Catch-up: Mardi Gras 2020

Yikes, I never reviewed McCall's 7047 and now I don't remember how I found it, other than I think I saw it at Pattern Review. I did find my comment on one lady's version from February 2020, so that must've been it. I remember that it was super-easy to make and my mom didn't have to help me rip or re-sew anything. I'm doing this now so I can keep track of the pattern and dress for future Mardi Gras's.

I do love that the huge drape can be styled as conservatively or boldly as you like!

It was super comfortable, not fussy, wearable with a strapless bra. Highly recommend! Here are some more photos from that Mardi Gras:

Dancing at Lafitte's is always a hoot.

We stayed in an AirBnB for the first time and I got to enjoy a hot tub during the down time - what a change from staying in a hotel!!!

My son Drew's BF Omkar's first Endymion extravaganza, and you should consider hard hats if standing close to the floats, as they throw those beads like they're Patrick Mahomes.

This is actual Mardi Gras day when everybody dresses up and Dean was in the Pete Fountain's Half-Fast Walking Parade. The most prescient costume I saw was a couple dressed as a beer and a lime with a sign that said, "I'll take my Corona with a Lyme."

Hey this posting was a lot easier than before - maybe I can finally catch up with posts. If anyone is still here, y'all have a great week!

Mardi Gras 2018

Well, we're a little out of order, but whaddaya want?! This was probably my favorite year at Endymion, and doesn't this pic of my 2 friends and Drew's girlfriend look like we're on stage at a play?


This is possibly the owner of Quarter Stitch in New Orleans wearing her handmade skirt made from Zapps potato chip bags - clever!


And this was just a gorgeous dress spotted on the street.


So then we were dancing at Lafitte's, which was pretty dead this year, and you really have to watch for traffic!


Which one looks more realistic? Nobody I sent it to really bought it, even after Camille texted it to Lucas and said we were on our way to the ER!


Note the lack of crowd in the street.


The only other people dancing at the beginning were the albino guy behind me (cool!) and a homeless guy who danced his poor heart out.


Now this was a surprise. My Cuban friend and I were getting down to a song when a Pedicab driver jumped off his bike and joined us briefly. Awe-inspiring!

Drew did a little dancing after he got off the float and had a good time with Camille....after Rod Stewart finished his 1.5 hour concert, which was beautiful, but sleep-inducing. When they started playing Kanye after that, Camille became a jumping ball of hair flying and admitted she nearly cried with relief.


And here's a little of the Alabama Chanin beaded Mardi Gras dress in action - it held up well, although the tiny lipstick I stuck in my tiny bra fell out after this performance. No worries - I found it.

And here's the last video of the Electric Slide with a group of older ladies who were dancing all night. The lady in red next to me is 79 years old and kept her heels on the whole time! My idol.



Now did YOU have a good Mardi Gras?

Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras

Homemade stuff first: this is my grandmother's costume jewelry bracelet that matched my Mardi Gras dress perfectly, so I had to get Lucas to snap a pic.


And I finished the Split-neck sweater I've been working on since December.


I've worn it to work twice - love it! It just tends to grow in length and become tunic-like, which is fine when being worn with tight pants.


I'm happy with the V-neck, too. Next time I'll make the sleeves a wee bit smaller, but that's a minor issue.


And yet another shout-out to Aprons at Publix, where you sample the meal then buy every ingredient right there at the booth. Dean had a meeting, so I opted to cook Valentine's Day dinner myself - GASP! Publix had a delicious lobster pasta dinner already packaged.


You just throw it on a sheet pan for 11 minutes and voila:


They also had a recommended side item that I fixed, roasted asparagus with tomatoes and pistachios.


And now we pause for our Taiwan cherry tree...which bloomed for approximately 3 days...


and somebody else's tree, which also only bloomed for a few days. I was running and shot this, and the next time I ran every flower was gone.


Now back to homemade stuff. I ordered a 9-skein sample of Willow Sudsy Spray yarn that seems to be targeted at spa items like washcloths, towels, and even spa slippers, and Lucas requested a striped one, so this was the easiest pattern I could find on Ravelry, which is crocheted.


This is a knitted one for myself, and it turned out super soft - love this stuff! Making one for my mom next....did I mention I have 9 more skeins coming that are more striped? It was a 2 for 1, and I can't resist pretty colors.


On to the main event. Drew and his girlfriend came down for his first ride in Endymion, New Orleans' biggest parade on Saturday before Mardi Gras. It's hard to take a good selfie when you're staring straight into the sun.


Here are the boys all costumed up before heading for the float.


Meanwhile, Lucas, Camille, and I headed off in search of the Krewe of Lofcadio, otherwise known as the chefs' parade...because they throw out wooden spoons!


