Mardi Gras in Any City
Shirt || Sweater || Jeans || Similar Sandals || Handbag (similar) || Earrings || Bracelet || Watch
I know it seems strange to get so excited about a holiday that my town doesn’t really recognize. With that being said, if you’ve ever been to New Orleans, then I’m pretty sure you understand the hype. Mardi Gras is the one of the happiest holidays you can find and the feelings is contagious. There’s a quote I’ve heard over and again saying “New Orleans is the only city that lives in you”. Make that doubly true for Mardi Gras and the whole Carnival season. If you don’t live in the 504 area code, here’s my recap on how to celebrate Mardi Gras in any city, wherever you live.
Listen to the Right Music
One of the biggest elements to Mardi Gras, and New Orleans in general, is listening to local music. Music from the Crescent City seem to have it’s own special rhythm. I’m not an expert, so I don’t have the words to fully describe what sets it apart. What I do know is that I love listening to it. It’s upbeat and instantly puts me in a good mood. If you want to find out for yourself, I highly recommend listening to Abita’s Mari Gras playlist on Spotify. I’ve had it on repeat for the past week.
Wear Purple, Yellow, and Green
Just like Christmas, Mardi Gras has its own iconic color combination, with each color having its own meaning. Purple represents justice, green, represents faith, and yellow represents power. This dates back all the way to 1892 and has no signs of changing. Every year, I break out my coveted colored sandals from Jack Rogers. Sadly, they are limited edition and have been sold out for ages. As an alternative, I love these yellow sandals from Tory Burch. Pair it with this classic plaid shirt from Talbots, in the perfect colors, and you are subtlety ready for Mardi Gras day.
Pig Out on Good Food
Mardi Gras literally means Fat Tuesday. It’s a day to indulge on decadent and rich food, New Orleans style. On Sunday, my family and I began the fun early with a full cajun meal from my dad, who I swear can be a world class chef. Tonight, I’ll be making my personal favorite dish, jambalaya. Both of these meals are going to leave you simply stuffed! Save room for dessert though. No Carnival season is complete without a healthy share of King Cake. The cinnamon and sugar goodness is the perfect way to cap off a Mardi Gras meal and is now available in grocery stories around the country.
Observe the Lenten Season
Mardi Gras is only special because all good things must come to an end. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. For Catholics, it’s a time for sacrifice and ‘doing without’ for 40 days, until Easter. It’s actually something I try to take seriously every year and tomorrow I’ll be sharing my plan for Lent. It may not be the best aspect of Mardi Gras, but it helps you appreciate the things that we so often take for granted.
Event though Mardi Gras is a holiday that really puts New Orleans on the map, you don’t have to be in the Crescent City to celebrate. No matter where you are, it’s easy to celebrate Fat Tuesday. When you get down to it, all you have to do is eat good food, listen to fun music, and hopefully enjoy the best that life has to offer. Laissez les bon temps rouler, let the good times roll!
Love from Florida,
Katie
As always, thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.