...The first-floor parlor is decorated with tan linen fabrics, silk draperies, and Baroque off- white moldings set against gray-green walls. Gilt-framed artwork by New Orleans natives ranges from Jim Blanchard's architectural watercolors and acrylic neighborhood scenes by Emily Hogan to Peter Mars's pop-art prints. Attention to detail is evident throughout the inn, such as the crystal decanter of bourbon and four shot glasses set out in the parlor.

The third floor room is one of the most romantic; its arched window looks over the neighborhood's low buildings toward the silvery lights of downtown and the Mississippi River Bridge. Three walls are exposed red brick, and there's a coal-burning fireplace with a cypress mantel. Furnishings include a towering eight-foot cypress headboard, a dark wood mirrored armoire, and a mission oak desk. A light beige, green, and rose-colored chain-stitch rug gives the room warmth. And the bathroom's old pedestal sink and terra-cotta tile floor add Old World flavor.

Beside the main house is a grassy courtyard that's brimming with tropical plants- a great spot for an afternoon cocktail. Recently named the "hippest neighborhood in North America" by the Utne Reader magazine, this is a slowly gentrifying area full of galleries and theaters, so there's plenty to explore. Sip a cappuccino across the street at Rue de la Course.