(Photo by Talley Carlston -- The Beacon)
By Will Lyons, Staff Writer -- lyons14@up.edu
Delicious food, get-up-and-dance music, somewhat skanky outfits and debauchery make Mardi Gras the perfect blowout before the sanctity of Lent. North Portland started celebrating with a block party thrown by Orleans Candle Co. on Lombard Street on Saturday and kept partying right up until midnight on Fat Tuesday.
The Bauccio Commons
With waffles, fried chicken, mask making and the UP Jazz Band, The Bauccio Commons stayed open late for one last party before Lent on Fat Tuesday.
"I made an awesome mask and the Jazz Band was great," freshman Colleen Cooper said. "We should have more late night events at The Commons because we're all up anyway."
For the last 10 years Campus Ministry has funded a Mardi Gras event on campus.
Associate Director for Music Maureen Briare never passes up the opportunity to party.
"Mardi Gras is the feast before the fast," Briare said. "It's a good way to do some extra celebrating before the Lenten season begins."
Briare also added this was the Jazz Band's first time playing at The Commons.
"It was great to get to play for the students," sophomore alto sax player Alex Grimaldi said. "I'm glad to have found a group of people who are dedicated to playing jazz music."
Lombard Block Party
Music kicked off the Mardi Gras madness on Saturday with a block party thrown by Tanya and Jonathan Scott, the owners of Orleans Candle Co., located in the 5000 block of Lombard Street.
"We've got live music down the street, screwdrivers at the Twilight Room and Nawlinz PDX with some Southern cooking today," Jonathan said.
Banners, balloons and the smell of BBQ lined Lombard from morning until 6 p.m.
Freshmen Derek Devine and Hayley Moore attended the block party.
"The party was so bumpin' that stuff was falling off the walls," Devine said of the Portland-based blues band Sweet Pea that played on Haven and Lombard streets.
"They gave us free beads and food that was tasty," Moore added.
Jonathan and Tanya love their North Portland location, but aren't here by choice. According to a Portland Tribune article celebrating the grand opening of Orleans Candle Co. that hangs on their wall, Hurricane Katrina washed the couple out of their home and previous candle store.
Despite their hardship, Orleans Candle Co. has an upbeat atmosphere. Tanya knows many of her customers by name, kisses them on the cheek when they enter the store and always says, "Y'all have a blessed day now," when anyone leaves.
With Orleans Candle Co. fully settled on Lombard, Jonathan and Tanya are now helping other Southern style businesses get their start in the City of Roses. Scott Collins, the owner of Nawlinz PDX, a Southern restaurant set to open soon in Southwest Portland, had his signature Southern Mac-n-Cheese with Andouille sausage available for passersby to taste.
"I've been a cook for 20 years and I just don't like making anything more than Nawlinz fare," Collins said.
Once midnight rolled around and the party came to a close, Grimaldi and Briare looked to Lent.
"I'm giving up fried foods for Lent," Grimaldi said.
"I'm giving up complaining and am going to try and do more silent prayer," Briare added.
Whether the party for Fat Tuesday lasted a week or an hour, the continued tradition of Mardi Gras will always persevere, or as Tanya would say, "If you can't be at the party you bring the party with you."
