Laissez les bons temps rouler

So today is Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday. I've been reading some NOLA blogs &, damnit, I wish I was there. It is such a great time - music, food, liquor, & loads & loads of cool people. & you don't have to keep your tongue in your mouth when you are kissing people like I had to do today while celebrating a not quite authentic Mardi Gras in the coffeehouse, sans WiFi, with the demented, but still hot, owner; along with the hot bartistas & one totally hot lawyer who truly does put his pants on one leg at a time. I only went to the Vieux Carre/French Quarter once during Carnival & saw enough projectile vomiting to last me for awhile. We went to see Dr. John at the House of Blues on Decatur St. It was a great show & the Kid got his set list & his trumpet player's signature. I got pleasingly drunk & had a great time. I'm sad that I can not be there today/tonight/yesterday/last week/January for Christ's sake. But, as is becoming usual in the last 28, almost 29 years, The Kid pulls through & cheers me up. First by suggesting that we all set a goal of going to next year's Mardi Gras. & secondly, by posting some total cuteness on the blog Les Twins.

Mardi Gras Marigny

Throw me something, mister.


Mardi Gras Lucy, drooling edition.

Me too, mister.

For those of my loyal four readers who are interested & you better be interested, here are some Mardi Gras facts via the French, we here at BillyCreek just loves the French.

Celebrate Mardi Gras in French

Mardi gras is an annual celebration called le mardi gras (literally, "fat Tuesday") or le carnaval in French.


Les dates de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras dates

Mardi gras takes place 46 days before Easter (le Pâques) - that is, sometime between 3 February and 9 March. Mardi gras is the day before Lent (le carême), which begins on Ash Wednesday (le mercredi des Cendres). The most famous Mardi gras celebration is held in New Orleans (la Nouvelle-Orléans), but many cities in Europe and South America also put on spectacular events.


Les couleurs de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras colors

Mardi gras has three official colors:

le violet purple (justice)

l'or gold (power)

le vert green (faith)

More: Colors in French


Les traditions de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras traditions

Mardi gras is traditionally celebrated with a parade led by a captain, during which trinkets, or "throws," are tossed to the crowd. The parade is followed by a costume ball presided over by a king and queen.


Le vocabulaire de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras vocabulary

une babiole - trinket

un bal masqué - costume ball

un bijou - jewel

le capitaine - captain

un char - float

un collier - necklace

un costume - costume

le courir Mardi gras - run

une couronne - crown

un défilé - parade

un déguisement - disguise

un doublon - doubloon

une effigie - effigy

un feu de joie - bonfire

un flambeau - torch

la foule - crowd

un krewe - krewe (Mardi gras organizer)

un mardi gras - a person who really gets into celebrating Mardi gras

le masque - mask (make a Mardi gras mask)

une paillette - sequin

une perle - bead

la plume - feather

la reine - queen

le roi - king


Les expressions avec mardi gras ~ Expressions with Mardi gras

There are a couple of related French expressions with the phrase Mardi gras:

Ce n'est pas mardi gras aujourd'hui - Literally, "today isn't mardi gras"; this expression is used to make fun of someone who is wearing something ridiculous.

se croire à mardi gras - "to believe oneself (to be) at Mardi gras"; similar to the above, a way of mocking what someone is wearing: il se croit à mardi gras - he's dressed as if he's at Mardi gras, he's absurdly dressed


Le slogan de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras slogan

Mardi gras' slogan is "Let the Good Times Roll," which is (horribly) translated into French as Laissez les bons temps rouler.

& yes, it is true as The Son-in-Law will attest, I am a bead slut. I love the beads & want more of them.