Krewes of Nyx and Muses {Mardi Gras 2016}

Oh my. Apologies for disappearing on y’all earlier this week, but the 2016 Carnival season was intense. Jackie landed in New Orleans at 5:35 on Thursday evening, and we hit the ground running. She left on Sunday, but I didn’t stop until Tuesday night. It was exhausting, but it was amazing.

First let me recap Wednesday night’s parade, Krewe of Nyx. It was my first year attending, and I was so impressed. Nyx has only been around for 5 years, but it’s grown to be so big in that short amount of time.

I went with Aunt E, and we met some of her family out at the beginning of the route. We had a great time, especially since we had so many friends riding or marching. Between the two of us we knew 8 people! That meant I was sure to get a coveted Nyx purse, which I was psyched about. But who knew I would end up bringing SIX purses home??? I also got an official Nyx 2016 poster from a very nice krewe member. So amazing. Thanks for letting me tag along with you, Erin!

 

The next day I made final preparations for Jackie’s arrival. I had decided to put together a little “Mardi Gras survival” basket for her, so I assembled that and brought it with me to the airport. (I was also all ready to go. I definitely channeled Lizzie when I got dressed; she’s the Mardi Gras pro. And she even lent me a few of her wigs to use. Thanks, LPb!) It was SO great to see my friend, and she was so surprised to discover her fun basket of goodies. Jackie’s first Mardi Gras had officially begun!

We drove to Dana’s house so Jackie could change, and then UJ graciously came to pick the three of us up so we wouldn’t have to fight driving and parking in the Quarter. We grabbed Felipe’s for dinner and went to UJ’s apartment to eat before heading out to Canal Street. Thanks for being so awesome to us this night, UJ!

We walked up right as Babylon, the first of the three parades that night, was ending, and we saw all of Chaos. We made some friends, Jackie snagged her first pair of beads, and we all tried to stay warm. It was so cold!

  

Then the main event began: Krewe of Muses. Jackie was so impressed with it all: the marching groups, the bands, the floats, the throws. This year’s theme was “Muses Sweet ‘16,” so all of their floats centered around popular candies with relevant political tie-ins as well. It was so great, and we had such a fun time. Despite not catching a shoe: Jackie had one hit her hands but she couldn’t pull it in. Bummer!

The parade ended right around midnight, but we weren’t done yet. Kirk was managing Oz that night, so we decided to take advantage of being in the Quarter and stop in to see him. I will not say exactly what took place in that establishment on that particular night, but I will say that it was definitely an experience. We were out until 2am and had a blast.

 

There was little time to rest, though: Jackie and I found ourselves back in the Quarter less than 10 hours later for my parents’ annual Mardi Gras luncheon at GW Fin’s and the Diva Parade. Those recaps coming up next!

Family Gras and Krewe of Caesar {Mardi Gras 2016}

Last Saturday was Kenny’s 38th birthday. So of course we spent the day doing what he wanted to do: MARDI GRAS!

Okay, so he’s not the biggest fan of Mardi Gras. But he is an incredibly good sport and was more than happy to spend the day together as a family celebrating this particular season that our city loves so much.

We picked up Grandma and Grandpa around lunchtime and headed out to Family Gras. It’s a free festival/celebration of carnival and family in the neutral ground right across from Lakeside Mall. There are lots of food booths, crafts, games, and a great lineup of music.

We walked in and almost instantly met a very nice policeman, Captain Josh Wingrove, who let the boys climb up on his fancy patrol vehicle. He was so incredibly nice; it was such a pleasure chatting with him for a few minutes. Thanks for keeping Jefferson Parish safe for us!

We bid Captain Josh goodbye and headed off in search of lunch. That’s when we ran into some familiar faces: Dana, Claire and Colin, who had just arrived with Dana’s sister Emily and her daughter Corinne. The kids were so excited to see each other.

We all got something for lunch and walked up towards the stage to get a spot for the first performers: the Imagination Movers. Kenny was a very happy birthday boy with his soft shell crab po-boy. We ate, we drank, we sang, we danced. We had a great time.

That evening we attended our first parade of Mardi Gras 2016: Caesar. We had a huge group come together in our usual spot on Vets near the beginning of the route.

Luke was even there for his first Metairie Mardi Gras parade, although he slept through the whole thing.

Oh, and the boys and I presented Kenny with a few birthday treats from Gambino’s. He loved that little surprise!

The parade itself was just okay. I usually love Caesar, but they weren’t throwing very much this year. Plus, a couple of the floats went by us SO fast. Way too fast; it was dangerous. But the Star Wars presence in the parade was very cool. Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Boba Fett, and lots of stormtroopers were all on the Grand Marshal’s float. I even caught a cup from Darth!

It wasn’t the best parade experience, but we still loved spending time with our friends. Even if I did have to stand in the very back a lot so Rory could run around the parking lot, as is his preference. Crazy fries.

All things Mardi Gras really started to ramp up yesterday. I was lucky enough to attend my first Nyx parade last night. I knew about a half dozen people in it; SO much fun. Tonight is Muses, which I will be attending with….drumroll please…..

JACKIE!!! She will be in town for her very first Mardi Gras, and I am so freaking excited to have her here. Plus her birthday is Saturday, so that makes it extra special. I can’t wait!!!

Happy Mardi Gras, y’all!

Let Them Eat Kingcake

Have y’all seen this shirt? It’s by Storyville, one of my favorite local t-shirt shops. Their stuff, along with Fleurty Girl, sums up the city of New Orleans perfectly, in my opinion. Their shirts are on point, and I especially love their Mardi Gras ones.

That particular shirt sums up my two boys’ mindsets very accurately right now. They are obsessed with kingcake. I’m sure they would eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I let them. This is often what happens after we get home from school in the afternoons:

I have two kingcake monsters standing in front of me, waiting for me to give them the good stuff. Kingcake has been our after school snack practically every day since King’s Day. They are loving it.

Then I had an idea to have a little kingcake party at our house. I spoke with someone in the bakery department of Rouse’s grocery store, and she agreed to what I wanted. She made 6 individual little kingcakes and also gave me a tub of icing and three containers of colored sugar, plus 6 plastic kingcake babies. The kids each got to decorate their very own kingcake!

We had the kingcake party after school last Friday. Aunt E brought Kate and Luke; Dana brought Claire and Colin; and Diana brought Alcee. We set the kids up in the kitchen. They each got to spread icing on their cake and then sprinkle sugar all over it. It was fun, it was fast, it was messy, it was chaotic. It was great!

Everyone got to take their little kingcake home with them to enjoy later. Some took bites right away (Rory took a couple of huge bites of his), but they mostly abandoned the sugar in favor of running around the house like the crazy kids they are.

And don’t worry, Luke…..

…..CC will have another kingcake party next year so you can participate too. I promise!

Riley also got to decorate a kingcake at school for his January fun food project. Art mom Mrs. Kristen baked a ring-shaped cinnamon roll for each student. Then the mom volunteers spread icing on top and then the kids sprinkled colored sugar on the icing. Rory came with me this day and had such fun.

It’s been all kingcake, all the time, around here. As the shirt says, LET THEM EAT KINGCAKE!

Video Monday: Uh-Oh, Dee-a-da and Other Rory Speak

He calls footballs “oh-balls,” he says “uh-oh, dee-a-da” instead of uh-oh, spaghettio’s, and whenever he’s asked who loves him, he replies with “nobody.”

This kid.

Happy Monday!