Mardi Grab

I know it has a been a couple weeks since Mardi Gras, but I'm just getting around to processing the pictures.  At any rate, I hope this photo lets you capture the excitement of the shindig. You go mad yelling for beads and climbing on ladders to capture attention to get a bunch of stuff you really would rather not have.  But, ah,there is the occasional treasure that makes you glow with warmth thinking, "can it get any better than this? -- cares gone, party on, wild behaviour accepted, cut loose.  O yeah, the good times are rolling, for sure."

In the front is my niece Savarra with my sister (her aunt) Karen behind her.  My sister Sue is in the orange hair on the ladder on the right. I am faced with my back to the parade and, as luck would have it, about to get smacked in the back of my head with a bunch of beads.  Cue B.B. King's song: Let the Good Times Roll.

Mardi Gras was a bright shade of fun

Everybody had a lot of fun on our Mardi Gras excursion this past weekend. But none more so that my wife, Linda. She was parasolling wth the best of them.

Glowing close together -- Hot Air Balloons

Another shot from the Moon Glow of hot air balloons at the festival this weekend in Gonzales, LA

The Big Clean Up -- Superbowl style

So there we were, pushing our way down Bourbon Street after the big Superbowl game Sunday.   The crowds were so packed, forget about moving, it was getting hard to breath.   Were the streets dirty?  Every once in a while you could catch a glimpse below you and it was not a pretty sight.  Most of the time, you were lucky if you could see your shirt pocket with the crowds being so packed sardine-like.

Then the next morning you walk out and the streets are shining -- slightly damp from a night time hosing, but clean and fresh smelling.  This is a shot from Royal Street as we walked down to breakfast.

New Orleans is the best in the world at three things:  the Superbowl, Mardi Gras, and cleaning up after the big party.
--steve buser

Superbowl, Mardi Gras, New Orleans, French Quarter

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New Orleans Night

This was the view out of our room at the W Hotel in New Orleans Sunday night after we survived the celebration in the French Quarter for the Saints Superbowl win.  Just minutes before I shot this, Poydras Street which is down below was circular parade of horn honkers and "Who Dat" cheerleaders.    You can see the Loews Hotel on the far right and next to it is the Harrah's Hotel.  Just across Poydras with the lighted purple emblem is Harrah's Casio.  You are looking out toward the Mississippi River.  The Hilton Hotel on the right looks out over the river.   The French Quarter is out of the picture, two blocks to the left. 

It's a few blocks heavy on the tourism.

By the way,  a little known fact, the Mississippi at this point is flowing directly North for a few miles.
--steve buser

New Orleans, Hotels, Superbowl, French Quarter

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French Quarter Feathery Festival Finery for Mardi Gras.

You could be well dressed for Mardi Gras in New Orleans just by donning one of these fashionable boas.  The boas were all laid out in a French Quarter shop we passed on Monday, but few minds were on Mardi Gras -- they were still harkening back to the Saints stunning (not so stunning for the true believers, just incredible) win over the Colts.  Now that the big welcoming-back parade for the Saints is passed, the city can get back to Mardi Gras.
--steve buser

Superbowl, New Orleans, Mardi Gras

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Mardi Gras football -- Superbowl style

Hey, every dog has his day on the gridiron, doesn't he?  This was the Krewe of Barkus parade in New Orleans just a few hours before the big Sunday game between the Saints and the Colts.  Mardi Gras was almost on hold for the Superbowl, but when you march through the French Quarter just before the game, every street has a ready-made crowd.
--steve buser

Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Superbowl

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The proper Mardi Gras is about having the accoutrement

Since we are on a Mardi Gras theme of sorts for today, I thought I would get a little on the technical side and go through some of the required paraphernalia for the perfect family celebration of the carnival.

You will notice the float is passing by a large antebellum home, giving away the fact that this is a shot on St. Charles Avenue -- with its wide neutral ground (median, if you are not from New Orleans). Everyone on the ground in this picture is on the neutral ground. 

We will start with the folding table in the middle with the food to munch on all day long. To the far right is the large trash can -- they can never put enough of these on.  To the right of the trash can , the black hump is a barbecue pit -- you're going to be out Mardi Gras day from very early in the morning to late in the afternoon  -- come prepared.

If you follow with your eyes on the same level to the right, you will see two white humps -- of course, the baby swing. Move your eyes up a little and you will notice another black barbecue pit.  Did I mention that you eat all day?

If you are extra observant you will notice the baby stroller, a couple of chairs, a child's seat, a blue tarp on the ground (on the right -- it claims your territory and anything that falls on it.  On the middle bottom you may be able to pick out a yellow square -- below the barbecue.  That is a big sack for holding you goodies.  You will need several of these to haul off your loot.
--steve buser

Mardi Gras, New Orleans, St. Charles Avenue

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Style rules for catching Mardi Gras beads in New Orleans

There is a certain style to catching Mardi Gras beads in New Orleans. 1) keep you eye on the catch. 2) extend your arms 3) close in on the target.  4) Let your excitement run away with you. 5) There is no such thing as a bad catch.  6). There are no rules on how to catch beads at Mardi Gras.   Everything goes.   Don't believe me?  Stay tuned.

