Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Lenten Season Begins



Each afternoon when I walk out of our front doors there is a constant reminder of how lucky Bluegreen is to have such a prime location in New Orleans: the smells of local cuisine (especially on Mondays when the whole city smells like Red Beans), an impromptu jazz band around the corner and the flashy lights of Harrah’s Casino across the street. Carnival Season and Mardi Gras day are the embodiment of the value of our location. This year was colder than ever and unfortunately rain was present for many parades. However, that did not stop our owners from participating in the Mardi Gras revelry. The majority of parades make their final turn off Canal directly in front of our resort (corner of Canal and Decatur). For many of our owners this means watching parades in the comfort of their unit or from their balcony.

The spirit of Carnival was alive as ever at La Pension this year. We had individual sized King Cakes made for all of our owners and their guests and placed them in their units upon arrival. A door and balcony decorating contest filled the halls with competition. Winners from Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras week received a 2 night complimentary stay at Bluegreen Club 36 in Las Vegas. Second place winners received gift certificates to our neighboring restaurants and third place winners received gift baskets from Southern Candy.

The Spirit and commotion of Carnival Season is starting to wind down this week. The streets are quieter and hoteliers and restaurateurs throughout the city are worn out. It is the beginning of the Lenten Season. The Spirit of the Saints however, is still alive and boisterous throughout the Big Easy. In fact, there was a Second Line last Saturday night in celebration of the death of the “Aints”. This is a relief for me as I am never quite sure what to do with myself as football season comes to a close…until next time…

“Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler"