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Samedi

Well, we did it. For a while I didn’t think we would be able to pull it off. First there was my sprained ankle. Then Xy came down with a cold. Then I came down with some kinda low-grade sore-throat thing. I was very close to canceling.

But in the end it all came together. We had a big old party yesterday to celebrate three things:

  1. the return of Endymion to Mid-City,
  2. the completion of our flood renovation, and
  3. the impending birth of our child.

We had a keg of Andygator, I made a bunch of jambalaya, Xy made her famous salsa and her patented Midwestern Cheeseball, and we had a spectacular set of live music from Kilowatt Rising. The Times-Picayune even sent a photographer.

Endymion is the biggest, longest, gaudiest superkrewe of the Carnival season. It’s noted for being the first of the “new breed” of more egalitarian parading clubs. It’s also the only giant parade that doesn’t adhere to some variation of the Uptown route.

As I said three years ago (the last time we were able to have this party):

I’m not a diehard parade-goer or a big Endymion fan, but I love the festive atmosphere surrounding the event.

Yesterday bore that out more than ever. This is the first time Endymion has been allowed to parade in Mid-City since the flood of ’05. How significant is this to the hearts and minds of Mid-City residents? Well, the New York Times wrote story about it. (I like how they call Mid-City “decidedly nontouristy.”) And I can personally testify that many of my neighbors have been surprisingly passionate about the issue.

So all across Mid-City yesterday people were having parties, and party-goers were making the rounds from one scene to another all day long. To me that’s the appeal of this day. Other parades have more beautiful floats or clever and satirical themes. Hell, I didn’t even hobble out of the house to take a look at Endymion. But I’m glad to have ’em back all the same.

And man, it’s a big parade. (For future reference I wanted to note that Endymion started at 4:15 but didn’t cross our street until approximately two hours later. It took two or three hours to completely pass by.)

Why do we even have parties? I’m not sure, but there’s some deep impulse to gather your friends together and celebrate, and I’m a sucker for that.

Speaking of suckers, my friend Rebecca is working on a new tradition: She’s gotten puking drunk at all three of our Endymion parties so far. I think I’ll get her a bucket next year.

Published inFriendsHoly DazeLife with Xy

8 Comments

  1. Anthony Anthony

    I didn’t know the history or I wouldn’t have brought all that wine to the parade route.

    Anyway.. thanks for hosting Bart.

  2. rickngentilly rickngentilly

    the good the bad and the ugly.

    it’s what makes us , us.

    me and my wifes first apartment was just around the corner from yall on north murat.

    our second apt. was the 2nd floor of the homan house on south alexander.

    by the time we had our student loans paid off and our credit in order gentilly was the place we could afford a house with a big yard.

    she (the house) is a beaut. built in 1932 a rental for 15 years and on a quiet street.

    we saved some money on a neglected house with good bones.

    seems like you guys are in the same boat.

    i love fixing the house up and learning about the old ways of how these houses were built.

    mid-city property had gone thru the roof at the time of our purchase.

    plus gentilly offered huge yards , front back, and both sidres.

    i love plants, gardens , and bbq.

    as a renter in mid-city endymion was allways a blast as were all the other pardades that used to come thru mid-city.

    it was also a great address to be a non driver thanks to the canal bus (pre stretcar).

    i miss mid-city and i still love it as much as i love gentily my home.

  3. Jason C Jason C

    It still feels weird to be reading about it instead of being in the thick of it. Endymion was Mardi Gras for us.

  4. Tony Tony

    Not until I read your latest posting did I realize that Mardi Gras is this coming Tuesday. Just shows how you special New Orleans is. Everybody’s in a festive mood down there while it’s business as usual up here in the Pacific Northwest. Hopefully things will be different next year.

  5. Frank Schiavo Frank Schiavo

    If I wouln’t have been moving into our new house, me, Julie & Walter would have been there. I hope we can make it next year. Thanks for the invite.

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