By the way,  our guide for the day is Nino,  How does that work, a second nephew?  A nephew once removed?  Let's just say a relative.
--steve buser

Take a walk on the Park walk

This was the group setting up for the start and finish line for a charity walk a year or so ago at Audubon Park. I love this little pavilion that looks out over a grove of ancient oak trees. Or, you can look out the back of the pavilion to a the lagoon at circles in the center of the urban park.
--steve buser

Audubon Park, New Orleans

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I'm walking in New Orleans

There's a more residential side to the French Quarter in New Orleans. It's not all just tourist shops, bars and restaurants. There are a significant number of houses, condos and apartments. It's a pretty exciting life -- you're able to catch a lot of festivals and fun and just walk home.
--steve buser

French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, festivals, music

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Art Appreciation.

This was at a concert a couple weeks ago in Baton Rouge. The band was playing just behind this splashing pool. Quite a few of the kids took advantage of the cool water for a respite from the heat. Come to think of it, so did several of the adults. These kids were using the scuplture just in front of the band to get from one level of the pool to the next.
I'm guessing this a true art appreciation.

--steve buser

Baton Rouge, Festival, FestForAll

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Laissez le lounger dormez

The first rule in photographs "Follow the foot." Right?

Notice what his foot is resting on? That's right, a pickup truck bed. You learn fast.

Now for the rest of the story:

I was sitting here thinking wow! (Geezsham that sounds so 60's) I havenot posted nor have my eyes seen a picture of Mardi Gras on the internet in a good while (its call Mardi Gras Withdrawl Disease -- MGWD). So I went to my stack of pictures I didn't use from this year, and found this one. I would have loved to use it back then, but we moved on to other topics, as you recall.

Today? Today is kind of a nostalgia day. This guy has put a couch up on the back of a pickup truck to see better. But sometime during the parade lack of sleep got to him. I didn't go back to see if he woke up before or after the parade ended. On the other hand, you got to give a star for trying hard. Thank you for letting me nostalge.

--steve buser

Mardi Gras, Nostalgia

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Whole lotta shakin' (and splashing) going on

You have to study this picture to take it all in. This is at the Baton Rouge FestForAll this weekend.
Famed Henry Gray and the Cats are playing a swinging blues song up on the stage in the back. In the pool in front of the stage, kids (of all ages, but mostly less than 10 years old) are splashing away -- some of them for hours. In the foreground, the hard driving beat has the young-at-heart of all ages, showing off their swing steps. Over on the right, some spectators were snapping to the beat.

That's the Old State Capitol of Louisiana in the background.

--steve buser

FestForAll, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Henry Gray and the Cats, Old State Capitol
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Spilling the party

Everyone loves a good party.  This picture from last year shows how the party spills into the French Quarter from Canal Street and the surrounding area.

--steve buser

party, French Quarter

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Orange you going to yell?

One more time for good luck. I just had to have one last laugh about the Irish Italiam parade this past weekend in Metairie. Carrot anyone? You laugh, but if you were there you would have been yelling and screaming -- "Throw it to me." Oh you were there? And you were.... Well then you don't need me to tell you how much fund it was.

--steve buser

Irish Italian Parade, Metairie, Louisiana, Carrots

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Irish non-stewing

These carnival revelers deserve a gold medal. No, not the thronging crowds on the ground -- the party animals on the floats at the Irish Italian Parade in Metairie this past weekend. They were throwing beads and trinkets and plush toys for sure. But, mixed among all that was potatoes, humongous carrots, onions, cabbages, garlic -- whatever comes out of the garden. Despite all of that, there seemed to be few errant throws. Everyone's spirits were high until the end of the parade.

We had French Fries from some of those potatoes tonight (delicious) and some of the cabbage with sausage (the sausage was from our refrigerator). The fun just keeps going on.

--steve buser

Irish Italian, parade, Metairie, Louisiana

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The Irish Cup

Sometimes you hit the mother lode. Like this, a stuffed animal AND a 10-pound bag of potatoes.

You got to figure that is cause to celebrate anywhere, especially in the environs of New Orleans. In this case, the environs are Metairie -- the next door neighbor to New Orleans. The occasion is the Irish-Italian Parade that rolled down Veterans Boulevard and Severn Avenue today.

Full Disclosure statement--I have to disclose that the frolicking femme in the photo is my wife, Linda. Her triumph trophy catch means we will probably be having a lot of stew, and baked potatoes, and french fries, and hash browns and.... for a while. Not to mention the six heads of cabbage we came away with, and enough carrots to keep a herd of rabbits' teeth clean for a month.

Two and a half hours of floats rolled by in front of us. Two and one half hours of laughs, smiles, partying, screams of excitement and ecstasy..... I was ready to get home and vegetate. (Sorry, freudian slip)

--steve buser

Irish Italian Parade, Metairie, Louisiana, FLoats, throws

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Top of the day, top of the sky

What is the odds that the skies will be this clear for the St. Patricks's Day parade down St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans this weekend. This shot was from a beautiful, festive day a couple years ago. Blue skies, gentle winds, short sleeve weather, and all the cabbage and potatoes you could think of eating. How much better can it get.

Hope you enjoy this SkyWatch Friday photo. Go to the SkyWatch Friday site to enjoy 100's more.
--steve buser

SkyWatch Friday, St. Patricks Day, parade, St Charles Avernue, New Orleans, Louisiana

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A spray of hair

Apparently, these young ladies took the opportunity of Mardi Gras carnival atmosphere to get back to their roots -- that is, their natural hair colors (which of course is not necessarily, the hair color of their youth). This is our friends Mary and Jeanette on the left. The other two are either in good disguise or I don't recognize them.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is an opportunity to let your cares have a day off. (or alternatively, a week off -- your choice)

--steve buser

Mardi Gras, costume, New Orleans, Louisiana