Mardi Gras w/ Michalopoulos

Spent a good amount of time this Mardi Gras with the renowned artist James Michalopoulos. he let us use his warehouse to assemble and park The Gypsy Wagon and he & his girlfriend, Reese were ABSURDLY generous with their hospitality. I've always been a fan, but having met him through Bethany & Gano last Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and now - I have an even higher opinion.

As we left him for the last time, he even gave Gano & I a bottle of his New Orleans Rum - an excellent parting gift. Overwhelming generosity to a ridiculous degree... Happy Mardi Gras indeed, James & Reese - we are very grateful.

Lee-vil The Great

Lee-vil The Great
Originally uploaded by Guzilla.

Part of my Mardi Gras Costume, courtesy of Bethany, the costume mistress...

Our Mardi Gras float

Our Mardi Gras float
Originally uploaded by Guzilla.

Gano & I just finished assembling our Mardi Gras "float" in Michalopoulos' warehouse. It is unbelievable. Can't wait for tomorrow!!! Bethany is at home working costume magic...

Me & Gano

Me & Gano
Originally uploaded by Guzilla.

Chevalier de la Louisiane

Chevalier de la Louisiane
Originally uploaded by Guzilla.

Gano & Chloe - Mardi Gras

Gano & Chloe - Mardi Gras
Originally uploaded by Guzilla.

In Uptown Costume on Magazine Street. Making an impulse purchase...

Mardi Gras time!

Mardi Gras time!
Originally uploaded by Guzilla.

At the Thoth parade.

Mardi Gras Time!

Out of the mouths of babes... I think Chloe says it best... Mardi Gras Time! I have to go to New Orleans on business with Gano, so we have scheduled our trip to include Mardi Gras despite the recent flood of bad news & murders coming out of New Orleans, with 9 people shot yesterday alone.

Don't know what to do about all of the heartbreak coming out of New Orleans, but that's a subject for a later post. Right now, I am extremely giddy to be heading back down there. It's been a very demanding start to the New Year - work is extremely demanding and there have been some hits to some of the people in our inner circle of late. So looking forward to New Orleans to give the boost it always does. After all... Chloe? What time is it?

Valentine's Day Cancelled

Valentine's Day was cancelled due to inclement weather. The storm that hit the Northeast also nailed our plans to attend a dinner dance at the U. Club. However, we made due when The Wife came home (shown above in her Tom Landry hat), sat on the couch, had ham sandwiches for dinner and watched her two favorite TV shows: "Lost" & "Law & Order: SVU." Then I worked very late, into the wee hours... Who says romance is dead?

Anna Nicole, Joan Rivers & Me

I make an appearance on Joan Rivers' blog after sending her lyrics for Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" that I reworked for Anna Nicole Smith. Apparently she enjoyed them...

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9th, 2007
Lines From a Poem for Anna Nicole Smith

My friend Lee has just sent me a poem that he composed in honor of Anna Nicole Smith’s death and I’d like to share my two favorite lines:

“And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a hot, then fat, then hot again candle in the wind”

POSTED BY JOAN AT 8:20 AM

The picture above was from the Summer, when she sent a limo up from Atlantic City to our shore house in Mantoloking, NJ to pick us up, take us to her show at the Tropicana, and then bring us back. A fun night, and this was backstage in her dressing room. God bless her...

NOBB Victorious!

A much-needed victory for the NOBB! We beat Team Meatball in our bocce league on Saturday. They took the first game, we won the second, and then we DOMINATED them in the final game, winning in unheard of decisive fashion 9-0. And they didn't take it very well either - they were extremely angry about it. Charity was the MVP as she made several well-placed shots to win the second and final games. And Bailey was an All-Star delivering us these team shirts. The NOBB is on the move! A force to be reckoned with in the bocce world...

Veni, Vedi, Vici... Bocce.

The Polish Cannon Plays Bocce

Friday night, went to see Galactic by myself at Irving Plaza but bumped into friends. Incredible show. They did a version of Zeppelin's "Kashmir" that was off the charts. You could hear the lyrics in the saxophone. Then met Magoo & Mark out at a few Irish bars.

On Saturday Matt & I trekked out to Union Hall in Brooklyn to play in our competitive bocce league on our team NOBB ("The Nellie Olsen Bocce Bang") that Bailey & Mercedes organized. Played pretty well but not enough to win overall. We lost the first game by a narrow margin, won the second and just barely got edged out in the third and final game. I must say I was most impressed with Mercedes bocce-ing with baby Cole in a sling wrapped around her. Well done. Photos here.

Met Brian R. & JD for dinner at Old Town Bar, followed by a night of dreadful trendy bars. Fun enough, ending in karaoke.

Sunday watched the Super Bowl at the U. Club with Matt & Sean. Started out as a pretty dramatic game, but inevitably the Colts proved too tough. Who cares.