February 16 2010 | Mardi Gras

This is one of the biggest Mardi Gras seasons we've seen in a long time! Every parade has a tribute to the Saints ... the entire city is living its dream ... many are calling it "Lombardi Gras" :)

People who don't know one another are high-fiving; after the NFC win the happiness was palpable. After the Superbowl, you would have thought it was Mardi Gras day .... tenfold. Every time a touchdown was scored, fireworks would go off around the city. 2 hours after the game, I recorded the sounds on Canal Street -- cars honking, people yelling "Who Dat", people second-line parading, and hanging out of the windows of their cars. It was amazing and impossible to describe. (My nephew produced a Saints song that became very popular, too!

The Saints parade was held on Tuesday; the number of people at the parade far exceeded the number of people in the city. The city is positive and happy; we are enjoying the moment; living the dream.

This year, Drew Brees was the captain of Bacchus .. and as he paraded down St. Charles Avenue, he stopped to toast Sean Peyton who was parading the very next night as captain of Orpheus. Tom Benson, owner of the Saints football team, was in the Endymion parade. As the Zulu parade passes now, many Saints players are on the floats. Jimmie Felder is the King of Zulu this year. The Rex parade -- noted for its pageantry -- follows. The honor of being selected as King of Rex has been given to Robert Hunter Pierson, Jr. this year.

Today, Mardi Gras Day, the unofficial theme of the day is "Saints" because we still feel the euphoria. Zulu is throwing black and gold footballs as one of its throws. Every parade has a tribute to the Saints; and many costumes do, too. Check out Mardi Gras New Orleans for more information about Mardi Gras in New Orleans!

Judy