Party-goers celebrate Mardi Gras yesterday

After experiencing the decadence of an authentic New Orleans' Mardi Gras in 1990, Philadelphia hydrologist Joel Volpe said last night Philadelphia's equivalent was "not even a pimple on a baby's butt." Volpe was one of hundreds of people who gathered at the cajun-style bar Fat Tuesday's on South Street last night to celebrate the holiday, which was commemorated around the country yesterday. Fat Tuesday's and Cafe Nola, both Louisiana-style restaurants, held costume parties to celebrate the event. "This is Philly," said Devin D'Andrea, the bouncer at Fat Tuesday's. "New Orleans is New Orleans. They party on the streets all day there in 78 degree weather." Festivities for the South Street version of Mardi Gras began at noon yesterday at Fat Tuesday's. As the the trumpet player from the John Breslin and the Swingin' Gators band blared out a spunky version of the Tennessee favorite, "Rocky Top," waiters and waitresses dressed in bright costumes offered their customers free purple Mardi Gras beads and samples of the New Orleans drink, the Hurricane. Her eyes partly hidden by a large, frilly hat, waitress Gracie D'Alonzo said she was having "just as much fun" as the customers. "Of course I'm not drinking, but when I'm around [drinkers] I don't miss it so much," said D'Alonzo, who was dressed as a "Mardi Gras hippie," complete with green velour bell-bottoms. Cafe Nola, which served a special prix-fixe menu of Creole callaboo soup, crawfish, and mango cheesecake at $30 a plate last night, had the theme of "Loveboat Cruisewear" at its costume party, hostess Karen Berryman said. She said the dinner was "booked solid," but added that customers choosing to attend just the costume party only had to pay the $10 cover charge. Lines of inebriated Philadelphians bedecked in Mardi Gras beads and feathered masks formed outside the two South Street hotspots as early as 8 p.m. yesterday. But many people said they decided to come to the event, not for the music or costumes, but to be a part of what has become a tradition at the celebration -- flashing. Volpe said he decided to come to the Fat Tuesday's Mardi Gras party because "everybody was flashing" at the nightclub's party last year. He said he hoped the women at Fat Tuesday's this year would "keep with the tradition." One woman, who asked not to be identified, said she would not mind flashing the other customers at the restaurant. "But first I want to see a little [men's] ass," said the Channel 10 worker. But Gwen Foster, a Philadelphia engineer, said she would not flash anybody at the event. "Mine droop to the floor unless I'm aroused," she said. Foster, who also came to the Fat Tuesday's Mardi Gras celebration last year, said, though, that she was not "offended" by the other women flashing. "It's one thing if they have a pretty chest," she said. "But mine just don't look too good." Annette Terling, a singer with the Swingin' Gator Band, also said she did not enjoy it when "the women were dancing around, lifting their shirts above their heads." Otherwise, though, Terling said she had "a great time." Mike White, manager for Fat Tuesday's, said at noon yesterday "mainly a college-aged crowd" turns up for the bar's annual Mardi Gras celebration. But, Cafe Nola expected a more "professional crowd," Berryman said. Chris Cox, a University alumnus who hails from the Philadelphia suburbs, was waiting in the long line outside of Cafe Nola last night. He said he was not interested in going to the Fat Tuesday's celebration down the block because "too much of the Philadelphia butthead population is represented there." "There's a little too much fromage at Fat Tuesday's," Cox added.