Spoons in hand, we headed to Canal Street for Iris and Tucks, where we met some guys in town from New York for a bachelor party. They were taken with my Auburn beads that Dean had bought in Mobile, though it turns out they never heard of Auburn University, but were big fans of War Eagle bourbon from Kentucky, which I never heard of! I very kindly traded my beads for this one's cup, because that's what you do in New Orleans!


So here's Drew on the float...


and here's a shot of the crowd...


and here's their float coming into the Superdome...


where Camille and I were waiting with a sign so they'd see us. Which was funny, because Dean had no idea we made this. It worked like a charm, then I used it as a table centerpiece so he'd find the table easier - ha! I think it ended up out in the Quarter somewhere, so he'll be like Flat Stanley traveling around the city.


And here's Drew all tuckered out but still smiling. Needless to say, he didn't stay up long enough to see Kiss (none of us did), but he had a great time.


And now they're back at college, and we're mired in that post-fun depression, so I'm starting a new knitting project as therapy. Hope you had a great Mardi Gras...oh, and I realize I didn't mention all the accidents this year, but I'll summarize by saying there were 2 groups run over by vehicles in 2 different states (everybody's okay, amazingly), and 3 men fell off floats and a truck in 3 different states, one right in front of us on Sunday, one in Mississippi who landed on rebar and died, and one in Mobile who was in critical condition on Tuesday. Maybe Mardi Gras isn't so fun....

Duran Duran Weekend!

But first, Lucas and I decided at the last minute to head up to my parent's lake cabin since Dean was having a men's golfing weekend (they don't sew or knit, so I guess golfing was an acceptable substitute), and Drew brought his girlfriend over from Auburn. The weather was nice enough for some boating, but too cold for swimming...I mean, I COULD have gone swimming because I can handle ice water, you know, but I CHOSE not to go swimming!


And Camille turns out to be a good poker player, so she taught us how to play Tripoly after dinner...


Which involves lots of coins if you don't have poker chips...which end up on the floor if you're playing on a picnic table and raking them in, of course.


So Lucas and I headed back home at sunrise Sunday so he could do homework and I could re-pack for New Orleans. Unfortunately, I was holding Drew's keys while he was on the Seadoo, and those came home with me - DOH! (Thanks Mimi and Jim, for taking Drew and Camille back to Auburn!) Don't worry, I overnighted the keys to him today, though he still has to go back and get his car at some point. See how I can mess up any nice little vacation? At any rate, I set my self-loathing aside for the Duran Duran concert. Here's the view from my room - nice!


And the hotel (Hyatt House next to the Superdome, by the way - great place!) had just opened a bar with food, so this is my dinner before the concert, along with a great view.


Now there was an opener for the opener called Bag Raiders, and they had cool funky music, so I'll remember to check them out sometime. Then Chic with Nile Rodgers played, and this is THE Chic who made Le Freak in the 70's - remember that one? Well, they let a bunch of people come up on stage for a disco party, and the first thing you'll notice is how most of the women have purses - so silly. But the second thing you should notice is the blonde to the left of Nile (black guy on microphone singing with guitar and long dreds). His background singer picked that woman out to come up, probably because of her implied dance talent given the hair and outfit. So later Simon Le Bon also picked her out and motioned for her to rush the stage, but Security wouldn't let her. (Note to self - dye hair very blond and wear short shorts for next concert...or just always buy a good seat.)

Are you ready for a million pictures of Simon Le Bon?! Because I was VERY CLOSE to him! The arena is pretty small and I was on row 5, so I actually made eye contact with the guitarist. Sadly, Simon didn't see me grinning and waving.


The lady next to me had seen them 4 times already (!) and knew that Simon had lost his voice the previous night, and you could definitely tell he was sicky-poo.


He was coughing between lines, and by the end he was expectorating (sorry, I don't have a better term) at the back of the stage - God bless him for still going!


Here's a sample of Hungry Like the Wolf. Ever see Whiplash? "Were you rushing, or dragging?" I think we have a little rushing here...



He was also doing signals with his backup singers about whether he'd sing certain lines or they should - poor fella!


Somebody behind me shouted, "Simon, are you okay?" He didn't answer back.


But he totally rocked otherwise - here's the new one, Pressure Off. I have to watch this multiple times because the film on the screen is entertaining too.



Complete with tons of confetti that sprayed from under the stage - nice!


Here's a pitiful attempt at a selfie.


And this was Save a Prayer dedicated to Prince as the encore...along with Rio, of course.


So overall a fantastic show other than Simon being sicky-poo, and I can die happy now that I was so close to them on stage without having to rush past Security and stand on chairs 10 rows back. Wish you could've been there, Tracey!