How to Catch You a Shoe

Decorating coconuts

Here's a great instructional article on how to land yourself the most sought after Mardi Gras throws, hand-made Zulu coconuts or Muses shoes.  Having read this, I can see where I made several strategic errors last year and came away from the Zulu parade empty-handed (except for some cool beads).  I certainly got up close enough but left the costume behind due to the stormy forecast.  I wasn't willing to sacrifice my blonde beehive wig in pursuit of a coconut.

I can attest to the success of making eye contact with the float riders as well as bringing in a cute, little kid as a ringer.  People can get really crazy and greedy, even resorting to grabbing over the top of small children for whom the throw is intended.  Last year, in an attempt to ward off such behavior, we started holding up the shoe, picking a deserving someone out of the crowd and pointing to them to let others know to back off.  Big advantage goes to the little girl riding on her daddy's shoulders, so she can reach.  There's nothing quite as satisfying as seeing her look of surprised awe, as if you just handed her a magic shoe, and getting a thumbs up from the beaming father.  (Second to that would be handing a shoe to your coworker after they ran alongside the truck, screaming your name, for the better part of a block.)


Check out this video of the making of some Muses shoes with a New Orleans Saints theme.  There is also a sneak peek at some of this year's Muses signature throws.  Study up on your  throw-catching strategy and get you some!