 22 & 23, 8 p.m. | Mahalia Jackson Theater MOMIX goes green and blooms in Botanica, the new work from the whimsical imagination of choreographer Moses Pendleton. With huge puppets, multimedia projections and larger-than-life props by Michael Curry (The Lion King), this world famous company of dancer-illusionists transports you to a breathtaking fantasyland. Take the entire family to this enchanting Avatar-like world that is “eye-popping and mind-boggling.” (New York Times) “MoMIX is my favorite company. MoMIX is magic. I first saw them in 1993 and was utterly charmed. I have seen all their New orleans gigs since then. For Botanica, I am expecting something fantastic!” –Bill Greene, NOBA Subscriber Sponsored by
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See clips at nobadance.com
TickeTs $20-$80
DiscounTs available for sTuDenTs, seniors anD groups.
SINgle TIckeTS oNly, 800.745.3000 or TIckeTMASTer.coM
504.522.0996 nobaDance.com
GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OCTOBER 19 > 2010
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