In late spring, The Monarch, a new 34-room boutique hotel in the Central Business District, began taking reservations. Located at 210 St Charles Ave. in a four-story, mid-19th-century Italianate building the now hotel was once home to Dixie’s Bar of Music, owned by clarinetist and bandleader Yvonne “Miss Dixie” Fasnacht. Designed by New Orleans-based Terrell-Fabacher Architects with interior design by Lisambiance Interior Design, also based in New Orleans, the new hotel is part of the Miami, Florida-based HQ Hotels & Residences Collection by entrepreneur Sam Nazarian’s SBE Entertainment Group. The design of the new hotel takes advantage of the 13-foot ceilings and countless floor-to-ceiling windows and is inspired by the Art Deco period with contemporary touches. Still in the works as of press time, the S Bar lounge will offer craft cocktails, light bites and “seductive” ambiance. themonarchnola.com
Carefully Curated
Each summer, the Historic New Orleans Collection lets kids and teens 12 to 17 be the curators. During Curator Camp participants will engage in workshops and behind the scenes looks at locations throughout the French Quarter, including HNOC, Preservation Hall and the Pharmacy Museum, learning history and new skills. Participants must register in advance. Camp starts on June 8 and runs from 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m. daily. hnoc.org
Clean Girl Craves
We can’t resist a fragrant, moisturizing and fancy little hand soap, so when Lekha announced on its Instagram feed that it was now carrying Wonder Valley Hand Wash, we had to get some in — er, on — our hands. The wash is made by a husband-and-wife-owned, sustainably-minded olive oil company in Northern California with olive and carrot seed oils, sunflower lecithin and coconut-based emulsifiers for moisture and a heavy lather, and scented with herbs including basil, vetiver, mint, rosemary and lavender. Lekha carries additional body products from the line as well, so run, don’t walk. Pro-tip: This summer your friends and houseguests will try to abscond with your hand wash when they visit, so with that in mind, be sure to buy extras for your gift closet. shoplekha.com
Oak Street Makes History
In April, Oak Street got a historical marker as part of the Louisiana Historical Marker program. The Merchants, Residents and Property Owners group were assisted in their efforts to secure the marker by Tulane University Professor Richard Campanella and a grant from the New Orleans Recreation and Culture Fund. The marker recognizes “the significance these eight blocks of Oak Street hold in preserving the unique character of the community and New Orleans’ cultural heritage,” according to a press release. The infinitely walkable Oak Street Historic District is known for its charming mix of residential homes, more than 60 businesses and easy access to the St. Charles Streetcar line.
Let Them Eat from Porcelain
Imagine owning porcelain that was part of the tableware collection of Louis XVI? New Orleanian Thomas B. Lemann did and now his collection is on view at the New Orleans Museum of Art. “Sèvres Magnifique: French Porcelain from the Collection of Thomas B. Lemann,” explores the collection built by the Louisiana lawyer (who was also a codebreaker in World War II) and intellectual who for decades sought out rare pieces owned by the doomed French king, as well as other royals. The collection, which includes a 1786 glass cooler that was to be part of Louis XVI’s “grand service de Versailles,” features pieces made by France’s royal porcelain factory at Sèvres and was bequeathed to the museum upon Lemann’s death in 2023 at age 97. View the collection through Jan. 3, 2027, in NOMA’s second-floor Elise M. Besthoff Charitable Foundation Gallery. noma.org
