mardi gras revelry...

Spent this year’s Mardi Gras at the real home of the celebration, from back before New Orleans made it famous (and a bit trashy I have to say), Mobile, Alabama. An old colonial town that was ruled by the French and Spanish during its early days, Mobile could have been the oldest city in the United States, surpassing St. Augustine, had it not been for a vicious hurricane that wiped the town away in its early years, forcing it to be re-founded at a later date.

My favorite part of Mardi Gras is not the parades or the beads, "Chattanooga" Moonpies or King Cakes- it is a Sunday street party that I never miss full of steaming oysters, bloody Marys and chic ladies in pastel suits and stilettos. The sun always seems to shine on this party, put on by a parading organization that was founded in the 1860s. Party goers enjoy fresh seafood, cocktails, and jazz from the Excelsior band, an ensemble also founded back in the 1800’s. The day was perfect.

I found among Cerulean’s new Spring accessories the perfect clutch for such a fabulous party- the yellow and green beaded clutch shown at right. While it might seem an obvious pick for a sunny Mardi Gras Sunday, I also love it worn more casually. Picture it this spring with white jeans, gold ballets and my chocolate brown safari jacket. Very chic, just the right pop of color to wear with all my browns and neutrals. You’re going to see this clutch pop up often in my wardrobe as Spring turns into summer… keep watching!