Mardi Gras

I apologize in advance, but my description of Mardi Gras is going to be terribly brief for those of you hoping to get an idea of what this celebration of celebrations is like in the Crescent City. The characters and punctuation of written language are insufficient to describe a scene so grand – EVEN IF I CAPATALIZE A LOT.

Rather than trying to describe the whole thing – as much as I enjoy adjectives and adverbs – I will simply list a few of my reactions;

1) Mardi Gras is a lot longer than I realized. Mardi Gras translates to Fat Tuesday, the Tuesday before the beginning of Lent, which starts on Ash Wednesday (i.e., the next day). Basically it is the last big hurrah for the Catholics (and other Christians I guess, but really, the Catholics party best) before all the sacrifices of Lent (No meat on Fridays! Santa Maria!). Hence we all benefit from living in a town that centers around Catholicism (don’t worry Mom, I’m not converting - I’m only in to the partying). In fact, Lundi Gras (Fat Monday) is the biggest day of celebration, mostly because everyone gets tired by Tuesday. But the celebrations starts WAY before then, like a month or so. Megan and I attended the Krewe du Vieux parade 3 or 4 weeks before Mardi Gras weekend. Krewe du Vieux is a very satirical Krewe that is also mainly for adults. Their theme this year was ‘Habitat for Insanity’ (see photo).

2) Despite what I just said about Krewe d’Vieux and what you might see on TV, Mardi Gras is a very family-friendly affair. A majority of the parades travel a route through Uptown that includes beautiful St. Charles Ave. The Live Oaks line the street and the lights and music and whimsical floats turn everyone into a kid. And let me tell you, kids (and by that I mean you) LOVE beads. No matter how silly it seems now to want a string of cheap plastic beads, in the moment it is the most important thing in your life. You will scream and holler and throw your hands up and run after the floats. And you especially want the ones with the plastic rainbow trout on the string (my prize catch this year).

3) Bottom line: you must experience Mardi Gras with a local. There are so many little things that happen, especially during the last weekend, that you have to have a guide to tell you which of the 40 or 50 parades to attend, and how to get into the big parties. Each parade is put on by a krewe, but there are also lots of krewes that don’t parade. Either way, most krewes have a big ball (what’s the point of forming a Mardi Gras Krewe if not to have a big party). The big krewes get huge stars to play at their parties (I saw a photo of James Brown playing at a ball). It was also evident that some wonderful celebrating goes on at people’s homes. All of New Orleans breaks for Mardi Gras weekend, and it takes know-how to party like a New Orleanian. (Megan and I have one spare bed, Mardi Gras is early next year, Feb. 5^th, 2008. First come, first serve.)

This is way more fun than Wisconsin!!!!!!