Mardi Gras moments

Anyone who has ever attended Mardi Gras knows you’ll likely come out of the mayhem with a story — funny, odd, fond, nauseating, and, if you really Mardi’d, all of the above. Through Carnival season, NolaVie will be sharing Mardi Gras moments from our contributors. 

“Magical combination of spending Mardi Gras in a toy store! My huge family would gather in the French Quarter a half block from Canal at 123 Chartres Street. There was tons of food, the most memorable Mrs. Drake’s Roast Beef and Chicken Salad finger sandwiches on squishy white bread.

The adults would listen to the radio and when the parades approached Canal Street, they’d run out with their ladders for us kids. The store was called Jack Pulitzer & Brother (my Uncle Morris). A friend said the building was haunted, and so did the people who worked upstairs.

My uncles imported real glass beads from Czechoslovakia, which were sold back then for $5 a gross. The shelves looked to me like they went up 50 feet, filled with notions, throws, hats, costumes. I guess it wasn’t technically a toy store, but that’s what it felt like to this 5 year old.” — Carol Pulitzer on how she used to Mardi

“There’s never a question about what I’ll be doing Mardi Gras morning. It’s merely a matter of whose front porch I’ll be silently weeping on at 8 AM.” — Chelsea Lee on too much Mardi Gras

“I asked a stranger for a bottle of water to help out a friend. He gave us 6 Jello shots instead.”  — Anna Shults on generous strangers

“Galactic’s annual Lundi Gras sunrise show leads right into Zulu and offers the ultimate challenge for those who treat partying like a marathon.  The band was killer as expected, and the crowd had a certain “we’re all in this together” attitude as they staggered out of the fabled venue to greet the big day.  I managed to survive until around 10:00 AM, and probably could have gone longer if not for the lull in excitement as I waited for the parade to roll.  This year’s goal: make it to sundown Mardi Gras Day.” — Shane Colman on the Galactic > Zulu Lundi Gras Challenge

“Last year I attended the M.O.M.’s ball. Somehow the night jumped from me arriving in a Breaking Bad suit with a respirator, to me waking up with glow sticks in my bed, at 2 PM the next day.” — Zach Wallace on the Mardi Gras time warp

Do you have an entertaining Mardi Gras moment? Share it with us by emailing editor@nolavie.com.