A Southern Life

Everywhere else it is just Tuesday, but not in New Orleans! Here is a little bit about Mardi Gras and Carnival and Krewes and parades and well, the whole mystical, magical, crazy, fun season. Oh, and don’t forget the music!

A Little Background

The Carnival season begins on January 6th which is known as Twelfth Night or The Epiphany. You can read more about Twelfth Night here and here. This is traditionally when the Christmas season ends. Carnival is celebrated by many with parties and balls. In New Orleans, it is often “Krewes” that lead the celebrations. While the celebrations are ongoing throughout the Carnival season, they all culminate on Mardi Gras day
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Mark Twain observed, “… I think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi Gras in New Orleans.”

It’s Monday morning in New Orleans and this Monday that means Lundi Gras! In the blink of an eye, Carnival will be over. In most places, tomorrow will be just another Tuesday. Here it is Mardi Gras, a major celebration. Schools will be closed. No mail will be delivered. Banks are closed. People, of all ages, will be outfitted in costumes and masks. The city is adorned with beads and doubloons and boas and funny hats and colored wigs.

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Yesterday, I shared my experience of being in a Carnival Krewe and riding in a parade. Today, I wanted to show you some of the tables from a Masquerade Ball. This is a fun event with everyone dressed so elegantly in their ball gowns and tuxes. Masks are required and must be worn until dinner. Here is the beautiful ballroom, decked out for the ball. Notice the fleur de lis napkin folds and the beads along side each place setting. Also, the cute light up martini glasses are at each place and were given as a one of the favors.

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We are in the full swing of Carnival here in New Orleans. The beads are flying, the bands are marching, the floats are rolling, and it is truly something incredible to behold. As I mentioned in a past post, I was lucky to get to be a part of the  fabulous Mystic Krewe of Nyx when I first moved to New Orleans. Nyx will roll Wednesday night. People have asked me about that experience. So today, I am sharing the experience of being a part of a Carnival Krewe and riding in a Carnival Parade.

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It’s always fun to set a table for Carnival. Lots of beads, a couple of masks, napkins folded as fleur de lis, all set the china and crystal aglow.

Come have a seat at the table and see what fun we can have . . .

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So this Wednesday is January 6th which is the date of Twelfth Night, also known as Epiphany. In New Orleans, it is the official beginning of Carnival season and we kick it off with a few parades and parties and the consumption of King Cake. Twelfth Night is the end of the Christmas season and it is when, traditionally, the Christmas decorations come down – and the Carnival decorations go up.

Here are some scenes from around New Orleans on Twelfth Nights past . . .

The Phunny Phorty Phellows start their party at the streetcar barn and then take the party on the tracks as they roll down St. Charles Avenue. Thirty years ago, a group revived an old organization that had been active from 1878-98.

by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune

The King Cake is decorated with the traditional colors of the Carnival season. Purple represents justice; green, faith; and gold, power.

The parties begin . . .

The King Cake sets the mood for the celebration.

and then their are the balls . . .

Here is one of my favorite centerpieces:

Here is how to make it:

So, it begins . . . here we do – Carnival 2016!

Want to celebrate Carnival where you are? Get some King Cake mix and throw a party. There is a baby hidden in the cake and whoever gets the baby throws the next party and you just keep it going until Mardi Gras which is on February 9th this year.

Wondering where to get your Carnival supplies? Starting Wednesday, January 6th, check back here at asouthernlife.com. I’ll have king cake mix, beignet mix, carnival pins, beads, masks and more here for you to purchase. Can’t wait to open the new estore at A Southern Life!

What’s new where you are? I’m linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch today.

Rex (or the School of Design as it is officially named) is the big parade on Mardi Gras day.  Its monarch serves as the King of Carnival.  The organization is quite civic in nature, with its Pro Bono Publico foundation donating over two million dollars to local public school initiatives since its inception.  Over the years we have collected a variety of Rex memorabilia.

Each year the organization issues a ducal badge to its members.  There is a corresponding ladies’ pin, which members may purchase for wives and female friends or relatives.  Here are the ones for 2013, reflecting the theme “All Creatures Great and Small”.  It is inspired by the gauntlets worn by the 1886 Rex.

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If you’ve never been to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, you might find things a bit confusing. Since moving to New Orleans, I know, I have found myself explaining to friends all over the country about Mardi Gras and Carnival and Krewes and parades and well, the whole mystical, magical, crazy, fun season.

