PRIDELY ~ BATON ROUGE

BATON ROUGE | LA

4 International Travel Tips 6 Good Eats 10 Event Calendar 12 Retirement Savings 14 Blogging for Profit 18 Community Resources 20 Service Directory

B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

1

2

| B AT O N R O U G E | L A

B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

3

TOP 5

Mistakes to Avoid

on Your Next International Trip

1 OVERPACKING 2 OVERSPENDING 3 NOT ENOUGH RESEARCH 4 CARRYING VALUABLES 5 NOT NOTIFYING THE BANK 4

| B AT O N R O U G E | L A

Whether it’s your first international trip or your fifth, traveling is all about discovering the unknown. It’s no surprise that there can be problems along the way. Extra planning and learning from these common travel mistakes can help you focus on enjoying your trip without worrying.

Mistake #1 is overpacking - too many packed items can be hard to organize and be uncomfortable to travel with. Mistake #2 is overspending - sticking to a realistic budget and leaving room for unexpected expenses is always best.

Mistake #3 is not doing enough research - it’s always safe to do extra research when traveling abroad including weather, laws, and international costs. Mistake #4 is carrying valuables with you while exploring - pick pocketers are notorious for targeting tourists, so keep your valuables locked away safe in your hotel if possible. Most importantly, mistake #5 is not notifying your bank of your international travel plans - unfortunately, your debit or credit card may be blocked due to “unusual activity” if you don’t do this ahead of time.

B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

5

Restaurants The Gregory Stylish dining option at the Watermark Hotel offering updated Southern dishes, wine & cocktails.

150 3rd St, Baton Rouge, LA 70801 Phone: (225) 408-1800 | Web: thegregorybr.com

Parrain’s Seafood Restaurant Local seafood specialist cooking up Louisiana recipes in a rustic space with porch seating.

3225 Perkins Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Phone: (225) 381-9922 | Web: parrains.com

Roux 61 Seafood & Grill Lively, stylish setting for contemporary Southern eats, including po’ boys, catfish & steaks.

8322 Bluebonnet Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70810 Phone: (225) 300-8880 | Web: roux61.com

Have a restaurant you’d like us to feature?

Send in a recommendation for your favorite restaurant to be added to our list. Be sure to mention why you think they are worthy of being featured and include a link to their website.

6

| B AT O N R O U G E | L A

Jubans Restaurant & Bar

TJ Ribs

Elevated Creole cooking from an upmarket fixture with a skylit atrium bar & a genteel dining room.

3739 Perkins Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Babyback ribs & other hearty BBQ classics served in relaxed digs with sports on TV. 2324 S Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Elsie’s Plate & Pie Airy, industrial stop offering sweet & savory pies plus Southern comfort fare in laidback environs.

3145 Government St, Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Cocha Rustic, wood-hued venue with a locally sourced Southern menu, wine & communal table options.

445 N 6th Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Doe’s Eat Place Established American restaurant featuring steaks as well as tamales in a casual, relaxed space.

3723 Government St, Baton Rouge, LA 70806

La Contea Italiano Ristorante Warm, easygoing restaurant offering Italian cuisine such as salads & pastas plus a lunch menu.

7970 Jefferson Hwy Ste F, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Pastime Restaurant Pizzas, po’ boys & other casual grub served in basic digs at a longtime bar & eatery.

252 South Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Aztecas Mexican Cuisine Fajitas, enchiladas & other Mexican classics are offered by this casual restaurant & bar.

453 Lafayette Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

7

8

| B AT O N R O U G E | L A

B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

9

EVENTS Mar 1 Mardi Gras Baton Rouge offers a variety of parades, and it has become a favorite place for families looking to celebrate Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras festivities, Baton Rouge restaurants, attractions and more! The family-friendly Baton Rouge Mardi Gras kicks off with traditional floats, fancy balls, excitement and entertainment for everyone. The annual parades include everything from beautifully designed floats, marching bands, costumed canines, lawn mower-pushing krewes and dancing for all to enjoy! Learn more at visitbatonrouge.com.

Apr 23 Baton Rouge Blues Festival Produced by the Baton Rouge Blues Foundation, the festival -located in Downtown Baton Rouge-is made possible in part by the foundation’s board of directors, a volunteer Blues Festival committee, numerous sponsors, partners and local support. The festival’s mission is to encourage promotion, preservation and advancement of the swamp blues music native to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Learn more at batonrougebluesfestival.org.

Apr 27 Baton Rouge Ultimate Tailgate Nothing kicks off football season quite like the Sweet Baton Rouge Ultimate Tailgate! Featuring tailgate activities, music, shopping and food, you can get gameday ready by shopping local boutiques, sampling food and drinks from restaurants throughout Baton Rouge and entering in a cornhole championship! Learn more at kingtremaine.com.

May 14 Baton Rouge Soul Food The festival is family oriented event and provides entertainment, a kid friendly environment and good soul food cooking. It creates an opportunity for the people of Louisiana and surrounding areas a place to show off their soul food cooking skills in several categories in a judged competition, as well

10 | B A T O N R O U G E | L A

continued on page 16

B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

11

S AV I N G

1 0 1

FOUR TIPS

to help you boost your retirement savings 1. CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR 401(K) If you happen to have the benefit of a traditional 401(k) plan through your employer, you may be able to contribute pretax money. This can be a huge advantage to your retirement savings plan.

2. OPEN AN IRA It is a good idea to establish an individual retirement account (IRA) to help invest in your future. You can do either a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. Take some time to research both options and see what’s best for you.

