mardi gras

Today's the day when it's okay to eat like we normally do.

Mardi Gras is the perfect time to let loose and have a good time, so whether you're celebrating at home with friends or joining the festivities in New Orleans, I've put together a list of items to help you party all night and then some!

This past Saturday night, I went to the best Mardi Gras party in Yakima! That's right, ain't no party like a Yakimardi Gras party, 'cause the Mardi Gras party don't stop! It was a fundraiser for the St. Paul private school, but the people watching at this event was like looking at a roster of a "who's who" of Yakima...

I dropped by Gasperetti's last week and they were sampling a Poor Boy sandwich, which by the way was delicious. Plus all this talk about Love and Valentine's Day almost caused me to forget about Mardi Gras and Phat Tuesday and all the great food and fun.

Couldn't make it to New Orleans this year for Mardi Gras? Here's a little sneak of what you missed. Don't worry, all of these pictures are safe for work.

Mardi Gras beads have been popularized for their widespread use on Fat Tuesday in New Orleans. Each year, crowds of people line up to snag as many beaded necklaces as their necks can hold. But where did all of this excitement start? Why are Mardi Gras beads such an essential part of the Bourbon Street celebration?

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday," a reference to the binge eating a lot of Catholics do before Lent. As is often the case with holidays, the Christian roots are intertwined with earlier pagan practices. It was very common for early church fathers to integrate elements of pagan ritual in an attempt to attract potential converts. Mardi Gras itself originated in the Middle Ages and wa