An instance of the old meme about the luck of the Irish, I suppose. Ireland has had stretches of time when it had extraordinarily bad luck (potato famine, anyone? brutal English colonialism? The Troubles?) but that can be said of many peoples. It's doing quite well these days, though. I've had my share of good luck even though my Irish green and gold is alloyed with Polish red and white.
St. Louis has two St. Patrick's Day parades. We've seen some images from what you might say is the official one downtown, always on the Saturday before the event. The other is on the day itself in the narrow streets of an old Irish neighborhood with the picturesque name of Dogtown (which is not derogatory - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogtown%2C_St._Louis). It's much more let the waist band out and be as goofy as you please. More to come.
I should have mentioned yesterday that March 17 has special significance in our home. Mrs. C and I met in a bar on St. Patrick's Day 49 years ago. The place was so crowded we were almost pressed into one another. by the pinball machine I awkwardly asked her if she would like to play. Now here we are, happily growing old together.
It's a tradition around here at big events to hang big a American flag from the ends of the fire department's longest cranes. There was one of those near the beginning of the parade route. I've never seen another kind of flag used, let alone that of another country. Here, near the end of the march, the Irish flag was on display. My heritage on my father's side is Irish, from County Clare in the west. We have visited the island several times and once spent a couple on nights in my great grandfather's farmhouse, then used as a simple tourist cottage. My mother's side is Polish. Never been there, have no known family there, but I love Chopin.
I've said many times that St. Louis loves an excuse to drink in public. There were a number of pop-up bars along the St. Patrick's Day parade route. This one got our attention. It's probably hard to read the menu at this resolution but the next to last item on the larger card says Breakfast Shot. Intrigued, I asked the bartenders what that meant. "Melted butter with a shot of Jameson," the woman explained, "chased with a piece of bacon. Full Irish breakfast!"
I've said many times that St. Louis loves an excuse to drink in public. There were a number of pop-up bars along the St. Patrick's Day parade route. This one got our attention. It's probably hard to read the menu at this resolution but the next to last item on the larger menu says Breakfast Shot. Intrigued, I asked the bartenders what that meant. "Melted butter with a shot of Jameson," the woman explained, "chased with a piece of bacon. Full Irish breakfast!"
