Art nouveau design and a verdant flower motif are part of MaMou, a French restaurant in the French Quarter. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) The chef is Tom Branighan ...

"I've always been a fan of Art Nouveau," explains the designer Amy Lau. "It appeals to me because it embraces its natural form." Lau is speaking to me in the midst of a frenzied week of ...