Super Bowl – NOLA Style

As the lights went out in the Superdome and our city’s slip was showing, I had a moment to think of the last time the Dome lost power and how far this city has come from the devastation it faced over 7 years ago. New Orleans is a small city with a big heart. Sometimes traffic is held up for a parade or our cell towers go down from overuse (not anymore – thank you NFL) or our power goes out. I can’t help but think if it had been the Who Dat nation in the Dome tonight, we would have used the time to do some rounds of “Who Dats!” or sing When the Saints Go Marching In. After all, we’re only taking a short break from the marathon party of Mardi Gras to hold this extraordinary event, our 10th time hosting the Super Bowl – not bad for a small city with a big heart.

Krewe du Vieux and Krewe Delusion 2013

Last week, I attended the last My Darlin’ New Orleans event thrown by the producers of HBO’s Treme. It was bittersweet as it means the show will end next season. Our city is the better for the jobs the production created, the peek it gave others into our unique local culture and the light it shined on the Mardi Gras Indians and a little known parade called Krewe Du Vieux. Among the many amazing performances that night was Al Johnson singing his classic It’s Carnival Time.

Krewe de Vieux and Krewedelusion 2012

It’s Carnival time!!! Kids on Christmas Eve have got nothing on New Orleanians anticipating Mardi Gras so when I heard a brass band passing through the French Quarter Saturday afternoon, I ran to find The Roots of Music marching through the the streets, rehearsing for their 6 upcoming parades, and squealed with delight. Enjoy the short video of the casually dressed but very skilled kids who’ve dedicated themselves to training after school with this wonderful non-profit group. They certainly got me in the mood for Krewe du Vieux and Krewedelusion’s parades later that evening.