Here’s how we do it
Zulu was awesome – I haven’t been to the parade in years, decades – we walked up as the parade was staging and getting ready to roll from Claiborne turning down Jackson. We cut over to Willow because the girls couldn’t throw until they actually made the turn – on Willow and Jackson we were in a sea of black faces, which made Zulu feel more like a neighborhood parade – a la Endymion – than an uptown one. 
Elizabeth and Ellen – both donning black faces – dumped us with beads galore and a bunch of coveted coconuts. I caught three and saved two for B&K (since they were celebrating Mardi Gras in the shadow of Taylor passing) – the coconuts were the perfect addition to my costume – we stayed for half the parade then we loaded up and headed to the Marigny – a few feet from MiMi’s, I spotted my Mardi Gras squeeze standing by the entrance – without missing a beat, I instantly applied the acid test and MGS passed with flying colors – fortuitous! – with MGS in tow, we angels made our way into the French Quarter – laughing, kissing, drinking – celebrating, mardi gra’ing. 
As we got deeper into the Quarter, every costume told a story – even Humid Air – where Jesus Christ is his co-pilot – Captain Roy was holding court: