Five 'O Clock Tea at the International House Hotel

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Carlotta Bonnecaze

Carlotta Bonnecaze's turn-of-the-century float designs embody the whimsical and fantastic nature of the Carnival tradition, whose continental air has been somewhat lost in translation over the past hundred years. As the first woman and Creole parade and costume designer, Bonnecaze gets deserved spotlight at the International House Hotel for a quick, seasonal exhibit. See twenty-one reproductions of her series Dumb Society (circa 1896), watercolor trips (in more ways than one) through the lurid yet elegant fantasies of years past.

Characters from Bonnecaze's "Five O'Clock Tea" are on display above the hotel's Loa bar and inspire an Enchanted (i.e. Boozy) Tea Party, which recreates the ritualistic aspects of Carnival so often lost in the blur of blinking beads and beer. 

Held from 5 pm–6 pm each day at the bar during the exhibit's run, February 11—24. ihhotel.com.