Tag: Mardi Gras

Puch waiting with Jacques-Imo’s truck.

August 3, 2018

jacques-imo truck

Part street art and part restaurant dining space (yes, customers can eat at a table in the bed of the truck), the Jacques-Imo’s pickup truck is familiar landmark in New Orleans. Jacques-Imo’s Café serves delicious creole-soul food with heavy dose of southern hospitality. Its name is certainly a nod to owner Jacques Leonardi but I would guess it also references the song “Iko Iko” – a Mardi Gras staple. The song tells the story of a confrontation between two Mardi Gras Indian tribes. “Jock-A-Mo” was a chant that was called when Indians went into battle. With over 1200 restaurants in the city, a fight for customers doesn’t sound too far-fetched.

Puch Maxi at Evacuspot #8.

March 16, 2018

evacuspot

Evacuspot statues throughout New Orleans (17 total) designate a gathering place for free transportation to safety in the event of a mandatory evacuation. They are for residents who lack the ability to evacuate in advance of a Category 3 or higher hurricane. These 14 foot, 800 pound, stainless steel statues are meant to withstand 200 years of wear and tear. The design was inspired from the gesture people use to signal for a ride and when asking for beads during Mardi Gras!

A stop in Professor Longhair Square.

March 13, 2018

proflonghair

Located on the neutral ground outside of the famous music venue Tipitina’s is a tribute to Henry Roeland Byrd. He is the New Orleans musician known as Professor Longhair. Installed in 1996, the bronze plate sculpture and benches sit on a plaza in the pattern of a map of the world. The idea is to recognize the international influence of Professor Longhair’s rhythm and blues piano style that combined rumba, mambo, and calypso. So many of his songs are part of the New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition…which likely why someone placed carnival beads on the sculpture.

It’s Carnival time for Puch!

February 5, 2018

puch mardi gras

In New Orleans, Mardi Gras season is well underway. January 6 officially kicked off Carnival–a time to eat, drink, and be merry before the fasting and sacrifice of Lent. Considered the Greatest Free Show on Earth, it truly is a party with its parades of color, music, and throws. Did you know “carnival” loosely translates to farewell to meat? Mardi Gras (French for “Fat Tuesday”) is always the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.