16 Creative Trips to Celebrate Your 30th Birthday

What is traditional food for Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras recipes are often rooted in Creole traditions and influences, so popular food includes jambalaya, red beans and rice, beignets, and king cake.

What is one food item that is unique to Mardi Gras in New Orleans?

King cakes are one of the most iconic foods for Mardi Gras. The cinnamon-flavored dessert is often colored with green, yellow, and purple in honor of the holiday, but perhaps the most recognizable aspect of making this Mardi Gras recipe is baking a figurine into the cake. Whoever has the slice with the figurine wins a prize!

Press crescent roll dough into a cupcake mold, fill it with cinnamon, then bake it. Then glaze each one and spray with the iconic Mardi Gras colors. (via Brit + Co)

Carbs have never looked so good! Inspired by the rainbow donuts from Brooklyn’s Bagel Store (you *had* to have seen the viral vid), this tie-dyed loaf ain’t your average fairy bread. Schmear with the traditional toppings on Fat Tuesday and use the leftovers to make croutons for lunch the next few days. (via Brit + Co)

The signature colors of Mardi Gras are gold, green and purple. This salsa may not have Louisiana-style flavors, but it’s going to look very festive in middle of your spread. (via Little Broken)

There’s nothing more southern than crispy fried chicken. But the real winner here is that sweet and spicy hot sauce that takes this dish above and beyond. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Walk into any restaurant in New Orleans and you’ll find some variation of grits and collards. This flavorful at-home version brings all the authenticity and then some. (via Vanilla and Bean)

Dips are a party essential, especially for Fat Tuesday. Rep some of the common southern flavors with this creamy and spicy crab dip that comes together in just minutes. (via Pip and Ebby)

These oysters are grilled to perfection and topped with cheese and butter. Even the oyster naysayers will be intrigued by these flavorful mollusks. (via Closet Cooking)

Beware: This Bloody Mary has major heat. Not only does it have Louisiana Cajun spice, but it’s also full of horseradish and lots of spicy peppers that will know your socks off. (via She Knows)

You can’t think of New Orleans without dreaming of warm sugary beignets. Making your own is a must for any Mardi Gras party, plus they’re great hangover food — just sayin’. (via Spicy Southern Kitchen)

The hurricane may be the unofficial cocktail of Mardi Gras, but it’s going to be the official cocktail of your party. Make a huge batch in a punch bowl and garnish with orange slices and maraschino cherries. (via Spicy Southern Kitchen)

Typically served during Mardi Gras brunch, brandy milk punch is similar to its thicker cousin eggnog. If you think you need a little bit of “hair of the dog” post Mardi Gras, this should be your go-to. (via Boulder Locavore)

Your party guests are going to go wild for these dressed-up masquerade mask cookies. Add gold painted rock candy sticks for that extra little flair. (via Bake Love Give)

Homemade jambalaya is so flavorful, and worth the extra few ingredients. Make a huge pot and serve with plenty of hot sauce on the side for your friends to help themselves. (via Aberdeen’s Kitchen)

King Cake is one of the most well-known aspects of Mardi Gras, but it’s not exactly something you can make on the fly. This layered cake is a lot simpler than you would think, and is totally impressive. (via Beth Cakes)

This po’boy is about as classic New Orleans as you can get, all the way down to the homemade cajun seasoning that flavors the shrimp. All of your friends are definitely going to be begging you for this recipe the next day. (via The Kitchen Whisperer)

To make these burgers, you can either start your red beans and rice from scratch, or you can use leftovers to make your patties. Either way, it’s totally worth it to make your own, because they’re AH-mazing. (via My Cooking Spot)

If you need a Mardi Gras dessert but don’t have a lot of time, this cake will be your life saver. It lets you take some help from the grocery store by using yellow cake mix and pistachio instant pudding for both flavor and vibrant color. (via Sew You Think You Can Cook)

What is the most popular drink for Mardi Gras?

The Sazerac is a great drink to make if you're prepping for a Mardi Gras celebration. All you need is anise liquor, sugar, water, bitters, and whiskey. Plus a lemon peel twist for the garnish! Keep reading for a great recipe to try it for yourself.

What do you drink at Mardi Gras?

There are a variety of cocktails you can make for Mardi Gras, including a Sazerac, bloody Mary, or some colorful punches.

What is the Fat Tuesday drink?

A Fat Tuesday is like a grown-up slurpee. It's a slushie that has alcohol in it, which means it's a great Mardi Gras cocktail *and* the perfect happy hour sip once the weather warms up.

