Have a feast
Corned Beef and Cabbage - a traditional Irish meal, this is a must for anyone who takes St. Patrick's Day seriously. Most local restaurants and bars offer this entrée and some sort of Irish stew on St. Patrick's Day. Or, you can make your own with a handy recipe from www.foodnetwork.com.
Drink green beer
Most local establishments have specials on green beer for St. Patrick's Day. At the Hunt Club (24 N. Howell St.) and Fillmore's (394 W. Chicago Rd.), green beer is just $1 for a 16 oz. draft. At the Chicago Water Grill (205 E. Chicago Rd.), green drafts are $1.25.
Under 21? Buy a six-pack of O'Doul's non-alcoholic beer (around $4) and go to town with some green food coloring.
Don't like beer? Most establishments offer other St. Patrick's Day drink specials like green Smirnoff's or Irish car bombs (Guinness with a shot of Bailey's dropped in)
Non-alcoholic alternatives:
- Stop by McDonald's for a triple-thick Shamrock Shake (small $1.25, med. $1.75, large $2.25)
- Treat yourself to a tasty treat from The Udder Side (121 W. Chicago Rd). This week's special is mint ice cream (small $1.25, med. $1.75, large $2.25). Cow licks (mint ice cream mixed with fudge and Oreos, put on a stick and dipped in chocolate) are also available for $1.50 apiece.
Try a “DeFusco Manhattan”
Senior Andy DeFusco, a self-proclaimed “cradle papist,” who also happens to be 3/8 Irish, enjoys this concoction as part of his family's annual St. Paddy's Day tradition.
Recipe:
Mix 2 parts bourbon with 1 part sweet vermouth, add a dash of bitters, shake, (don't stir) and top off with a maraschino cherry.
DeFusco's Disclaimer:
“The Manhattan is a drink that most college campuses have forsaken because of its manliness, and which my dad requires his sons to drink to be worthy celebrants of the Tradition of the Roman Church. Your average Sigma Chi, i.e. Neal Cole, would not be able to handle more than one. Andy Dion, on the other hand, would be welcome any day at our house, but Dion, of course, is the one blade of grass amidst the asphalt of modern fraternity drinking.”
Get back to your Irish roots
Most people have someone in their family who is mildly obsessed with genealogy and can tell them exactly what percentage (or fraction of a percentage) of their blood runs green.
However, if your family lacks a dedicated family tree-keeper, you can find out if you have Irish roots online. Visit http://www.ireland.progenealogists.com/ to get a free estimate, although, be forewarned, gene tracing can be expensive. Estimates start at $200 and increase from there.
Dance like a Leprechaun
Visit the Chicago Water Grill to hear a live band. If you are one of the first 150 people in the door, you can win a free t-shirt or mug. Or, head over to Fillmore's where a live DJ will be playing a mix of classic Irish and modern dance tunes. Or, if your dancing skills are a little rusty, put on some lively music and improvise a jig in the privacy of your dorm room.
Watch an Irish film
- The Quiet Man (1952, John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara). Recommended by junior Andrew Dion.
- Boondock Saints (1999, William DeFoe, Sean Patrick). Recommended by sophomore Sean Boyle.
- Waking Ned Devine (1998, Ian Bannen, David Kelly, Fionnula Flannagan). Recommended by junior Crystal Hubbard.
- In the Name of the Father (1993, Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson)
- Bloody Sunday (2002, James Nesbit, Allan Gildea)
- Leprechaun (1993, Warwick Davis, Jennifer Anniston). Be forewarned, this is a cheesy horror film.