Stay, Eat, Do: New Orleans, Louisiana

>> Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans is set to make its grand entrance in mid-2021 in the former World Trade Center building on the banks of the Mississippi River.
>> Designed by the architect of the Museum of Modern Art, the mid-century modern tower—and the setting—inspired the hotel’s design.
>> 280 rooms and 61 suites feature a plaster wall relief depicting magnolia flowers over the beds, white shiplap walls and white oak accents. Premier rooms have river views.
>> Amenities are impressive: a spa, fitness center, observation deck with 360-degree views, and crescent-shaped infinity pool, seasonally heated or cooled, surrounded by chaises, spa tub and cabanas.
>> Award-winning New Orleans chefs Alon Shaya and Donald Link will each helm a restaurant, and the Chandelier Bar will serve classic New Orleans cocktails, champagne and caviar.

>> Bywater eatery N7 is the hard-to-get reservation in New Orleans. The vegetable, meat and seafood offerings are a delightful marriage of French and Japanese—for example, grilled bok choy with blue cheese apple sauce, and there’s a selection of house-made charcuterie. Housed in a stucco building and surrounded by a garden patio, it feels like you’re dining in France.
>> Housed in a pink stucco landmark property, Brennan’s in the French Quarter is exquisite (hand-painted murals inspired by 1920s Carnival ball invitations grace the walls of one dining room!). The modern Creole menu features mouthwatering dishes such as Brennan’s famous turtle soup and a butter-poached bass with Louisiana crawfish. Dine in the charming brick courtyard, where a New Orleans musician plays most evenings.

>> Listen to Music —The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which will be held Oct. 8-17, 2021, hasn’t announced the lineup as of press time, but you can expect to see headliners like The Foo Fighters as well as New Orleans’ finest jazz, blues, funk, folk and rock acts. The French Quarter Fest (Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2021) is an all-New Orleans musicians, all-the-time, free event.
>> Check out Prospect.5 — Art lovers will descend upon New Orleans from Oct. 23, 2021, through Jan. 23, 2022, to experience this citywide exhibit of contemporary paintings, sculpture, folk art and site-specific installations. Treasured historical buildings and museums provide the backdrop for the works created by international and local artists.