Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1534560
A Socialite Walked into a Bar I f you're a big fan of Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas, whose amenities and exemplary service are legendary, then make plans to stay at The Crescent's new outpost in Fort Worth, which was named the No. 1 Hotel in Texas by Condé Nast Traveler's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards. If you have fashionable friends in the know over there, perhaps they have access to Ralph's. Yes, a fabulous part of The Crescent Hotel, Fort Worth, is the recently opened members-only club Ralph's on the top floor — but more on that in a minute. Located in the cultural district, the new Crescent Hotel is a short walk to The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Kimbell Art Museum, and the Amon-Carter Museum of American Art. Even if you never leave the luxurious interiors, however, you'll still be surrounded by art. In the elegantly appointed lounge, The Circle Bar, you'll find artist Mònica Subidé's tribute to the Fort Worth Circle, a group of local artists who were active in the 1940s and '50s. In the courtyard, is Mexican artist and architect Jose Dávila's nine-foot-tall sculpture Joint Effort, 2023, which pushes the boundaries of perception and balance. An ode to the museum district can be found in the work of American artist Matt Kleberg, whose painting Twister Totem (for R.T.), 2023, pays respect to the iconic Louis Kahn- designed arches of the Kimbell Art Museum (which, BTW, is visible from certain rooms By Billy Fong in the hotel). Other works by national and international artists in the hotel's collection include p h o t o g r a p h s b y Richard Misrach and Allison V. Smith, a relief by Carolyn Salas, and paintings by Cornelia Baltes, A a r o n G a r b e r- Maikovska, and Marcel Vidal. Even the coffee-table books in the lobby balance the local and global appeal. F o r y o u r stay, there are 200 beautiful rooms, including 12 suites. Most have floor-to- ceiling windows, creating light-filled s a n c t u a r i e s f o r business (which nowadays ranges from oil and cattle to Hollywood, with producer Taylor Sheridan filming many of his projects locally) or pleasure (perhaps a weekend of museum visits or checking out the forever evolving Fort Worth Stockyards). The interiors were designed by Rottet Studio (The Surrey; The St. Regis Aspen Resort; The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles; Four Seasons Hotel Chicago) headed by acclaimed architect Lauren Rottet, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Houston. Emilia's and The Blue Room The Crescent's restaurants are overseen by executive chef Preston Paine. My Sunday-evening dinner at Emilia's was divine. The name references Fort Worth's Italian sister city, Reggio Emilia, and the Mediterranean theme carries throughout the seasonal menu laced with the flavors and scents from the sun-kissed shores of Italy, France, Spain, Greece, and Morocco — all translated through ingredients from local ranches and Texas purveyors. Think if Taylor Sheridan created a mash-up of The Bear and Landman, but with a Bella Hadid- like hostess overseeing the lively dining-room The Crescent Hotel Fort Worth A Camel, and Billy KEVIN TODORA 82