Krewe de Vieux tonight
Category Archives: French Quarter
When was Carnival’s golden age? Take a look around — we’re living in it | The Lens
C.W. Cannon one of my favorite columnists, talks of our current Carnival period as a golden age with more democratic and satirical characteristics than we experienced in the late 20th century, where whites-only krewes had their way and superfloats flourished which led to the demise of many of the small neighborhood parades. I’ll tell him how much I appreciate this on the downtown parade routes that I am sure to see him on over the next few weeks..
Russian literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin, in a book about folk culture influences on the great Renaissance French writer Rabelais, outlined a theory of Carnival based on ancient and medieval traditions. Centuries later, it’s remarkable to witness how the “carnivalesque” spirit he details lives on so palpably on the other side of the world. A few of the key attributes Bakhtin ascribes to Carnival are a satirical impulse of a bawdy kind that he calls “grotesque realism,” the inversion of normal prevailing social hierarchies, and mass participation.
In light of principles like these, it’s a no-brainer that the latest city ordinance supports, rather than inhibits, the ancient foundations of Carnival tradition. Even here in New Orleans, one of the prevailing social strictures upended by Carnival has been segregation in public settings. Blocking off and segregating swaths of the public space for members-only parties doesn’t jibe with the carnivalesque injunction to cast off social distinctions and rub shoulders with strangers for a limited period of time.
When was Carnival’s golden age? Take a look around — we’re living in it | The Lens.
Orleans Street
(it becomes an avenue when it gets a neutral ground past Basin Street)
Orleans Street
Mardi Gras Costume House
Link to a great picture on nola.com this week of my pal Tracy Thomson standing in her studio. Her gorgeous hats, potholders, bags (and more) are available daily at Dutch Alley Cooperative, a local artist cooperative found in the French Quarter (Dumaine at the river). The rumor is that if you check in with her early enough in the year, you might just be able to get on her list to purchase a unique Mardi Gras costume designed and hand sewn by Tracy herself. Tracy has also vended at JazzFest in the Contemporary Crafts area for the last 20 years and was one of my premier Festivus vendors for the five years that we ran that market in the mid 2000s.
Spanish Quarter 1763-1800
Feb 10 marks the anniversary of the Spanish takeover of the colony until 1803. This led to Spanish style architecture in the “French” Quarter, since the two great fires (1788 and 1794) happened during their regime. As a descendant of Portuguese settlers (via the Canary Islands) to southern Louisiana, I represent that history.
From The Historic New Orleans Collection’s Facebook page.
new week, new rewards from Waking Up in Dreamland
Project Update from Little Queenie:
we’ve had great week! people have joined the campaign from all over the USA, as well as from canada and australia, and some of you have increased your pledge amounts, for all of which i am SO very grateful. the clock ticks on, so please urge friends and family to join us in the coming days, and when you do, please remind them that every pledge is eligible for rewards.
speaking of those…most of y’all already know i’m a louisiana girl; in my birth land, the vast majority of people feel nekkid roaming around unless they have a vessel on/in hand filled with some refreshing beverage or other. last week, as i read one email and social media post after another from the sportsman’s paradise complaining of this seemingly endless cold season, i realized i couldn’t let any of my backers welcome the heavily-anticipated springtime without something special to tote their potables in style–so everybody who contributes receives at least one Little Queenie go-cup. they bear the LQ logo designed for me by nola artist mark andresen printed on 12-ounce cups in some lovely hey-that’s-MY-drink colors.these are not available anywhere else on earth. you know you’ll be wanting some up in your patio/pirogue/picnic!
for just one lucky high-roller, a shrine featuring st louis di prima will be part of your package! this handmade piece honoring the seminal new orleans musicmaker is one of a kind, just like da man himself, and is available with a $750 pledge.
i’ve been asked about the vintage LQ cds offered at the $100-and-up levels.in order to make sure you don’t receive something you might already own, i’ve created some discs containing material NO ONE has. more about those later.
thanks again to each and all for your support.
yours,
The NOLA Chorus Girls at Tiki Tolteca
Friday, February 7, 2014
Time 9:00pm
The NOLA Chorus Girls are throwing the PARTY OF THE YEAR!!!!
When: Friday February 7th. 9pm – until we can party no more.
Where: Tiki Tolteca, above Felipes on N Peters.
How Much: ONLY $5 bucks! (Entry fee includes one free raffle ticket to win a plethora of fabulous prizes donated by local businesses.)
Why are we having a fundraiser?
The NOLA Chorus Girls are going to be in the Pygmalion parade on February 22nd. Its our first parade and we want to do it up right. And to do it right, it costs a bit of money.
We need money to pay for the following things:
— A full jazz band to accompany our killer dance moves
— A vintage truck to put the band in (as well as our throws and water and so on)
— Chorus Girl Mardi Gras throws!
— Creating signs of black and white vintage chorus girl photos to be carried in the parade
—- And other various adornments to our overall Chorus Girly look.
In exchange for your support we will show you one helluva a good time!
Here is a list of all the fun things we have planned (we may even add more later):
— A Kiss a Chorus Girl Booth
— Palm Readings
— A Photo Booth
— A couple of sets of LIVE JAZZ for social dancing played by some of our buddies.
—- A Chorus Girl Talent Showcase that includes our own NOLA Chorus Girl routines, Chorus Girl musical talents, Chorus Girls showcases of other styles of dance, and more!
— And during the second half of the night you can shake your money makers to old Soul & R&B music spun by one of the Chorus Girl Project’s fearless leaders, Ms Amy J.
More details are being worked out and we will be listing all the raffle prizes very soon. Additional raffle tickets can be purchased at the even for $5 each of $20 for 5 tickets.
Hope to see you there!
Love,
The 50 fabulous ladies of The New Orleans Chorus Girl Project!
French Quarter block by block 
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