One of the most fun things about New Orleans is introducing newbies and visitors to all the quirky cultural things we do here, like… Mardi Gras, the most “New Orleans-y” of cultural traditions.
This year, we’ll have family in from all over: London, California, New Jersey. It’ll be a lot of fun to feed them king cake and watch as they bite down on a plastic baby, catch beads, dance to the marching bands (I hope!), watch the pee-rades, gawk at the costumes and enjoy the loosey-goosey Mardi Gras environment we all love so much.
OffBeat has pretty much covered it all in this Mardi Gras issue. We generally leave out parade schedules (there are a million of those available, but you can find them in our listings), and concentrate on some of the things that make this celebration uniquely New Orleans: the Baby Dolls, Zulu coconuts, marching band traditions and more. Enjoy!
In the past month or so, there’s been a huge move to ban smoking from all local bars and music venues. Obviously, it’s better for the health of the patrons, but it’s also beneficial to the musicians who have to work in smoky bars. I am a reformed smoker, and one of the things that has kept me more home than out is the fact that my body can’t tolerate smoke anymore; it literally makes me sick.
Bar and club owners and the local casino oppose the move because they claim that they will lose business (this idea is supported by stats in other cities that have banned smoking). I am all about one’s right to choose (e.g., I’ve been pretty vocal about the legalization of marijuana and even prostitution), but the city needs to carefully consider the ramifications of banning smoking in bars and clubs. I think the entity it may affect the most is Harrah’s Casino, which could potentially lose gambling patrons to other nearby casinos in Jefferson Parish and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I have a more difficult time understanding how a smoking ban in bars and clubs will impact places like Bourbon or Frenchmen Streets. It’s not like there’s a nearby entertainment area that will draw patrons away. We may have smokier streets, for sure, but a smoking ban could potentially draw more patrons inside to enjoy live music.
As I write this, I am mourning the loss of my friend, Bo Dollis, who died this morning after a long illness. His family lives only a few blocks from our house, and this will be our first Mardi Gras not seeing the Big Chief at the corner of Second and Dryades. All of us will pass on, but Bo and Laurita will always be dear to our hearts. Your legacy will “pass on” to a younger generation. That’s what New Orleans is all about.
