Time for Super Bowl XLVII - 2013

When I returned home from Charlotte earlier this month it was time for the Super Bowl.

This year it was in New Orleans.

Where the Super Bowl got to meet Mardi Gras.

CBS put up its own entrance to the French Quarter. Underneath the CBS sign at the top it says "Super Bowl Park at Jackson Square."

Here's a glimpse of Jackson Square from Decatur Street.

And on the other side.

The beginning of Bourbon Street from Canal.

He's looking for some Super Bowl merchandise and just found it.

Everyone is heading up Poydras Street to the Superdome, New Orleans style.

Short summary for anyone who missed the 2013 Super Bowl:   The Baltimore Ravens won (personally I wanted the 49ers to take that trophy home) and half the Superdome lost power during the game delaying it about 34 minutes. We're all pretty sure that Beyonce was so powerful at half time that the Superdome just couldn't take it. However that's not a good enough explanation for Entergy (our power company here). As of yesterday (2/15/13), they are still trying to figure out what happened so they have hired a third-party forensic electrical engineer to figure it out.

Valentine's Day Cards, New Orleans Style

"Valentine, how 'bout some Big Easy lovin'?" reads the inside of the Love card below.

Scriptura made these uniquely New Orleans Valentine's Day cards with their own letter press.

Located on Magazine Street, this store is heaven for those who love pen and paper. See www.scriptura.com

Check out the inside of their Uptown location. The building was an antique store, then a photographer's gallery and now Scriptura.

So,

Breakfast on Valentine's Day

Breakfast. Corner of Thalia and Prytania.

Blue Plate Cafe.

I was seated at a blue tiled table under some hands. The staff was immediately friendly and smiling.

Luzianne coffee with Eggs and Cakes that's two crawfish cakes topped with fried eggs and crawfish sauce. Crystal hot sauce and salt/pepper in ceramic cauliflower containers. I need to check but I think I'm in Louisiana.

Dixieland jazz playing in the background, beautiful day outside and plates on the wall.

Here's a shot of a nearby house on Thalia Street.

This city is so romantic. What a good place to be for Valentine's Day!

Note:  Breakfast at Blue Plate Cafe cost $20.33 with tip. They are closed on Sunday but open M - F from 8am - 11am for breakfast. The Cafe was first opened in 2004 but then closed for the storm (Katrina) and reopened in 2007.

Endymion 2013

Saturday night, February 9th -
                   ENDYMION arrives

 Endymion is the Olympian God of Fertility and Eternal Youth.

                                                    

 This Krewe was founded in 1967 and is now the largest in Mardi Gras history.

This year's superstar Grand Marshal was Kelly Clarkson (who then had to attend the Grammy's on Sunday night).

                  Title to the #2 float.

         Amazingly the Superdome on this float managed to stay fully lit.

 Queen and King of Endymion for 2013.

Flambeaux carriers and marching bands in between floats.

This year's theme was "Ancient Mysteries" and the title to the float above was "Ol' Man River."

Endymion is famous for its tandem floats, this one was called Noah's Ark.

They're about to both catch the same bead at the same time. Who will win?

 More floats.

Enjoying the parade.

Lights and Mardi Gras 'fetti. 

As this float was making the turn onto Lee Circle it caught the police barricade and started dragging it down the street. Oops!

 This year Endymion unveiled its 9 part tandem float - above is the beginning of it.

The sign says "Endymion's Pontchartrain Beach Then & Now" which is its name.

There it goes around Lee Circle.

Coming around the other side.

Sections from the Pontchartrain Beach float.

Last float of the parade.






















And the USS Constitution ended the parade for me on this note:
                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd6UI6wEIsU

Follow the link, I bet you'll never guess the song they were playing but then you'll know why everyone around me immediately began gettin' down which was pretty hilarious to watch, particularly the guy in front of me with an inflatable football helmet on his head.