We enjoyed a great Mardi Gras weekend. We’re both still of mixed minds about the whole affair: we love Mardi Gras and thoroughly enjoyed it; we think it is great that area businesses are reporting over $200 million in revenue; and we are eager to see if the funds actually get put back into [...]

Mondo Kayo and Pete Fountain’s “Half Fast Walking Group” kicked off the morning! These two local traditions march before Zulu on Mardi Gras morning. We did get one of the medallion necklaces from Pete’s group and it is one of my favorites from the day. This was also the first year since [...]

How we entertained Will before the parades began! Once Paul decorated my belly, Will insisted on helping Paul share in the fun. He also decorated his own and gave us markers to help him. We wrote: “If found, please return to Zoo.” For the rest of the day, Will showed everyone [...]

This year, Zulu featured a group of Africans (I’m not sure if they are actually from the Zulu tribe in South Africa or not, although that would sort of be the point).

Zulu is a crowd favorite! See all those hands in the air? And the roar that goes up when a rider has a coconut in their hands — wow! Zulu is filled with fantastic music of all kinds and great throws. Will got a music wand, stuffed toys (many of which [...]

Will talking to the huge stuffed tiger we caught from Zulu!

Darth Vader — one of the Zulu floats! 

Me and my belly! Will’s washable markers provided the medium and Paul the artistic hand, following a sketch I made on a napkin. After realizing how thick the standing crowd was, we kept back a bit with our chairs and I stood on our big block cooler. The belly got *a lot* [...]

Paul: adorned with throws and the Travel Bunny!!! 

Rex: the king of Carnival! It was the first Rex King that decided the colors of Mardi Gras, still used today: Purple, Green, and Gold. They have significance as well. Purple is for justice, gold for power, and green for faith.