Sometimes I feel like the universe just smiles on me for a while; staying @ Dominique's was definitely one of those times.
I stayed for three nights. The first night was quite late because my flight was repeatedly delayed. With each delay, Dominique checked in with me to make sure we had a plan for getting me to my room. When I arrived, I thought I'd be letting myself in, but there he was, showing me the basics of the house and getting me settled. It was a very pleasant way to start my stay.
The next day, he made me coffee and we chatted a bit. He showed me his beautiful home and talked about my plans during the stay (which, btw, were basically "thaw out after a long NYC winter"). By the by, I found out that he's a professional chef who has owned several restaurants, so we talked about that and he offered to make my friends and I dinner. It was absolutely delicious and a truly gourmet experience -- getting to sit at a chef's dinner table and talk with him (and his charming friend) while he prepares multiple courses and serves wine from his own cellar. His cooking style is a refreshing break from the heavy, buttery grits and roux that are the standard fare in NOLA; he prefers fresh, articulated flavors of personally-selected seafood and homegrown herbs.
His house is full of great local art that comes from the artists who have shops up on Magazine St (which, btw, is very very cute and is a completely different experience than the Quarter). The bathroom has a lovely clawfoot tub, and there's a hot tub out on the back deck. The front porch is that lovely NOLA style, with gas lamps and tables -- perfect for sitting in the evening or having a morning coffee.
As a runner, I appreciated the proximity to the river path and the Audubon park. And also that Dominique has a nice washer and dryer so that sweaty clothes don't have to hang around.
Finally, he makes a killer cocktail -- and has a nice selection of to-go cups ;)