Darling friends,

Our city is breathing victory in two ways: Mitch Landrieu was elected as our new mayor and our Saints won the Super Bowl! Congratulations to both of them!

Special congratulations to Drew Brees, Head Coach Sean Payton and the entire team for bringing home a victory to our beloved New Orleans. The French Quarter and everywhere else in the city was exploding with excitement. We waited a very long time for this special night: 43 years to be exact.

I am still in a state of euphoria after parading my darling Chiquita Linda as a 2010 Duchess of the Mystic Krewe of Barkus.. She was dressed just preciously in her specially designed Mardi Gras dress with Saints appliques and jewels to bring out her regal bearing. After the parade, I was so exhausted that I went home to watch the game quietly.  Friends from all over the world telephoned and emailed to congratulate me and the city for the Saints' victory. It seems that everyone was rooting for us.

Later today, I am looking forward to seeing the New Orleans Saints victory parade from a lovely mansion along St. Charles Avenue.  Our boys are getting a heroes’ welcome to the city that loves them and it should be a hoot (see below for parade route).

Prior to Sunday, I participated as a Queen 2 and Queen 10 at the annual Krewe of Cork stroll through the historic streets of the Vieux Carre. We lived up our motto of “Celebrate Wine! Food! Fun! Our Grand Marshal was Clovis Taittinger of the House of Taittinger Champagne who flew from France to be here just for us. He entertained the royal court and their friends at August Restaurant where of course, Taittinger was flowing freely. 

Queen Samara Poche held the annual Queen's Breakfast at her lovely home in the French Quarter and everyone enjoyed the traditional grillades and grits. The luncheon was as, always, at the Court of the Two Sisters and that was just delicious and fun-filled. After the parade, I headed home and skipped the night party because I needed to be sober and in attendance at the annual ball of the Krewe of Barkus where I was made honorary Duchess.

This Wednesday, February 10, I am looking forward to my monthly Round Table Luncheon which will feature as speakers:
Mark Singletary of New Orleans CityBusiness

Kelly Schultz from the Greater New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau

Sam Rykels from Louisiana State Museum

Aimee Hayes from the Southern Repertory Theatre.

Entertainment by pianist/vocalist/lyricist Armand St. Martin (More details in the calendar)

 I am looking forward as well to this Friday, to the annual  "Greasing of the Poles" at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, at 10 a.m. and then I usually stop to photograph the Mardi Gras and Saints Madness at Galatoire's annual Friday Luncheon . That evening I will don my costume  to f attend " Fairy Tales Can Come True" at the annual Masked Ball at Kevin Kelly's lovely St Charles Avenue mansion

Here is my fun-filled calendar of events for the week that ends on Fat Tuesday – Mardi Gras Day:

Tuesday, February 9
Saints Super Bowl victory parade
The New Orleans Saints Super Bowl victory parade will begin at 5 p.m. on Poydras Street in front of the Superdome, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
The entire Saints team and organization will be on a series of floats donated from various Carnival krewes across the city.

The parade route will start at the Dome on Poydras and turn right on Loyola Avenue, down to Howard Avenue. From Howard to Lee Circle and around to St. Charles Avenue. From there, the parade will continue along the normal Uptown Carnival route, up St. Charles to Canal Street, and then back toward Tchoupitoulas Street and Convention Center Boulevard. The parade will end at the foot of Convention Center Boulevard, the site of Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World where the floats were built.

Wednesday, February 10
ROUND TABLE LUNCHEON
My popular Round Table Luncheon hosted by yours truly is scheduled for Wednesday, February 10 at noon at Begue's Restaurant of the Royal Sonesta Hotel. The featured speakers are Mark Singletary and Christian Moises of New Orleans CityBusiness, Kelly Schultz from the Greater New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sam Rykels from the Louisiana State Museum and Aimee Hayes of Southern Repertory Theatre.  Entertainment by Armand St. Martin. Seating is limited. Last two luncheons have been completely sold-out. The three-course gourmet luncheon is only $35 and includes complimentary parking and wines to complement the food. For reservation: Noel Scallan at    504-553-2220  504-553-2220   504-553-2220   504-553-2220 nscallan@royalsonestano.com.
Guests are encouraged to wear Black and Gold or Mardi Gras colors.

Wednesday, February 10
AN EVENING OF CULTURAL INDULGENCES  
Experience an evening of cultural indulgences from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the JW Marriott Lobby Lounge featuring recent works by local featured artist Louise Olsen. Live Entertainment by Tony Seville (multi-instrumentalist).Wine tasting and complimentary hors d'oeuvres
 
Wednesday, February 10 
"Myth, Mayhem & Majesty
Discover the origins of New Orleans' Carnival traditions with "Myth, Mayhem & Majesty: A History of Mardi Gras in New Orleans," a new offering from The Historic New Orleans Collection. The themed tour of The Collection's Louisiana History Galleries utilizes items from the permanent holdings to examine the evolution of Mardi Gras, from the colonial period to today. The tour will reveal the insider's perspective to the fanfare behind this celebrated season and will explore the earliest parading organizations, the Mardi Gras Indians, and the Super Krewes. Each guided tour lasts approximately one hour, and at the end of the tour, guests will be able to sample king cake,
courtesy of PJ's Coffee Café at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, 300 Bourbon Street. For more information, call    (504) 523-4662  (504) 523-4662   (504) 523-4662   (504) 523-4662 .  $5 for nonmembers

Friday, February 12

Obituary Cocktail Society

Obers will gather from 6 to 7 p.m.  at this great New Orleans saloon.......Marigny Brasserie, 640 Frenchmen Street | Phone 945-4472.

Saturday, February 12-15

FRENCH MARKET'S ANNUAL MASK MARKET

Friday through Monday at the Farmer's Market 11 a.m. to 6 p.m
FEATURING MASK VENDORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

MUSICAL PERFORMANCES BY LOCAL BANDS:
(stage at Barracks)
* New Wave Brass Band
* Pinnettes Brass Band
* Treme Brass Band
* Change of Pace Rhythm and Blues Band
* Kora Konnection
* Rebirth Brass Band
* Jabo and the H-Town Players
* Bo Dollis, Jr. and The Wild Magnolias
* Hot 8 Brass Band
* 101 Runners


Sunday, February 14

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY 
Fleur de Tease "Valentine Revue" at One-Eyed Jacks, 615 Toulouse Street. New Orleans Burlesque Queen Trixie Minx is inviting everyone to join the Fleur de Tease cast for our very special Valentine Revue at One Eye Jacks. One show ONLY at 7 p.m. so get your tickets now! For additional information or to purchase tickets please call    504-319-8917  504-319-8917   504-319-8917   504-319-8917 or email info@fleurdetease.com

And don’t forget all the Mardi Gras parades coming up in the next week up to and through Fat Tuesday – way too many to list here.. For more complete parade schedules and information log on to my dear friend Arthur Hardy’s Mardi Gras Guide website, http://www.mardigrasguide.com/..

HAPPY MARDI GRAS, Y’ALL!!!