This chartreuse, gin, and mint cocktail is elegant enough to look totally dapper for Mardis Gras, yet strong enough to keep your party joyfully unrefined. Be warned: A teaspoon of chartreuse is all this recipe calls for, but trust us — it will be plenty. (via The Bojon Gourmet)

This classic Mardi Gras cocktail recipe features whiskey, Absinthe, and bitters for a recognizable and iconic flavor. Don't forget the lemon twist garnish! (via A Spicy Perspective)

Moscow mules are kinda having a moment right now, and we’re not sad about it. Made with ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice, they’re both plenty strong yet pleasantly light in terms of taste. This version throws blueberries, basil, and maple syrup into the mix. (via Marla Meridith)

Sangria is the *ultimate* party drink, so why not make it with green fruits to get in the spirit of Mardi Gras? Green apples and pears comprise the fruit portion of this sweet sangria, with white grape juice thrown in for good measure. (via Cooks With Cocktails)

If there are any lemon lovers in your group, they’re going to LOVE this refreshing cocktail. Pro tip: To make the lemon curl, all you need is a standard peeler and a skewer. Just remove a 3/4 inch of lemon peel and wrap it around the skewer, and set aside to allow the shape to form. (via A Communal Table)

This green-and-purple cocktail may be inspired by a super-villain, but it’s the stuff of Mardi Gras DREAMS. The rim is lined with sugar that’s been dyed purple with food coloring (um, *genius*), while the drink itself is made with Midori sour, rum, vodka, and simple syrup. (via Life She Has)

Blueberries give this martini a deep shade of purple, while lime spirals add a little green into the mix. Pro tip: Look for blueberry vodka if you can find it — it will make this drink all the more blueberry-like. However, if you prefer a more classic martini (or simply can’t find blueberry vodka), good old-fashioned vodka will work just fine. (via Yummy Tummies)

Fat Tuesday calls for upping your bacon consumption, right? We can’t think of a better way to pack it in than with these delicious bloody Marys. Kick off your Mardi Gras with a bang by serving these at a boozy brunch with your besties. (via Heather Christo)

Making color-coordinated cocktails for your Mardi Gras bash doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple pineapple margarita will totally do the trick. This recipe is sure to be a major crowd-pleaser too… who doesn’t love the sweet yet natural taste of fresh pineapple? (via Miss in the Kitchen)

We think this pretty cocktail is the PERFECT drink to serve at your Mardi Gras party. The colors are totally on-point: Basil leaves give the drink a subtle green shade, while lemon wedges and lavender sprigs round up the festive color palette. (via Port and Fin)

Speaking of crowd-pleasing drinks, smoothies are an easy choice when it comes to selecting something everyone will love. And these festively hued smoothies are no exception. Bonus points for finding some Mardi Gras-themed straws to accompany these colorful concoctions. (via Living Well Kitchen)

Fleur Collins Cocktail

Elegant and *super* pretty, this Tom Collins-inspired drink boasts a smooth, feminine flavor while still managing to be quite a doozy in terms of strength. It’s made with elderflower and violet liqueur, so it’s definitely a sophisticated choice for your Mardi Gras party. (via Hungry Girl Por Vida)

This classic yellow-toned cocktail can be adjusted to your desired level of sweetness. If you’re a lover of all things sugary, be sure to line the rim with granulated sugar for *ultimate* flavor. (via Homemade Hooplah)

For a less traditional take on the classic margarita, don’t be afraid to spice things up. These tasty ‘ritas are made with matcha green tea, tequila, fresh jalapeños, and honey simple syrup for a truly unique flavor profile. (via Wicked Spatula)

This uber-pretty cocktail gets its gorgeous shade of purple from blueberries, but it owes half of its flavor profile to pineapple. Although you can absolutely spring for Champagne, any dry sparkling wine will do the trick. (via Tasty Trials)

The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohens after getting kicked out of his mom's house, and starts a relationship with Marissa shortly after. While Peter Gallagher played Adam Brody's TV dad instead of Mischa's, Sandy was a definitely father figure for Marissa, and it seems like Peter felt that same responsibility off camera.

"I’ve always felt very protective of her," Peter told The Independent. "First fame is toxic. First fame can kill you. She was 16 years old when she started working with us, so just the fact that she’s still alive, I’m just so grateful."

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life,” Mischa said in a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. “There’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early twenties, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage revealed that season 1 overdose not only served as a cliffhanger, but gave “network executives an escape hatch on a performer they had been wary about” (via People). But Mischa Barton got her big break, becoming "how people knew the show," and (thankfully) Marissa recovered — only to die after a car crash in season 3.

As hard as that season 3 ending is to watch, Mischa did have the opportunity to watch it with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the first time on their rewatch podcast. "It needed to be a thing, after everything she's been through, but if it's here I'll watch it with you," Mischa says.

"I couldn't do it, Mischa, I couldn't do it," Rachel adds. "But I'm going to do it if you're going to do it."