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SARAH BAIRD Sarah Baird is the author of multiple books including New Orleans Cocktails and Flask , which was released in summer 2019. A 2019 Knight Visiting Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, her work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Saveur, Eater, Food & Wine and The Guardian , among others. Previously, she served as restaurant critic for the New Orleans alt-weekly, Gambit Weekly , where she won Critic of the Year in 2015 for her dining reviews. JASON BERRY Jason Berry is an author and documentary film director whose works include the music history, Up From the Cradle of Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II. EMILY BLEJWAS Emily Blejwas is executive director of the Alabama Folklife Association. She lives in Mobile, Alabama, with her husband and four children. ROMNEY CARUSO Artistic food photographer Romney Caruso is a seasoned pro. He has been styling and shooting editorial, advertising and cookbook projects for over 25 years. You see his work in this magazine, in our stores and on our website. He also shoots photos for restaurants, hotels, and real estate and large commercial clients. Romney lives in Mandeville, Louisiana. Contributors

DAVID W. BROWN David W. Brown is a freelance writer whose work appears in The Atlantic , The New York Times , Scientific American and The New Yorker . His next book, T he Mission: A True Story , is now available for preorder, and will be published by HarperCollins in January 2021. Brown lives in New Orleans. ALISON FENSTERSTOCK Alison Fensterstock is a former music critic for The Times-Picayune and Gambit Weekly , and a current columnist for the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ magazine 64 Parishes . Her work has also appeared in Rolling Stone , The New York Times and NPR Music. ERIKA MOLLECK GOLDRING Fine art music photographer Erika Molleck Goldring’s portfolio features her photos of such celebrated acts as Beyonce, Keith Richards, Willie Nelson and Fats Domino. Her work is regularly featured in Rolling Stone , People and Entertainment Weekly , as well as The New York Times and other major newspapers. Erika lives in New Orleans. RYAN HODGSON-RIGSBEE A native of Chicago, Ryan Hodgson- Rigsbee now makes New Orleans home. He collaborates with New Orleans nonprofits, businesses and artists such as the Krewe of Red Beans, Feed the Second Line, the Jazz & Heritage Foundation, and WWOZ to reach the public with photography that is both compelling and culturally responsible.

I was a total marching band nerd, which meant spending many a Mardi Gras carrying a 40-lb bass drum down the streets of Downtown Houma. My favorite number involved the entire band dancing and marching in a “snake” formation between the barricades. The energy from the crowd was unforgettable! – Kacie Galtier, Designer & Illustrator

I love a good mix of Mardi Gras traditions from my current home, New Orleans, and my birthplace, Acadiana. We go all out with weekend parades and face paint, then spend Lundi Gras enhancing our fringe and perfecting our masks for an early morning courir. Last year I finally caught a chicken! – Eliza Schulze, Art Director

HAIL YES, IT’S STILL MARDI GRAS Making plans to decorate the exterior of your home for Mardi Gras, maybe even joining a group like Krewe of House Floats? If so, tag us @RousesMarkets. Every tag is an automatic entry to win a famous Rouses king cake, shipped anywhere you choose! And if you’re in the New Orleans area and want to hire a Mardi Gras float builder, parade designer or artist to help you decorate, visit www.hireamardigrasartist.com . This Mardi Gras house initiative – a project of the Krewe of Red Beans - supports Feed the Second Line, which provides food and employment to the culture bearers of New Orleans.

My grandmother always woke up before sunrise to get to Felicity and St. Charles to claim a Mardi Gras day spot for “her grandbabies.” My siblings, my cousins and I got to sleep in and enjoy a hot beignet breakfast before heading down to the route where our spot was taped off like a crime scene. – McNally Sislo, Production Manager

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