New Orleans. Think heat. Think about a climate that has you carrying tissues to dab your face every block or so, because it’s not just sunny; it’s muggy. You can understand why you don’t see the fast-paced hustle that you will on the streets of, say, NYC. New Orleans has a climate that sees a wide-brimmed hat becoming your go-to accessory, except that it’s more of a necessity than an accessory.

Stepping out from the luxurious, vibrant (and air conditioned!) atmosphere of Hotel Monteleone, where I stayed in the French Quarter, I did a bit of mid-day exploring. The sunshine and warm are welcome, but you feel them.

Then, barely a block away, you come across an oasis such as this, the courtyard at the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. It was the perfect place to pause and refresh before venturing back out to Canal Street and over to Chartres.