MARDI GRAS!

Okay, I just had the BEST WEEKEND EVER! I attended my first Mardi Gras with a great group of people and it was a perfect weekend filled with lively conversation, dining, dancing, bead whoring and drive-through daiquiri bars. I'm hooked and can't wait for next year.

To my surprise, Mardi Gras starts January 6 each year and lasts until the midnight before Ash Wednesday. Additionally, it is part of Carnival and doesn't just happen in New Orleans, but state wide. Who knew?

We converged on Lafayette to attend the Apollo Ball thrown by The Mystic Krewe of Apollo de Lafayette. Which got me wondering, what are Krewes? Bottom-line, they're the most important part of Carnival, being the "behind the camara guys" in charge of a lot of pageantry.

You can check out all the photos here, but I want to share a few of the best.

First off, we looked GOOD!



We met some great people,





We drank,





And danced,






Sucked Sausage,


And whored ourselves for beads.




And then there's the next day,


I had a great time and made some great new friends. I can't thank Bill and Jes enough for planning the weekend. Special thanks to Jes for playing chauffeur most of the time!!

To finish the weekend off right, while catching a flight in Dallas, I was able to reconnect with a high school friend I haven't seen in 22 years! Thanks for making the drive Susan, it was GREAT seeing you again, even if I did almost miss the plane!

Ah, that first time getting high...

It's becoming a real room

We got walls and a deck today! Tomorrow the plumbers start doing their thing and then the electricians. By the end of the week it's quite possible that I will have an indoor toilet. Saints be praised.

Stoned

I finally made a decision for the counter tops. It took a long time. Not only are there a million options to choose from, but counters are pretty much permanent. It's not like picking paint, knowing you can just paint over it if you don't like it.

I went with granite, which I didn't expect and actually shied away from. Granite has become so over used lately that it's almost expected when remodeling. I looked at slate, limestone, tile, paper (really cool use of recycled paper), concrete, corian, and so forth. When all was said and done, granite is really, really beautiful, holds up the best, and requires the least maintenance.

For the bathroom counter I picked a very dramatic piece of rock, which also surprised me. During the time the house has been torn up, the bathroom concept has changed dramatically. Originally I envisioned a somewhat conservative bath, incorporating some long-lost Victorian details, and muted colors. It has become quite a modern and sophisticated "spa" room, with beautiful glass tile, and now this focal point of stone.



For the laundry and half-bath I picked a more subdued stone. It picks up the existing colors in the house as well as the new cabinets. At KPW's request there are a lot of red tones, which makes for a beautiful piece.


I hope this all turns out as good as it looks in my mind's eye.