Celebrating Mardi Gras around the tri-state

By Alexa Santos, digital producer

One of the biggest party days of the year in New Orleans is also cause for celebration around the tri-state. 
Mardi Gras is being celebrated at restaurants, bars and other venues wanting to party like the Big Easy. 
Mardi Gras translates to "Fat Tuesday," and is a big party before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. 
News 12 visited a couple of different places offering New Orleans-themed food, drinks and activities to get you in the spirit. 
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The Gumbo Bros in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn was co-founded by New Orleans native Adam Lathan. He brought his family recipes all the way to Brooklyn.
"We realized that if we ever wanted good Cajun food whether it be gumbo, po-boys, or jambalaya, we would have to make it ourselves because there's not a lot in the city," Lathan said. 
You can find authentic Cajun food year-round at The Gumbo Bros, but for Mardi Gras, they'll have specialty items like "death by gumbo," alligator nuggets, crawfish boudin balls and more. 
Lathan said it feels good to bring the Mardi Gras party from the Big Easy to the Big Apple. 
"The whole region parties and has a good time for a week, so it's really cool to bring that up here," he said. 
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In the financial district of Manhattan, restaurant & bar 1803 is adding special live performances to its Mardi Gras experience. 
The Mardi Gras party has been going on at 1803 all month long. 
"We like to throw a party, so it's our pinnacle party of the year," 1803's beverage director Anne Castaldi said. "It's an exuberant escape from the New York restaurant scene; we offer something a little different."
There's plenty of live performances such as jazz and blues bands, and burlesque shows. 
1803 features Cajun-inspired cuisine all year, but has Mardi Gras specials like the crawfish boil, king cakes, beignets and specialty cocktails. 
Castaldi said, "It's our commitment to creating a really authentic experience that isn’t just about food, vibe, or drinks. It's about really capturing the exuberance and energy that is New Orleans."