Mardi Gras 2014: Oshun & Cleopatra (Flanking Armies Armed With Beads)

WHAT? PARADES DURING MARDI GRAS?

Which One Will It Be?!

Which One Will It Be?!

With Mardi Gras now in full swing, I’ve been running like mad (and slowed by either a cold or vicious allergy attack!), so yesterday–eve of my Chewbacchus parade debut–I was in a flurry making last minute touches to my costume. I won’t tell you what it is but, being a member of Krewe of Really Awesome Parodies, I came up with a really awesome parody of popular Star Trek character–and probably not one you expect! You’ll want to tune in for pictures! Yet, after spending the day finishing a post, making a sign for my costume, and following through with some promotion for Jeremiah’s Scrapbook, it was 4 o’clock before I headed out the door to the Salvation Army Thrift and Wal-Mart for an embarrassing self-fitting that perhaps I’ll detail later.

Arriving back home at 6:15, I tossed leftovers in the oven to warm, intending to go help with the set-up of the Chewbacchus after party. As I waited, I clicked on FB only to see my friend Daren (in Baton Rouge, no less), announcing the start of the first parades! Oshun would roll down St. Charles at 6:00 followed by Cleopatra at 6:30. I was so busy preparing for my own parade that I’d forgotten there was a whole weekend of revelry! Some job I’m doing of covering it. Doh! I’ll miss today’s parades as I hit the pre-party with K.R.A.P. as soon as this post is up (so excuse any rough edges!), so didn’t want to miss last night–the first wave of traditional parades rolling down St. Charles.

PHILLIP SEYMOUR SARRETT (SANS MY BUSTY HELEN HUNT)

One thing New Orleans taught me is [Read more…]

Mardi Gras Serendipity: Fried Chicken Grammys, Musical Vegetables, King Cake Krewe Kings, & Jazzy Hoboes

ON WITH (AND INTO) THE SHOW!

"He Who Pulls The Sword From the King Cake Shall Be King!"

“He Who Pulls The Sword From the King Cake Shall Be King!”

With the start of parading season, the stretch run to Mardi Gras is underway and the whole town is hopping, making social scheduling nearly impossible as everyone adds last-minute touches to their costumes, picks up throws, and completes contraptions and/or shuffles them around town for repair and delivery.

Wait. That’s me!

Which makes me officially part of the local insanity. And into this maelstrom flew my oldest brother, Jerry who, by the end of his first night in town, was already part of the show!

A GRAMMY FOR FRIED CHICKEN

WMSHJerry landed in New Orleans with a blossoming cold so my plan to rush him to Liuzza’s by the Track for a Barbecue Shrimp Po-Boy before the free NOLA Brewing tour was squashed. Instead, we headed home so he could lie down before heading to Willie Mae’s Scotch House, as comfort food sounded more in order than spicy seafood! Willie Mae’s has been voted [Read more…]

Mardi Gras Season Begins With An Epiphany (The Modern Tradition of Morpheus & Nouveau Traditional Chewbacchus)

WE THREE KING(CAKE)S OF ORIENT ARE (NOW AVAILABLE!)

King Cake

‘Tis the Season. Of Yuuuuuuuuum!!!!

January 6th was Epiphany which not only marks the arrival of the Three Wise Men to the manger but the annual arrival of Mardi Gras season to New Orleans (and the arrival of king cakes to local bakeries and groceries! Yippee!) Although Mardi Gras day changes in relation to Ash Wednesday, which changes in relation to Easter, which changes in relation to . . . well, I’m not really sure why Easter hops around like its furry mascot . . . Epiphany is always on the 6th. Thus Mardi Gras season is rushed when Easter falls early, sometimes wrapping up in barely a month, whereas this year’s late date of March 4th provides two full months of revelry.

"Hey, guys. Who brought the cake?"

“Did anyone remember the cake?”

If you’ve been following this blog, however, you know that my preparation and planning started early last fall as I have become increasingly active in Krewe of Morpheus and Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus. While I’m excited about rolling with both krewes, they couldn’t be two more different organizations.

THE MODERN TRADITION

Morpheus Rider in Mask & Robe

Morpheus Rider in Mask & Robe

Morpheus operates in what has become the traditional fashion in modern times, though large parades with elaborate floats only date back to [Read more…]