It's Carnival season! Mardi Gras is next Tuesday, March 4, and we just LOVE celebrating this fun holiday with our families. Here are a few simple ways you can make the day memorable for you and your crew:
1. Eat! (Think shrimp po-boys, beignets, and all-you-can-eat crawfish.)
When we hear "Mardi Gras", the first thing on our minds is Food (yes, that's with a capital F). This time of year, there's always something fun and festive at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Shenandoah. The restaurant showcases live musical acts for entertainment, and for eats we recommend the crawfish bisque (it's the bomb-diggety), but special menu options such as the Rainbow Trout Mardi Gras, New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp, the Mardi Gras Cheesecake, and the oh-so-famous Swampthing will make dining here for Mardi Gras a real treat.
Other local cajun & creole favorites can be found at Schilleci's New Orleans Kitchen in Market Street (it's quaint and cozy - we prefer leaving the kids at home), Babin's (definitely the place to go if you're all about the spice), and Landry's (great appetizers!).
Other local cajun & creole favorites can be found at Schilleci's New Orleans Kitchen in Market Street (it's quaint and cozy - we prefer leaving the kids at home), Babin's (definitely the place to go if you're all about the spice), and Landry's (great appetizers!).
2. Don't forget dessert!
These days, you can find a King Cake just about anywhere. We like the ones at H-E-B, but other local reader faves include King Cakes from Kroger and Montgomery Bakehouse. Or Google a recipe and bake your own from scratch! My girls and I make this Monkey Bread king cake every year, and it's sooooo delicious. Your kids will enjoy hearing you tell the significance of the hidden baby in the cake, even if they've heard it before.
3. Decorate and dance, darling!
Run down to Party City (the one in the Portofino is locally owned and is NOT closing its doors) for purple, green, and gold tablecloths, balloons, and banners. The kids will be thrilled to come home from school to a decorated kitchen with beads and noisemakers at their place settings. Liven things up with jazz and blues (Alexa knows all the jams!). After dinner, add fun to the evening by decorating masks and creating beaded necklaces, and invite the neighbors' kids over for a fun parade through the house. Finish off the evening with a showing of Disney's The Princess and the Frog.
4. Celebrate at The Woodlands Children's Museum.
4. Celebrate at The Woodlands Children's Museum.
Stop by the museum on Tuesday, March 4 from 10am - 2pm and let your little one participate in Mardi Gras parades at 10:30am and 11:30am. You'll also get to create festive jester hats and get your face painted. And be sure to get a piece of King Cake donated by Montgomery Bakehouse upon exiting! More details here.
5. Attend a Block Party in Montgomery.
Historic Montgomery is having an outdoor family friendly Mardi Gras Block Party with free live music and beads, a costume contest, food vendors, and a royal crowing. More details here.
And that's how you let the good times roll, family style!
