Maradi Gras & Fat Tuesday!

A couple of years ago we found ourselves in New Orleans around this time, adventuring through the French Quarter. We devoured beignets at Café du Monde, soaked up the street musicians in Jackson Square, wandered the side streets, and let ourselves get swept up in the energy of this incredible city. Even on an ordinary day, New Orleans feels alive. 

As we were making our way back to our truck, we walked right into the start of a parade. Thousands of people in the street. Music from a marching band echoing off the buildings. Cheers rolling down the block.  And from the second-story balconies all along the street, people were throwing beads down to those below. Strands of beads flying through the air, to the hands and feet of the strangers below. 

 

Later, I looked up the history of why they throw beads. They’re actually called “throws,” but they’re really invitations – a way for people on floats, on balconies, and on the street to share the same moment. They’re meant for connection, celebration, and fun. I thought that was pretty cool because those are some of the same reasons we travel. 

And in a way, our jewelry is a bit like these “throws” in that it’s meant to connect us. To the places we’ve traveled, to the energy behind exploring, expansion, and connection, and to each other. 

You can’t put experiences like this on your itinerary.  They are unexpected gifts and they are the best parts of traveling. They become stories we carry with us. Sometimes it’s the parade you didn’t know was coming, the music you hear around a corner, or the beads that fall from the sky in a city that knows how to celebrate life.

Laissez les bons temps rouler — let the good times roll.

Thank you for following our journey.