The sun shone a bit brighter than the day before (if you know what I mean..), but we yanked ourselves out of bed to absorb Fat Tuesday’s festivities. At an early hour of 9:30 am parades charged through New Orleans as onlookers grasped plastic cups filled with spiked drinks. Oh yes, we too were ready for a day of fun. But, first on the agenda: Breakfast. We snagged some grub from a convenient store and headed back to the hotel for a little more beauty rest, before the beautiful costumes came out to play.
Dressed in our most colorful ensembles, Kels and I pounded the pavements once again. Yep these boots were made for walking! Energy and excitement were coming from all directions. As we walked through the streets, we came face-to-face with a parade of people. Glitter fluttered around us, as a passerby through confetti and said, "you've been Mardi Gras'd!" Paint suddenly decorated our faces, as another stopped us in our tracks and whipped out his face-paint set. With sparkling hair and vibrant faces, Mardi Gras was already off to a great start for Kelsey and me!
On our way to a Mardi Gras Museum (yes, it’s true.), we were caught by the sounds of live music coming from a side street nearby. Curious about the commotion, Kelsey and I wandered over to the live band and gathering of people. “Hey girls, come join our private party,” a middle aged man said to us. Confused after he walked away, we said, “why not?!” Upon entering the gate, we veered into another alley-way where a courtyard displayed a lovely fountain and a broad assortment of Cajun food and alcohol. Greeted once again from another middle-aged man, we learn that we are partying with some locals at a law firm’s annual Mardi Gras extravaganza.
Freshly made Jambalaya, drinks, live music, a trip to a nearby cigar shop, and good company filled our afternoon with fun.
On to the next adventure! We joined the masses and watched yet another parade cruise through the streets. It was always a challenge to attract attention to get those beads! My purple hair did the trick on this occasion, and I was called forward to receive some BIG beads of black and gold. Check those babies out!
After another bout of beauty rest, we slipped on our full-fledged costumes and resumed of fun-filled day.
Hand-made feather tail & Fringe embellished corset
Incredible costumes, dancing in the streets, gutters filled with garbage, stages rocking with live music, and meeting wonderful people made Mardi Gras an experience never to be forgotten!
What FUN!
...
The next day moved a bit slower than the first two...
This garbage bin is filled with stories of the nights prior...
A nap in the sunshine atop our hotel's courtyard outlooking the Mississippi, lunch at the French Market, and shopping completed a successful adventure!
New Orleans even gave us a colorful goodbye.
With an imaginary "Grenade" in hand (literally, the death of me), I toast to the adventures yet to come!
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