WHAT: The largest biennial of international contemporary art ever organized in the U.S.
WHEN: November 1–January 18, 2009.
WHERE: In 18 venues, from the museum-rich Warehouse District to community arts centers in the flood-ravaged Ninth Ward and Central City neighborhoods.
HIGHLIGHTS: All-night opening party with a haunted house and local musicians. • Artist Kay Rosen’s word-puzzle works on billboards across town. • NavinRawanchaikul’s I Love Taxi project: a comic book about local cab drivers distributed in city taxis during the biennial.

Stay:

International House
This locally owned hotel in a 1906 Beaux Arts gem was updated by its owners to a modern aesthetic—moody musician photos, granite bathrooms, plenty of music. At night, the lobby bar draws a crowd looking for a quiet, fashionable respite from the nearby quarter. It’s also seven blocks from the Contemporary Arts Center, where you’ll find Gajin Fujita’s epic painting of NOLA.
221 Camp St.
504/553-9550
Rates: $140–$400
ihhotel.com

Loft 523
This all-but-hidden boutique hotel—an exclusive clubhouse—is steps from bustling Canal Street, the border of the French Quarter. The minimal decor is offset by weathered warehouse brick walls, and low-slung, sumptuous beds dominate the 18 loft style rooms. Aveda toiletries, in-room audio system, and Aeron desk chairs add a sense of hipster comfort.
523 Gravier St.
504/200-6523
Rates: $190–$500
loft523.com

Ritz-Carlton New Orleans
The luxury hotel chain renovated a venerable local department store (Maison Blanche), resulting in 527 rooms of traditional, antique packed luxury. The third floor has three restaurant-nightclubs, but best is the open courtyard; a visit there is a perfect way to begin, or end, a subtropical autumn night. The Historic New Orleans Collection is a five-minute walk away.
921 Canal St.
504/524-1331
Rates: $200–$320
ritzcarlton.com

Eat:

August
After finishing as runner upon “Iron Chef” last year, John Besh returned home to his four-place group: Lüke, Besh Steak, La Provence, and this, his first, located in the city’s Warehouse District. It’s here that Besh arguably does his finest work—truffled gnocchi topped by Gulf lump crabmeat; flawless roasted chicken with local mushrooms; and rum-doused banana Christmas cake. Sip a cocktail at the clubby bar up front before taking your seat in the historic dining room, under a crystal chandelier.
301 Tchoupitoulas St.
504/299-9777

Brigtsen's
Local boy Frank Brigtsen passed on the chef-empire thing to run one little restaurant, this unassuming side-gallery shotgun house in the Riverbend neighborhood. Brigtsen’s wife, Marna, oversees the dining rooms with her sisters, while from his tiny kitchen Brigtsen turns out fish and game classics like Louisiana shrimp rémoulade with creamy deviled eggs and corn relish; or pan roasted venison.
723 Dante St.
504/861-7610

Casamento’s
Belly up to the marble topped bar of this uptown gem and slurp back “a few dozen raw”of the local oysters. During the colder months, the Gulf bivalves are at their flavorful peak, best enjoyed with a few Abita beers. And don’t forget to tip your hardworking shucker.
4330 Magazine St.
504/895-9761

Cochon
In April 2006, Herbsaint’s star chef Donald Link and fellow porkophile Steven Stryjewski opened this homage to the food of Cajun southwest Louisiana. The result garnered a slew of national press, and the local buzz hasn’t ceased. The bold, rustic flavors are well worth the effort of calling ahead (a must). Seafood here is exceptional, but the pig is king, especially the boucherie menu, featuring spicy house-made fried boudin, pork cheeks, and grilled ribs with pickled watermelon rind. Afterward, head over to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, a flagship Prospect.1 venue.
930 Tchoupitoulas St.
504/588-2123

Commander's Palace
Genteel Garden District ladies (and other lovers of the lost afternoon) gravitate to this fabled flagship of the Brennan’s restaurant empire for an extended high-octane weekday luncheon, and that spectacle alone makes it worth a trip. The bar pours a range of well martinis for 25 cents a pop, and a prix fixe menu offer classics from the Creole canon (turtle soup, gumbo du jour, soufflé-style bread pudding) and the midday riffs of chef Tory McPhail.
1403 Washington Ave.
504/899-8221

Galatoire's
A drawn-out midday meal at this mirror-lined French Quarter Creole palace remains one of the city’s defining culinary experiences. Feast on fresh-caught pompano amandine and impossibly light soufflé potatoes dipped in rich béarnaise. In keeping with the ways of the Old Line, arrive early—and properly dressed—and let the tuxedo-clad staff handle the rest. It’s handy for the Historic New Orleans Collection and Chen Chieh-Jen’s video installation.
714 Bourbon St.
504/525-2021

