Subscribe to Axios New Orleans

Get smarter, faster with a daily look at the biggest stories in New Orleans

iPhone showing Axios New Orleans newsletter on the Axios app

Try the 3 New Orleans spots on Esquire's best bars list

image of a circular bar with 6 seats around it and a stunning chandelier overhead at the Chandelier Bar in New Orleans

The Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons New Orleans. Photo: Christian Horan/Courtesy of Four Seasons

New Orleans landed three spots on Esquire's annual Best Bars in America list, published Thursday.

  • Only San Francisco and New York have more, with five.
Emma Way
12 hours ago - Food and Drink

New steakhouse with $400 gold-coated steaks to open in New Orleans

24-karat gold leaf wraps the steaks at Gaia. Photo courtesy Gaia Steakhouse

A "new age" steakhouse will open on St. Charles Avenue this July.

What to expect: Gaia Steakhouse's atmosphere will be over-the-top with 24-karat gold atop steaks cut table-side, luxe finishes and "world-class" DJs.

Disney's new "Tiana's Bayou Adventure" ride is an ode to New Orleans

Image is a rendering from Disney that shows what the new Princess Tiana ride could look like. Mama Odie is in a tree surrounded by lanterns while people in a log flume turn to look at her.

Mama Odie was a lovable character in the movie, "The Princess and the Frog," and will be back for the new ride, "Tiana's Bayou Adventure," Disney says. Rendering courtesy of Disney

Disney is converting Splash Mountain into "Tiana's Bayou Adventure," an attraction that will highlight the company's first Black princess and be a "love letter to New Orleans."

Why it matters: Splash Mountain has been a fan favorite for years. In 2020, Disney said it would change the concept to be more inclusive.

New Orleans chef Leah Chase was inspiration for Disney's Princess Tiana

Photo shows chef Leah Chase sitting and smiling at a table by the kitchen in her restaurant. She's wearing a green t-shirt and a white apron.

American chef Leah Chase (1923 - 2019) in the kitchen of Dooky Chase's in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Jan. 19, 2015. Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Princess Tiana is largely inspired by New Orleans chef Leah Chase, and her family has been actively involved in the creative process with Disney as the company expands Tiana's presence in the parks.

Why it matters: Tiana was Disney's first Black princess in 2009's "The Princess and the Frog" and broke barriers, much like Leah Chase did with her restaurant, especially during the Civil Rights movement.

Disney hires New Orleans musician PJ Morton for new Tiana ride

Photo shows PJ Morton singing into a microphone and playing a piano. He wears a pinstripe jacket, glasses, gold watch and a red beanie.

PJ Morton performs onstage during MusiCares Persons of the Year on February 3, 2023. Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Disney has hired New Orleans native and musician extraordinaire PJ Morton to compose an original theme song for the new Princess Tiana ride that is being billed as a "love letter to New Orleans."

Why it matters: Disney is retheming the popular "Splash Mountain" rides in Disney World and Disneyland and converting them to "Tiana's Bayou Adventure," which will feature the company's first Black princess from 2009's "Princess and the Frog."

4 best rooftop bars in New Orleans

rooftop bar with a view of the city of new orleans

Rosie’s on the Roof. Photo: Courtesy of Rosie's on the Roof/Higgins Hotel

There’s something inherently swanky about a rooftop bar, and these four options in New Orleans embody that vibe.

  • Whether you’re looking for a place to grab a quick pre-dinner cocktail or planning to while away an evening watching the sunset, we have you covered.

New Orleans preps levees, power grid for hurricane season

Illustration of a house with a hurricane symbol shadow looming over it.

Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios

As another hurricane season begins, infrastructure remains the biggest concern in New Orleans — drains, levees and the power grid, especially.

Here's what the various agencies are saying:

Carlie Kollath Wells
Updated May 31, 2023 - News

What to expect this hurricane season in New Orleans

hurricane radar over the gulf coast new orleans

Satellite image from NOAA as Hurricane Isaac moved toward the Gulf Coast in 2012. Photo: NOAA via Getty Images

New Orleanians' most dreaded time of year — hurricane season — starts June 1.

What's happening: NOAA predicts a near-normal Atlantic season with 12-17 named storms in total with winds of 39 mph or higher.