The Carnival season begins on January 6th which is known as Twelfth Night or The Epiphany. You can read more about Twelfth Night here and here. This is traditionally when the Christmas season ends. Carnival is celebrated by many with parties and balls. In New Orleans, it is often “Krewes” that lead the celebrations. While the celebrations are ongoing throughout the Carnival season, they all culminate on Mardi Gras day Read more…

As promised, here are more pics from the Nyx Myx Masquerade Ball. First, let’s talk food.

Here is the menu from the dinner portion of the ball. – YUM!

The dessert was a work of art. See the little Nyx candy in the whipped cream in the middle. Beautiful and edible! Everything was deeee-licious.

Did you notice the hot pepper jelly vinaigrette mentioned for the salad. It was incredible, so I had to find a recipe for it. I found this recipe online and it was very good. I made it with Tabasco Hot Pepper Jelly and put it over butter lettuce with blue cheese and toasted pecans. Easy and yummy – I highly recommend this.

Okay, back to the ball. Read more…

Since we are taking a timeout for the Superbowl, I thought I’d take a look back at a Carnival table from the past. Even if you aren’t in New Orleans, you can create Carnival wherever you are!

Let the Carnival begin!

The beads, the masks . . .

all the Carnival colors.

Add a little candlelight.

The fun and frivolity

Ready for the fun.

Who is that behind the mask?

Baubles and beads.

And, the Mardi Gras tree.

More decorations to come! Thanks Susan for hosting:

with Between Naps on the Porch

Today’s Lagniappe: Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice
Something warm and yummy to start the celebration.

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage (or regular smoked sausage), cut into small pieces
• 2 cups dried red beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 1 quart water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Hot cooked rice (about 3 to 4 cups)

Carnival parades start in earnest this weekend, so I figured it was about time to decorate the house.  Purple, green and gold (especially purple) tends to clash with my décor, so the challenge is to achieve a festive look that you can live with for a couple of weeks.

Here is the dining room centerpiece, using ceramic masks that were favors at a formal dinner we attended, and beads in a cut glass bowl.  The gold “dubloons” are parade throws that typically reflect the year’s theme.  These are from Rex.

I did the pillow years ago to display pins given as “krewe favors” by maskers after a “callout” dance at a carnival ball.  Now, every king sends his lady friends a custom designed pin to mark his reign, and I have a whole drawer full of memories of various big nights.

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Music is the essence of Mardi Gras – you can’t have a parade, a carnival ball, or even a party without it.  Our carnival music reflects our joie de vivre spirit, our desire to let the good times roll.  The classic hits range from funk to R&B to brass band, but they have one thing in common – they make you want to dance.  To get you in the mood, I’m going to let you listen to some of them.

Perhaps the epitome of Mardi Gras songs is Professor Longhair’s “Go to the Mardi Gras”.  Can you hear the parade coming down the street?

Next, try Al Johnson’s “Carnival Time”.  His one hit was big enough to propel him into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Here’s “Mardi Gras Mambo”, by the Hawkettes.  This little known group would evolve into the Meters, the standard bearer for New Orleans music.  The lyrics are great.

Finally, there is “Second Line” by Stop, Inc.  If you’re actually part of a parade, you’re the first line; if you’re just dancing behind it, you’re in the second line.

There are many other classics, such as the Meters “Hey Pocky A-Way”, “Iko Iko”  (originally by Sugar Boy Crawford but popularized by the Dixie Cups), and, “Big Chief, Pt. 2“, also by Professor Longhair.

Are you dancing?

Carnival Season in New Orleans is a wonderful time. Then entire season assaults your senses with colors and sound. One of the most sensational events, for me, is the Nyx Myx Masquarade Ball. It is invitation only and formal tux and floor length gowns and masks are required.

I have lots and lots of pictures to share, but in this post, I’m going to concentrate on the tables and atmosphere of the room.

The colors, the lights (notice the stars on the ceiling and the colored uplights on the walls) everything sparkled and glittered, including the people.

This ball was held at the Hilton Riverside in their grand ballroom and, grand it was. Read more…

The central command post for the Rex parade is housed in a nondescript industrial building.  For most of the year it just serves as a workshop for float construction, but really comes alive with activity as Mardi Gras day approaches.  I recently attended “Ladies Day at the Den”, and wanted to share some photos with you.

The theme for this year is “All Creatures Great and Small”, a line taken from an 1848 poem by Cecil Alexander.   I can’t show you the floats for this year, but they always beautifully and artistically develop the chosen theme.  Since they are built on the chassis of old cotton wagons, they shimmy down the street, adding to the magic of the presentation.  Tractors now replace the mules that originally pulled the floats.

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