Mila
New Yorkers might remember the culinary team of Allison Vines and Slade Rushing from Jack’s Luxury Oyster Bar, which they left to return here to their roots in 2005. In a sleek supper-club atmosphere they serve precise, playful Southern and contemporary French dishes (white asparagus velouté with Louisiana crawfish; porcini-dusted Gulf grouper; insanely rich rice pudding) and a signature riff on Oysters Rockefeller—poached oysters with bacon chips.
817 Common St.
504/412-2580

Upperline
This funky uptown standard has a welcoming energy and is hung with local artwork from the collection of its owner, bon vivant-about-town JoAnn Clevenger. She works the front of house like a charismatic dervish while chef Ken Smith produces dishes like a definitive dark-roux duck gumbo and fried green tomatoes with spicy shrimp rémoulade.
1413 Upperline St.
504/891-9822

Willie Mae's Scotch House
Floodwaters hit the historic Treme District hard, and this shrine to crispy Southern fried chicken teetered close to extinction. But, after a year long volunteer effort by the Southern Foodways Alliance, the doors reopened in April 2007. Now, under the care of Kerry Seaton (Willie Mae’s granddaughter), it’s again offering authentic Creole soul food for lunch on weekdays. Cash only.
2401 St. Anne St.
504/822-9503

Drink:
Tujague’s
Steps away from touristy Café Du Monde, this unassuming barroom houses the longest and oldest saloon bar in this city of historic drinkeries. Consider it ali quid history lesson to stop in for a Sazerac (spicy rye whiskey with Peychaud’s bitters and absinthe and citrus)—the newly crowned official cocktail of New Orleans—in one of its most revered institutions.
823 Decatur St.
504/525-8676

Napolean House Bar and Cafe
This 18th-century corner bar in the quarter played host to French nationalists who prepared a room for Mr. Bonaparte—just in case Elba didn’t work out. The ocher patina of the walls and the air of history make it the perfect afternoon detour. Sip the definitive Pimm’s cup, and indulge in a warm muffuletta.
500 Chartres St.
504/524-9752

Play:

Aiden Gill for Men
This suitably retro funky men’s barbershop-salon now boasts two locations. Gents can stop by for an updated “shave and a haircut,” complete with hot towels, skillful straight-razor treatment, and a stiff drink to boot.
2026 Magazine St.
504/587-9090
550 Fulton St.
504/566-4903

Frenchman Street
Music-crazy locals congregate on this strip of venues (between Decatur and Dauphine streets) a few blocks down river in the Faubourg Marigny District. Jazz flows out onto the street from bars such as the Spotted Cat (everything from swing to blues), Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro (the Marsalis family’s home port), and DBA (anything that will fit on stage).

Plum
This bright boutique stocks artsy housewares and gifts by local artists. Jewelry featuring iconic New Orleans images (fleur-de-lis, Crescent moon water-meter covers) and other post storm sentiments are rendered in silver and vibrant cast glass.
5430 Magazine St.
504/897-3389

Uptown Streetcar
Celebrate autumn in NOLA with a ride on the historic St. Charles streetcar line. Running from downtown’s Canal Street, the line follows a broad arc through the picturesque Garden District, past Uptown’s Audubon Park, and straight to the entrance of Tulane University (home of the Newcomb Art Gallery, with work by Shirin Neshat on view).
St. Charles and Canal Sts.

Vaughn's Lounge
A beloved Thursday night standing gig is known worldwide as “Kermit at Vaughn’s”—a nod to trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, who packs the tiny Bywater corner bar whenever he’s in town. Round about midnight, the low-ceilinged barroom fills with a stellar brass band (Kermit or a list of worthy substitutes) and sweaty dancers with no sense of the morning after. If Mr. Ruffins is playin’, he’s literally cookin’—serving Creole rice and beans between the first and second sets.
800 Lesseps St.
504/947-5562

Voodoo Fest
Arrive early for this unique three-day music festival and biennial warm-up held in the oak-draped City Park. For its 10th year, held October 24–26, the lineup includes big names such as Nine Inch Nails, Erykah Badu, and R.E.M., as well as notable locals from Walter “Wolfman” Washington to Big Sam’s Funky Nation. Get ready to dance.
New Orleans City Park
thetenthritual.com

See:

Backstreet Cultural Museum
In the heart of the Treme District, Sylvester Francis runs a ramshackle, yet heartfelt DIY tribute to New Orleans’s living street traditions—Mardi Gras Indian tribes, jazz funerals, and “second line” parades. Ask Mr. Francis for a schedule.
1116 St. Claude Ave.
504/287-5224
backstreetmuseum.org

Louisiana Artworks
For the run of Prospect.1, this newly opened arts facility will display works by Arturo Herrera. The 93,000-square-foot space also offers a studio program for artists as well as facilities (glassblowing, printmaking) they can rent by the hour. Located in the Warehouse District, it’s an easy jaunt from many of the biennial’s other venues.
818 Howard Ave.
504/571-7373
louisianaartworks.org "When In...New Orleans" originally appeared in the Fall 2008 issue of Culture+Travel. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Culture+Travel's Fall 2008 Table of Contents.