And the Sunday Party to End All Sunday Parties!

A reason to go home every season is the 'block party' held on the Sunday preceding Mardi Gras - the OOM general party. Underneath century old water oak trees, in the shadows of historic buildings, crowds filling the streets in their sunday best - as the invitation suggests suits and ladies dresses (and you might spot a fur coat or two).

This is the setting:

Guests line the streets as the a leading lady is presented on the OOM emblem float carried by mules. The emblem for this society is Folly chasing Death around the column of life. At the end of the parade, Death is defeated and Folly wins the day! The young lady, a grown daughter of one of the upsanding members, is then toasted and the party truly begins.

Women wear their finest sunday suits and many in hats and gloves. It is truly a party for the ages. Below: my husband and I at the OOMs this year.

And I wish I could begin to describe the food, in the way that food writer would, but I can't. Instead I'm going to share a few exerpts from an article from Saveur Magazine.

"Tantalized by the savory smoke filling the air, I snake through the crowd to a tent where grills are loaded with lamb chops, beef tenderloins, and sausages. The lamb chops are so succulent that the juices dribble down my chin. Across the street is another grill, full of oysters on the half shell, and everyone's stabbing forks into them while they're still over the coals. Wherever I turn, I'm being introduced to that cousin or this aunt; the queen has scads of relatives here... Drinking may pervade Mardi Gras, but great food and family is what truly keeps this tradition going."

"