Here we go! Mardi Gras weekend begins!

Bourbon Street fills up. (from the balcony of OZ.)


There is sooo much story to tell here! Robert and I had such an amusing time this afternoon and evening! The picture above was taken from the balcony of the club, OZ, which is across the street from the Bourbon Pub, (the two big gay bars on Bourbon Street in the Quarter). We were able to get in everywhere, get drinks easily and move around; I was able to take the pic from a balcony which is fairly unusual. Ten years ago, it would have been wall to wall packed by now, but it's a lil more comfortable at Mardi Gras these days. (So many gay guys come for Southern Decadence instead.) Still, it's very, very good! There are quite a few stories to tell about this trip to the Quarter, but not the room in this jam packed journal!

There are boys on the bar everywhere!


We viewed the boys here and there in a half dozen bars and then went to Rampart Street to see the Hermes Parade, (33 floats, 10 marching bands...fairly large parade.)

Incredible Floats


More...



The parade was pretty amazing! ...and large, but nowhere near the level of the huge weekend parades like Endemion, Bacchus or Morpheus. But this one tonight was fun, it came into the Quarter a bit, and therefore near some very amusing gay bars. Robert and I had a good time on Rampart Street.

Robert and the Legendary Connie Marcel!


We could have stayed out all night... But you can't, because we have to be up by noon and ready to go to the Quarter , (well, after lunch...) and then be ready to get home and dress for the ball tomorrow evening.

Sunday is a repeat performance, same thing, but a different ball to go to.

Monday, a lil rest... finish up the costume...

Fat Tuesday, get up early, get the breakfast ready, start pouring the Mimosas....

One other thing, just today I ran into at least 15 different people that I really was glad to see. One guy, Terry, I have known in a casual, but fairly intense way for very many years, and I saw him tonight on my way home as we stopped by the Phoenix Black Night Party. He was one of the first people I met in NO, and he keeps popping up in my life; at a party, or working for someone I know, or a roommate's trick, at breakfast, (OMG!, girl! pass the sugar!), or he was the bartender in the some new hot bar... over the years, he always seems to be there, knows the people I've gotten to know... but then he's also out of town a lot... I've never known his phone number in all these years.

We kept hugging and kisssing and laughing tonight, so glad to see each other again. What a sweetheart!

Good start for the MG weekend. Thank you Robea again for being there! I think it's going to be another great Mardi Gras...

Lots more to come!