Anna’s, part of LeBLANC + SMITH’s portfolio of restaurants and bars, is serving up some fab drinks and food. Named after bar director Anna Giordano (a grande dame of the NOLA cocktail scene), Anna’s offers happy hour from 4-6 p.m. daily with $6 menu cocktails downstairs and half off glasses of wine (all Spanish wine and sherries) upstairs. And on Mondays, enjoy a free order of red beans and rice with the purchase of a drink. 2601 Royal St., 766-8376, annasnola.com.
Century Suppers
The second Wednesday of every month, Broussard’s is hosting its “Century Supper” dining experience to celebrate one of New Orleans’ favorite traditions – great meals expertly paired with classic cocktails. The experience includes three delicious cocktails, paired with a decadent dinner created by Chef Jimi Setchim. Upcoming dates include a 1930s dinner on May 11 with Marigny Moonshine, a 1940s dinner on June 8 with Four Roses Bourbon and a 1950s dinner on July 13 with Stoli Elite Vodka. 819 Conti St., 581-3866, broussards.com
New Bourbon Releases
Over four years in the making, Castle & Key Distillery has just launched its Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey Batch #1—its first ever bourbon to be released since restoring the Old Taylor Distillery in 2014—and Batch #2. Castle & Key bourbon is unique in that the team identifies the best barrels for production each year, which results in spirits that have a different flavor profile each year. Batch #1 is 98 proof and features a flavor profile of toffee, bread dough, dates, baking spice and toasted almonds. Meanwhile, Batch #2 is 99 proof and features tasting notes of burnt sugar, dried fig, cracked pepper and cherry wood.
TOTC Welcomes New Board Members
Perry Sholes, president of locally based Progressive HR Strategies Inc., has joined the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s board of directors as a new board member for an initial term of two years. A committed community leader, Sholes is an alum of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute Class of 2019 and Urban League’s ULead Program. Currently, he serves as chairman of the New Orleans Regional Black Chamber 2022-23 and director on success at Thurgood Marshall School Board. In the Spring of 2019, he founded Corporate Internship Leadership Institute, a Louisiana-based nonprofit that’s focused on developing BIPOC college students for career success in metro New Orleans and Louisiana. Sholes joins three other new board members: John Gakuru, Tess Posthumus and Claire Warner. The board members were chosen based on their deep professional experience, diverse industry perspectives, and alignment with the goals and values of the Foundation. In their roles, each board member will promote and implement the Foundation’s mission, while also serving as global ambassadors for the organization. The new board members will be in attendance at this year’s 20th anniversary of Tales of the Cocktail, which returns for an in-person celebration in New Orleans July 25-29.
