2023 Mardi Gras was an awesome weekend with my family and friends. There are plenty of pictures to share with you on this page. Here is a recap of the weekend's adventures. Join us next year if you get a chance.
The weather was forecast to be cold and rainy all weekend, so I took my duck boots (great decision). Again, I rented 10 and 11 at Fort Conde Inn which are the two big rooms downstairs and upstairs across from the main building. Only April, Dan, Kelsy and Kash joined me Friday night. Everyone else came in Saturday morning.
April, Dan and I missed the Friday night parade. We ordered late at the Fort Conde Bistro and did not realize the parade was going to be over so soon. The three of us did try to catch the parade as it looped back into downtown, but April complained that we were running too fast and that her calves were burning. In all honesty, Dan and I thought we were just walking normally. We did crash a private party on the way back to the inn. We caught the last song and last call. It had spooky dolls with dead eyes on the entrance gate. It may have been a voodoo worship ritual. Kelsy and Kash showed up after we got back to the room and met Dan for the first time when he was already in bed, naked (I'm pretty sure). April had already thrown up by then.
Before Kelsy got there, we were all partying on the front porch with Wes and his family. His sister (Elizabeth) was there for the first time with her husband (Bart) and their daughter (Bella) and their son (Mr. Wallace) who reminded me of the kid off of Jerry McGuire. We all had a great time, but we drank a lot and ended the night with me saying to Elizabeth "You're crazy" (why, I do not recall) and she telling me "I hate you... but can I go to Derby?". We loved each other by the next day.
Troy and Polly showed up the next day with Momma and Jimmy. David and Jenny joined up, too. Getting food delivered for lunch was difficult, but Kelsy went and got us doughnuts and snacks and I had Troy pick us up a lot of chicken before they arrived. The morning and afternoon were really cold and rainy (glad I brought my duck boots), but that did not stop us from walking to the end of Fort Conde for the afternoon parade. There was still a good crowd that turned out to catch all the loot. After that, we were all back to the inn for food and drinks and drinks and drinks (next year, we might drink less).
We watched WAP until Troy said it made Momma uncomfortable, so I switched videos to Hank Williams Jr. and his video which had women in swimsuits and even one being tied to the back of a lawn mower by rope (... hmmm, which was worse? When I die, play WAP, not Hank Williams Jr songs).
When it was time for the evening parades (which are really my favorite as they are all lit), I got us a Lyft to get Momma and Kelsy with Kash to Dauphine's which is a favorite of ours. I love going there about sunset to see the city, the river and the Gulf. Everyone else walked and it really did not take them much time to get there. Momma is on oxygen, so it takes her longer. Elizabeth joined us there with Bella and Wallace as well.
At Dauphine's, we just took over the waiting area which is couches and chairs looking north from downtown. We turned it into our private bar area really. Remi was our waiter, and he was great making sure that Momma was happy. We just did drinks and gator bites and then headed down to the street for the night parades... and they were amazing. The rain had stopped, and we all had a great time... although Jimmy fell flat on his butt once and so did Polly (nothing broken luckily). Polly had maybe a little too much to drink and Troy was overly upset and protective of that. Nonetheless, I made sure Polly had beer (and Kelsy approved). Polly, you're welcome... sorry Troy.
I had a harrowing time when Elizabeth asked me to watch Wallace while she took Bella to the bathroom. I had been drinking all day and had to watch a 4 year old to make sure he wasn't abducted so I couldn't take my eyes off of him the entire time she was gone. And Elizabeth had just told me the previous night that she hated me. Luckily, he was not abducted.
Sometime during the parade, Momma discovered that her oxygen had run out. That was exciting. She made it through the rest of the night though.
We got to see the Moon Pie drop from the top of the tower where Dauphine's is. That was cool to see. We were pretty much right under it.
After the parades, we all found a table at Joe Caines at the Battlehouse for drinks and food (Thanks Dan). I gave Kash his first moon pie which he devoured in no time at all. He got it all over his wooly jacket which Kelsy hated happen... but he and I are just kids.
Walking back to the inn, Jimmy gave up and sat down on the sidewalk. I was far ahead so did not see this part, but a city worker had a motor cart and drove he and Momma back to the inn.
We all slept well that night and had breakfast at the Fort Conde Bistro the next morning before we all went our separate ways. I made reservations for next year, same rooms, to continue our Mobile Mardi Gras tradition. Enjoy the pictures and Happy Mardi Gras!
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| Duck Boots |
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| Cash and Kash |
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| Porch Party |
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| Go To Church or the Devil will get you. It's an I-65 thing. |
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| Voodoo Ritual Party |
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| Rainy Saturday Afternoon Parade |
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| Dauphine's |
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| Saturday Night Parade |
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| Bar by Wes Thanks Wes! |
Polly's catch phrase for the weekend: "What Up, Homie!"
Read about my other travels.
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