So being a Colts fan I was none-to-pleased to watch the Saints swoop away with the Superbowl victory last Sunday. That being said, at least New Orleans is enjoying their moment in the sun! So if you missed the "Lombardi-Gras" you can still make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras by Febuary 16th, 2010.
But what is Mardi Gras? Who started it? Why do it? Everybody knows what Mardi Gras is but very few understand what Mardi Gras REALLY is.
Well for starters "Mardi Gras" is French for "Fat Tuesday", (note the start date of Mardi Gras). Mardi Gras is not exclusive to New Orleans but certainly they got the most notorious lock-down on the event in our country. Other cities that participate? Pensacola, Mobile, St. Louis, Philly, Galveston and now even Lake Havasu City. But the king daddy of them all, the New Orleans Mardi Gras, is the place to be.
The origination: Originally it was brought to the mouth of the Mississippi in 1699 by French settlers celebrating what was a Catholic observance (more on this below). The starting date of festivities in New Orleans is unknown. Notes from 1743 indicate that the custom of Carnival balls was already established. In 1833 a rich plantation owner of French descent, raised money to fund an official Mardi Gras celebration. In 1875 Louisiana declared Mardi Gras a legal state holiday.
Where did the purple, gold and green colors come from??? From a Russian!!! Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia picked the colors during a visit to New Orleans in 1872. Meanings: Justice. Power. Faith.
The beads: The celebration of Mardi Gras beads records all the way back to the 1840's. It is believed that the "throwing of the beads" was from the festival customs from the English Renaissance era. But what about the beads for boobs tradition? Well, that's mostly done on Burbon Street in the French Quarters.
But what is the carnival really celebrating? Mardi Gras is nothing more than a practical day of preparation for the Lenten season. The day itself, celebrates or commemorates nothing. "Mardi Gras" is simply the given name, of the day before Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of the Lenten Season.
Mardi Gras has evolved into a rowdy, happy and crazy celebration that vendors, club owners, and others have hijacked and turned it from the quite day of feasting at home, to the parade going, beer guzzling, breast flashing party you sometimes see and hear about.
What are "King Cakes"? In southern U.S.A., the tradition was brought to the area by colonists from France and Spain. King Cakes have a small trinket (we use a small plastic golden baby or a coin) hidden beneath a slice. The person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket is King or Queen of the Day!
Mardi Gras Fun Facts!
- Float parades were banned from the French Quarter’s narrow streets in 1973
- More than 500,000 king cakes are sold each year in New Orleans
- The average rider in a parade spends $600 to $800 just on throws of beads
So there you have it, it's a kinda-holiday that's been re-focused from it's original religious purpose to a more notorious event mostly for tourism. It has roots founded in France, Spain and even Russia yet it's OUR holiday now.
It's not too late to go party in New Orleans. Obviously, booking less than a week to the big event isn't going to come cheap. So if you make it there just have to make sure you get your money's worth in beads while in the French Quarter.
New Orleans is awesome! We went during Mardi Gras but not on Fat Tuesday. Very adventurous.
ReplyDeleteWould you call the celebration an "adults only" event or could the kids come along Mary?
ReplyDeleteDuring the day Bourbon Street and the rest of the rest of the French Quarter are fine for families of all ages. After dark the streets become a walking bar as alcohol is sold from walk-up windows. Definitely not for kids.
ReplyDeleteAlso one comment about a photo in your post. The one where the girl is smiling and surrounded by the guys. I experienced that with Sean standing on a balcony so he could take pics. It was extremely scary. One minute I was standing having fun and the next it was like a swarm of male bees had been let loose. New Orleans is fantastic but I did have to remember that it was not the local bar and to stay in a group or at least a couple.
WOW look how this New Orleans music is being represented by these icons below
ReplyDeletePBS TV
http://growingbolder.com/media/entertainment/music/old-dogs-can-rock-715463.html#content_tabs
The History Of Jazz
http://thehistoryofjazzmusic.ning.com/video/mickey-carroll-old-dogs?xg_source=shorten_twitter
The Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Mickey_Carroll?action=comments
Mickey Carroll
Grammy Nominee
Gold Record Recipient
caihuanglin20150422
ReplyDeletemont blanc
kobe shoes
tods outlet
coach outlet store online
louis vuitton uk
michael kors
coach factory outlet
jordan 11 low
michael kors
louis vuitton purses
michael kors
michael kors outlet
coach outlet store online
michael kors bag
michael kors handbags
gucci shoes
polo ralph lauren
jordan 9 low
toms promo code
polo ralph lauren
ray bans
louis vuitton
louis vuitton outlet
tory burch outlet online
jeremy scott shoes
kate spade
michael kors handbags
louis vuitton
louis vuitton
oakley
coach outlet
copy watches
concords 11
cheap jordans
louis vuitton
louis vuitton handbags
abercrombie
abercrombie and fitch
timberland earthkeepers
ray ban uk
michael kors outlet store
ReplyDeleterolex watches
michael kors sale
longchamp handbags
roshe run men
tory burch sale
oakley sunglasses
karen millen uk
ray ban sunglasses
cheap oakley sunglasses
air jordan 5
cheap toms
abercrombie and fitch
