If fashion is a passion, then New Orleans Fashion Week, Sept. 19-23, is here to stoke the flames. Now marking a 10th anniversary, NOFW will feature a variety of events including a kickoff party and fashion presentation at Virgin Hotels, a sustainable fashion show with designers up-cycling clothing and unconventional materials, and two evenings of runway shows at Gallier Hall. Thirty-plus designers from the Gulf Coast region, Atlanta and New York — including Debbie Ales, Sophie Omoro (Od Aomo), Mimi Holaday and Aaron Michael (Project Runway, Season 19) — will be participating. For more information and tickets, go to neworleansfashionweek.com.
Reeling Them In
The Friends of the Cabildo kicks off its 2023-2024 Film Series on Sept. 13 when it presents “Roots of Fire” at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. The movie, which won the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Documentary of the Year Award, is about the traditions and future of Cajun music and features performances from Pine Leaf Boys, T’Monde and Feufollet, among others. The series also offers a discussion afterwards. NOJM, 400 Esplanade Ave., tickets and information: friendsofcabildo.org; Instagram: @friendsofthecabildo
Star Chefs Shine
What happens when you put five acclaimed chefs together in a kitchen? A culinary feast like no other. The Windsor Court Hotel is the site for this food and wine extravaganza on Sept. 9 that also happens to be a benefit for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. The featured chefs are Anthony Gray, chef de cuisine of Le Bernardin; Jiho Kim, executive chef/partner at Joomak Banjum; Okan Kizilbayir, chef de cuisine at Salt; E.J. Lagasse, chef patron of Emeril’s; and Mitchell Lienhard, co-founder of and culinary and kitchen operations at Suited Hospitality. The black-tie event begins in the hotel’s Le Salon with canapés, champagne, caviar and martinis, followed by dinner and dessert paired with wines in The Grill Room. RSVP and ticket purchase required; contact The Grill Room at 504-522-1994. The Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier St., thewindsorcourt.com; Instagram: @thewindsorcourt.
Hot Off the Press
Get your literary vibe on in a space that has a well-read history. “Dear Eliza Jane” is the new series for bibliophiles at the Eliza Jane Hotel, which is named after Eliza Jane Nicholson, the first women newspaper publisher, who led the Daily Picayune in New Orleans in the late 19th century. Held the third Thursday of each month and starting at 6:00 p.m., the event is hosted by Sue Strachan (author of “The Café Brûlot” and this column) and features authors who have a local flavor, as well as a fun cocktail. To find out more, go to Instagram: Eliza Jane Hotel (@theelizajanenola) and Garden District Books Shop (@the.gardendistrictbookshop) or Sue Strachan (@SueStrachan504).
Music To Our Ears
Started as a way to showcase the city’s music clubs, venues and musicians, NOLAxNOLA was so successful that it is now in its third year. This year’s celebration of culture and community is Sept. 28-Oct. 8 at music clubs and other venues around the city. The event also leads up to the inaugural New Orleans Music Month in October. For more information, go to: neworleans.com/nolaxnola; neworleans.com/musicmonth.