LB in NOLA

My LB (Little Brother) finally made the trek down to visit his BS (Big Sister) in N'awlins. Enticed by promises of alcohol, partying and fun, he made his debut in the Big Easy the Saturday before Mardi Gras. Though the weather was overcast and blah throughout his visit, we managed to see Thoth, Bacchus, Zulu, and Rex as well as participate in the Krewe of Julu as I have done each Mardi Gras day since living here. 

Mardi Gras day feasting on chicken & pork from a sketchy food truck | BS & LB posing with a Duck Dynasty dressed fella (his mobile of stuffed ducks was super cool!)

 Standing on a cooler in a shopping cart to get the best view of Bacchus | Loving his over-sized comb and other throws from Thoth

BS, LB, Brie, and AV (the pelican) in the French Quarter | Sibling love during Thoth

 I think the overall impression he walked away with was: awesomely lax alcohol laws, huge city-wide party, bunch of crazy people acting fools (all in good fun though). The only down part of his visit was me making him work at my job on Monday! It was the last day of King Cake sales online and we were slammed so I put him to work making boxes, ripping bubble wrap, and packing orders. I don't think he hates me too much for it, but he certainly had a few opinions on how the operation could be more efficient.

Between parades I made sure he got to taste some of the local cuisine. There was a stop at the Taceaux Loceaux (pronounced "Taco Loco") truck, Dat Dog, Whole Foods (so convenient!), and he got had some crawfish with Evan and AV while I was at work. He is the first person to visit me that I did not take to the Rum House! We ran out of time for that. Despite everything being super hectic and fast-paced, I am glad he was willing/able to come down to see my stomping grounds. 

Mardi Gras Picture Overload

Soooo many pictures from Carnival 2013! This is a hodge podge of some of the sites--enjoy!

St. Augustine High School Marching Band (the best of the best!) | Kelly Clarkson riding in Endymion (she is the blonde at the top of the float)

VMI marching in Endymion (I yelled "I'm from Lexington!" as they went by) | a pirate themed float in Bacchus 

 Horses with painted hooves in Thoth | rows & rows of ladders on St. Charles

Queen Kong in Bacchus | 610 Stompers doing their thang during Thoth!

Endymion float | aftermath of Thoth

Muses "Makin' Groceries" themed floats | Clydesdales waiting to begin Endymion 

Lot of high school girl dance teams between floats | The Bacchagator float (you get to throw beads back at the float!)

  

N.O.P.D. doing their crowd control jobs | a house in the Marigny all decked out for Mardi Gras

Absence Explained

This time of year I tend to fall off the face of the earth socially. King Cakes come along and consume my every waking moment. I ingest unhealthy quantities of Redbull, curse my alarm clock daily, and yet somehow attempt to muster the energy to have a little fun during Mardi Gras. With the short carnival season this year (only 5 1/2 weeks) the work seemed to be compounded creating an enormous amount of stress in my bubble of the world. I have made it through once again, albeit with an overall feeling of deflation and numbness. To re-charge my batteries I have taken this weekend as a time to relax, sleep until I can't sleep anymore, watch movies, get my nails done and generally veg out. My hope is to go back to work Monday with a little more pep in my step so that I can conquer the smaller beast that is Easter at work. Look for a few Mardi Gras posts to come...

Happy Birthday To Me!

Another year older and surely another year wiser! The big 2-7! I went out Friday night to celebrate with friends since on my actual birthday I had to go into work (see my last post about how King Cake season is like a slow painful drowning to me). Any way, we had pizza for lunch at work and I was given lots of pretty gifts as well as a plethora of alcohol (they know me well)! That night a group of us went to Lucy's to enjoy King Cake shots: yum! It was a lot of fun :) Minus the fact my brother thought I was turning 29 I had a pretty nice birthday! Oh and thank goodness that groundhog saw his shadow: goodbye winter!!

Clockwise: Laura E., Amy & Me at Lucy's, my yummy flourless chocolate cake from Sucre, beautiful birthday flowers from Brie, a picture of a clipping my Maw-maw sent me of me & Brie at her "teddy bear tea party" birthday party circa 1993!