ed hardy t-shirts
ray ban sunglasses uk
coach factory outlet
burberry outlet
snapback hats
oakley sunglasses wholesale
michael kors outlet
coach outlet store
ray ban wayfarer
insanity workout
tiffany and co
christian louboutin outlet
ray ban sunglasses
discount oakley sunglasses
calvin klein outlet
gucci handbags
cheap nfl jerseys
cai2015422
michael kors outlet
ReplyDeletepandora charms
cheap jordans
jordan 11 gamma blue
oakley sunglasses
coach outlet
jordan 11 low
michael kors outlet online
coach outlet
hollister
chanel bags outlet
coach factory outlet online
louis vuitton outlet
coach outlet
air jordan 11
chanel handbags
abercrombie store
michael kors watches
coach factory outlet online
prada outlet
louis vuitton
pandora jewelry
louis vuitton handbags
nfl jerseys
coach outlet
lebron james shoes
pandara jewelry
louis vuitton
christian louboutin
burberry outlet
ghd hair straighteners
lululemon
abercrombie
oakley sunglasses cheap
christian louboutin outlet
oakley sunglasses
fitflop shoes
gucci
ray ban outlet
michael kors outlet
caihuanglin20150622
juicy couture outlet
ReplyDeletecheap oakley sunglasses
tory burch handbags
nike trainers
nike free
kate spade sale
prada sneakers
nike trainers uk
swarovski outlet
dan marino jersey,louis delmas jersey,brent grimes jersey,cameron wake jersey,mike wallace jersey,dan marino jersey,cameron wake jersey
north face jackets
los angeles clippers jerseys
michael kors outlet
stuart weitzman boots
beats by dre
steelers jerseys
nba jerseys
new york jets jerseys
nike air max
chris paul jersey
air max 2015
nike air max uk
soccer shoes
rolex watches uk
mbt sneakers
knicks jersey
air max 90
the north face
bears jerseys
oakley sunglasses
yongri0711
0815
ReplyDeletekansas city chiefs jerseys
true religion jeans, http://www.truereligionjean.in.net
oakley sunglasses, http://www.oakleysunglasses-outlet.us.com
cheap soccer jerseys
ralph lauren outlet
nike roshe,nike roshe run uk,nike roshe uk,roshe run,nike roshe run,roshe run women,rushe run men
nike air max
giants jersey
coach outlet online
michael kors outlet, http://www.michaelkorsoutletonlinstore.us.com
cheap oakley sunglasses, http://www.oakleysunglasseswholesale.in.net
wedding dresses
hollister,hollister canada,abercrombie and fitch,abercrombie,abercrombie fitch,abercrombie kids,a&f
nike running shoes
arthur jones jersey,deonte thompson jersey,courtney upshaw jersey,timmy jernigan jersey,jeromy miles jersey,haloti ngata jersey,joe flacco jersey,steve smith sr jersey
michael kors outlet, http://www.michaelkors-outlets.us.com
oakland raiders jerseys
cardinals jersey
philadelphia eagles jerseys
ugg uk
jordan shoes
rolex watches uk
the north face outlet
true religion jeans, http://www.truereligionjeansoutlet.com
swarovski crystal
hermes outlet store
true religion jeans,cheap true religion jeans,true religion jeans wholesale,true religion outlet,true religion sale,true religion outlet online
prada outlet
longchamp handbags
louis vuitton outlet
oakley sunglasses
kobe 9
ReplyDeletecheap uggs, http://www.uggboot.com.co
air jordan shoes
mont blanc
custom mlb jerseys
abercrombie and fitch
ray-ban sunglasses, http://www.ray-bansunglassess.in.net
the north face jackets
swarovski crystal
ray ban
coach outlet
cheap wedding dresses
ugg boots, http://www.uggsoutlet.us.org
swarovski jewelry
nfl jerseys wholesale
marc jacobs outlet
louis vuitton handbags
rolex watches,rolex watches,swiss watches,watches for men,watches for women,omega watches,replica watches,rolex watches for sale,rolex replica,rolex watch,cartier watches,rolex submariner,fake rolex,rolex replica watches,replica rolex
oakley sunglasses
christian louboutin sale
rolex watches
true religion jeans, http://www.truereligionjeanscanada.com
coach outlet store
oakley sunglasses outlet
karen millen dresses
gucci outlet
true religion outlet, http://www.truereligionoutletstore.us.com
michael kors outlet online, http://www.michaelkors-outlets.us.com
dansko outlet
mulberry outlet
supra footwear
kate spade outlet
gucci handbags
karen millen uk
michael kors outlet store, http://www.michaelkorsoutlet-store.us.com
polo lacoste pas cher
0817maoqiuyun
kate spade new
ReplyDeletebalance replica watches tommy hilfiger outlet burberry outlet online nike roshe longchamp air jordan 2015
coach factory auctions cheap
jordan shoes free run glasses online tommy hilfiger online shop giuseppe zanotti polo ralph lauren outlet michael kors outlet online michael kors
outlet online sale ray ban outlet nike store adidas ed hardy themselves. lululemon australia chanel sunglasses nike air max michael kors outlet
online thomas sabo uk coach outlet store babyliss pro swarovski uk nike chanel outlet timberland outlet ralph lauren outlet
But puma salomon louis vuitton bags oakley jordan retro 11 tory burch
sandals nike air max ray bans kate spade outlet jimmy choo shoes oakley bcbg max azria the abercrombie and fitch louis vuitton nike roshe run oakley
sunglasses cheap wedding dresses uk
chenlili20160326
ReplyDeletelouis vuitton outlet
nfl jerseys wholesale
cheap ray ban sunglasses
gucci outlet
ralph lauren outlet
coach outlet online
jordan retro 4
cheap nfl jerseys
louis vuitton
louis vuitton handbags
michael kors outlet online
tods sale
longchamp le pliage
coach outlet
mont blanc mountain
ray ban sunglasses
fitflop clearance
fit flops
michael kors outlet
uggs boots
coach factorty outlet
michael kors outlet online sale
lebron james shoes 13
michael kors outlet
adidas wings
oakley store
cheap oakleys
kate spade
cheap jordans
louis vuitton handbags
louis vuitton bags
louis vuitton purses
coach outlet store online
louis vuitton purses
ray ban
cheap uggs
ray ban outlet
michael kors handbags
kd 8
louis vuitton