There's an odd looking vehicle parked in front of the house.



Which can only mean one thing... Nina's here!

Nina and Robert waving hi!


Nina comes to visit every year for Mardi Gras and spends a couple of weeks. She originally came to visit the guys next door, but over the years, she's become friends with everybody in the neighborhood. She's certainly become part of my group of Mardi Gras friends. After living in New Orleans for a while, you acquire a group of MG friends; the people that you do Mardi Gras with. The group will generally include some long term local friends, some people who show up from out of town every year and a few new people you just pick up along the way. We usually have about 20 or 30 people at the breakfast we do on Fat Tuesday Morning. It's the group that makes Mardi Gras fun.

Nina looking funny.


Nina actually drives here in that thing from St Louis and stays in it while she's here. She had a few breakdowns this trip, but she made it thanks to some guys along the way who helped her replace the starter. (One of them was real cute, she says, and she tried to convince him to come along. That Nina, she's always thinking of us. hehe.) She travels with her dogs, three of them!

The dogs, whose names I can never remember.


Now that she's here, I think it's time for a Mardi Gras Martini!

They're serving this martini at Galatoire's this year, but if you can't make to New Orleans, don't worry, I've got the recipe!

2 onces vodka (very good vodka, please)
1 ounce Triple Sec
1/4 ounce creme de menthe dark

Combine ingredients with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into chilled martini glass rimmed with purple sugar (red and blue food coloring does the trick) and garnish with a lemon twist.

You got yer Mardi Gras colors; purple, green and gold and yer ready to party!