Continuing the Holiday Season at Fair Grounds

The Fair Grounds season is surrounded by New Orleans holiday cheer. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire, all others courtesy of Geoff Worden unless otherwise noted)
New Orleans operates differently than the rest of the nation. After the traditional one, two of Christmas and New Year’s most people slow down and quietly avoid the winter weather. Not us! Our biggest holiday season, Mardi Gras, started on Jan. 6 and it’s about to be Derby season here with the first of three prep races taking place this Saturday.
Twelfth Night, Jan. 6, marks the start of the merry time leading up to the day of excess, Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), that is the last hurrah before the more somber season of Lent. While the significance of the dates is deeply Christian, the celebration has taken on worldwide significance for anyone who enjoys a party. Some residents still need to update to this season’s decorations but purple, green and gold are beginning to dominate my surroundings.
THE DECORATIONS AROUND THE AREA

Fair Grounds gets in on the action with racing throughout the carnival season, including Lundi Gras (Fat Monday, Feb. 8) and the big day, Mardi Gras itself (Feb. 9). We are also lucky enough to have the Lecomte Stakes (Grade 3, post time 6:21 ET) taking place this Saturday. One horse in the race already has some points toward the Kentucky Derby: Mo Tom is currently 23rd with a mere two points but could vault into a tie for sixth with a win.
Last year, International Star, ridden by Miguel Mena, swept the three Derby prep races at the Fair Grounds and amassed a point total good enough to lead the pack. Unfortunately, he was scratched from the Derby and has only run one race since his Louisiana Derby win in March 2015. He returns in Race 7 on Saturday (Louisiana Stakes, post time 4:25 p.m. ET) with Mena back aboard. Also part of the exciting seven-horse field in that race is Ride On Curlin, who was underwhelming in 2015 but finished second to California Chrome in the 2014 Preakness Stakes. Saturday will be an exciting day at the Fair Grounds.
INTERNATIONAL STAR WINNING THE 2015 LOUISIANA DERBY

Photo by Lou Hodges
Miss Wright, my daughter and I witnessed International Star’s win together at the Louisiana Derby and my daughter and I will be rooting hard on Saturday plus looking for a potential Derby horse or two in the LeComte. Before that, however, we will need some lunch.
I love finding a theme for certain days and the combination of the name International Star and Miguel’s Peruvian descent sent me looking for a Peruvian restaurant. I love (and sorely miss) Andina in Portland, Ore. but that’s a bit far to go for lunch (no Powerball winner here). There is a place in Kenner, close to the airport, with a menu all in Spanish with good reviews but they are not open on Saturdays. So, we will be having lunch at a Columbian (hey, it’s a neighbor of Peru) restaurant downtown called Maïs Arepas. Arepa is a flat bread, similar to pita bread, but made with maize or maize flour instead of wheat flour. The possibilities are endless as a sandwich and we are looking forward to trying their versions.
Perhaps there will be cause for celebration later and I guess in keeping with the international and ‘close to Peru but not quite’ theme, Argentinian wines would be a good choice.
Here are two recent favorites:
Chakana Estate Selection Malbec is 100 percent Malbec and a dark, rich, concentrated wine that will impress you with its weight, not overwhelm you with oak and delight you with its price. Compare it to Napa Cabernets and you’ll feel like someone just gave you a $20 bill. Grilled meats and intense cheeses are excellent choices with this wine. I do not have a specific vintage tagged here because my experience with the wine has been excellent and has stretched over at least three vintages. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils the wine retails around the mid-$20s but sometimes can be found closer to $20.
Similarly, I will not tie you to a vintage for Doña Paula Estate Malbec (also 100 percent) since my happy experience here goes back more than a decade. This is a bit more elegant but don’t read that to mean light or wimpy. There is more red fruit than the dark berries you will find in the Chakana but it can hold its own with red sauces, grilled meats and mushroom dishes. It is also a terrific pizza and/or burger wine since it costs about $15. Imported by Trinchero Family Estates.

Although we are in the season of carnival, and it’s a short one this year, the big parades are still about three weeks away. However, one of my favorites parades, Krewe du Vieux, rolls on Jan. 23. It is a locals parade with very few throws but plenty of inventive, satirical and risqué marching groups and small floats. Krewedelusion follows them and is in much the same vein, irreverent and fun, but different. If you can’t wait for those, stop by Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World near the Convention Center. This is where lots of carnival magic takes shape and there are plenty of floats to see there, especially this time of year. Incidentally, Blaine Kern Sr. is the king of Krewedelusion this year, learn more about him here.
Maybe I’ll see you at Fair Grounds on Saturday or in the French Quarter for the above parades. Follow me on Twitter (@GeoffWorden) and you’ll see some tweets from Maïs Arepas and the races. My next post will have more about Mardi Gras and racing with some tips about places to drink, eat and take a break during the endurance test that is carnival.