3. AUTOMATE YOUR SAVINGS A good idea to help you increase your savings even more is to set automatic payments each month. This will help you grow your money without even having to think about it.

4. SET A GOAL Understanding and planning ahead of time how much you may need in the future not only can help you better understand why you’re saving, but it also can make the process more rewarding.

12 | B A T O N R O U G E | L A

B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

13

6

Most Profitable Blog Niches

Making money online with a blog has never been easier.

There are so many areas you can explore when developing content for a blog. Making a profit from doing this is definitely possible, but it is essential to make sure you are creating high-quality content to help you monetize. Here are some quick tips and ideas to help you get started.

14

| B AT O N R O U G E | L A

1 Digital Marketing

Don’t overestimate the value of digital marketing in today’s businesses.

SEO, email campaigns, social media, and influencer marketing are just some of the broad range of strategies used in digital marketing.

2 Blogging for Profit

There are many valuable ways to write and help people make money online.

Some of these blog topics include freelance writing, working as a virtual assistant, and even starting your own online business.

continued on page 19 B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

15

EVENTS as showcase their talents in the entertainment and arts and crafts fields.

Learn more at hitcitydigital.wixsite.com.

Jun 25 Baton Rouge Pride Baton Rouge Pride Fest is the largest family-friendly indoor LGBTQ+ pride celebration in the South and with good reason! This festival draws a crowd of more than 10,000 and includes a resource fair, children’s play area, entertainment and blessings of relationships. Learn more at batonrougepride.org.Enjoy delectable foods of all types cooked fresh onsite.

Jul 4 4th of July in Baton Rouge Most patriotic of all is the annual fireworks show in Downtown Baton Rouge over the Mississippi River! Baton Rouge’s Fourth of July Spectacular welcomes thousands of guests from around the country dressed in their best red, white and blue for an evening-long event of fun, ending with a breathtaking fireworks display overlooking the mighty Mississippi. Learn more at visitbatonrouge.com.

Oct 29 Greater Baton Rouge State Fair Dig into cotton candy and fried Oreos, ride a neon-lit Ferris Wheel, and take in all the old-fashioned fair fun of the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair.

Pig races, a petting zoo, Midway games, and youth livestock shows; this 11 festival has it all. Learn more at visitbatonrouge.com.

Dec 2 Festival of Lights Baton Rouge’s oldest holiday tradition is transforming the winter sky into a wonderland. The Mayor will light North Boulevard with half a million sparkling lights. Experience the magic beneath the 35-foot Christmas tree in North Boulevard Town Square. Learn more at downtownbatonrouge.

16 | B A T O N R O U G E | L A

B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

17

LOUISIANA TRANS ADVOCATES We’re advancing the core human rights of self-determination and expression for all trans, nonbinary and gender nonconforming people in Louisiana.

LATRANSADVOCATES.ORG YOUTH OASIS Geared towards the specific needs of youth with lived experience of homelessness and at-risk LGBTQ+ individuals, all residents receive at least a year of support services after their program ends. YOUTHOASIS.ORG | (225) 343-6300 PFLAG PFLAG New Orleans has continued its Mission: To promote the health and wellbeing of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, their families and friends through support to cope with an adverse society, education to enlighten an illinformed public, and advocacy to end discrimination and secure equal civil rights.

PFLAGNO.ORG CAPITAL CITY ALLIANCE Capital City Alliance is a community organization dedicated to engaging, promoting, and advocating for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Baton Rouge. CCABATONROUGE.ORG | (225) 366-7487 BATON ROUGE PRIDE Baton Rouge Pride is dedicated to providing resources, education, cultural events, and other community-building activities for the South Louisiana LGBTQ+ community and its friends, families and allies. BATONROUGEPRIDE.ORG

18

| B AT O N R O U G E | L A

3 Health & Fitness

Online fitness classes have become more and more popular over time.

There are many areas of fitness content to include such as workout videos, fitness courses, and one-on-one training sessions.

4 Finance & Investing

People are constantly seeking ways to manage their money better.

You can help people manage their money wisely in ways like saving for retirement or making the right investments.

5 Food Recipes

People love to learn about quick and easy meals and diets.

Getting creative with this is the fun part as you can put your own twist on popular dishes or share innovative recipes.

6 Self Care

Now more than ever, people are tapped in to their mental wellness.

There are so many beneficial topics to create content on inlcuding routines, stress management, mindfulness, and journaling.

B AT O N R O U G E | L A |

19

ADOPTION MLH Law ..................................................................................................... front cover ANIMAL RESCUE BARRC ............................................................................................ back outside cover APARTMENTS The Legacy ................................................................................................................. 17 AUTO Auto Title Express ............................................................................. back inside cover BAKERY Batch Baking Company .............................................................................................. 11 CONSTRUCTION Centurion ................................................................................................................... 13 COSMETIC SURGERY Williamson Cosmetic Center ....................................................................................... 3 EDUCATION The Education Trust .................................................................................................... 3 FINANCES Bayou .......................................................................................................................... 17 FINE DINING Bin 77 ............................................................................................................................ 1 FURNITURE Inspirations Furniture & Design ............................................................................... 8-9 HEALTHCARE Open Health ............................................................................................................... 2 HOTEL Watermark ................................................................................................................. 13 LEGAL AID Crescent Care .............................................................................................................. 2 LGBTQ Forum for Equality ....................................................................................................... 11 MUSEUM Louisiana Art & Science Museum .............................................................................. 17 SURGERY Surgical Specialty Center ............................................................................................ 3

20 | B A T O N R O U G E | L A