MARDI GRAS IN METAIRIE

What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica:
Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum
And the vile squealing of the wry-neck'd fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street
To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces,
But stop my house's ears, I mean my casements:
Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter
My sober house.

Shylock, from Act II scene v of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

Okay, so as I've observed before, the New Orleans suburb Metairie is most decidedly not New Orleans. Nonetheless, it is composed primarily of families who fled the Big Easy back in the fifties to avoid integration: think of Metairie, culturally speaking, as a white, family-friendly, version of New Orleans--totally unlike any suburb I've ever encountered, Metairie has a vibe that you can't buy at the mall.

That's why, even though I'm expecting a much more pure Mardi Gras experience on Fat Tuesday when I drive into the city for some debauch fun, Mardi Gras in Metairie totally kicks the Baton Rouge experience in the ass.

Of course, I brought my camera; pictures will follow. Forgive me, I'm still a bit drunk, from a beer, multiple swigs from a bottle of Rumplemints that a co-worker brought, and a swig of some rum drink from a stranger's bottle. That's why my commentary is sparse.

Anyway, the pictures, from Metairie's Caesar Parade:


Me and my pal Brian, a fellow waiter, and standup comedian.


Me and my best Metairie bud Matt, a wildman who comes out of the Kerouac tradition even though he's never read Kerouac.


Blurry, yes, due to my poor photography skills, bad lighting, and consumer grade camera. But, hey, aren't these weird Mayan warriors cool?


Also blurry, but pretty cool in a psychedelic way, don't you think?


A jazz float.


The head of Caesar.








These last four were all women in marvelous, feathered costumes.


Something Arthurian for some reason.


A jester head.


Drew Brees as a float.


More Mardi Gras psychedelia.


Mr. Bill as a float.


"See ya'll in 2009."

Happy Mardi Gras!

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