Top ‘o the mornin’ to ya, dear readers. It’s St. Paddy’s Day, when everyone can be Irish!
Today, Montclair High School’s Marching Band has, for the fourth time, a place in New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade! More details on Barista Kids. Meanwhile, local celebrations (read: drinking) start early and last long into the night at Baristaville’s Irish watering holes:
Bill Tierney, of Tierney’s Tavern, says the pub opens at 10 am – and it will get mobbed. Six groups of Irish bagpipers will come in throughout the day, beginning at noon. Musicians Liam, Tim, and Billy, aka The Bedlam Boys, will play Irish folk music in the bar at 4 pm and again in the upstairs room at 9 pm. The chef will be cranking out corned beef and cabbage, spuds and carrots, period, until 6:30 pm. If you get the munchies later, qba, the Cuban food truck, will be curbside 7-10 pm per Bill’s request. Tierneys, which has been celebrating St. Pat’s since its days as a speakeasy before prohibition, also has the distinction of being written up in the first edition of Weird New Jersey. “There’s the legend of Finn Tracy, who was a coach at Immaculate, he was sitting on this barstool, and he just fell over dead,” says Tierney. “And this place is haunted!” Quite often, says Bill, he’s heard footsteps running from the southeast corner to the northwest corner of the upstairs room after closing. “Then there’s the old lady, dressed in 40′s garb, who’s appeared next to the ice machine after we’ve locked the doors – and then vanishes. She’s been seen by several customers.” Visions of leprechauns today?
Egan & Sons Montclair, opens at 11 am with its usual tent in the back, hosting Irish dancers and bagpipes throughout the day. Expect lots of Irish fare on the menu specials. like cider glazed salmon and cottage pie. Starting at 4 pm, there’ll be rocking to the live tunes played by the wild Irish men in Streams of Whiskey. They promise tons of pogues songs, Irish ballads and rebel tunes to boot!
Fitzgerald’s Tavern,Glen Ridge gets going at 11:30 am-10pm, bar open til 2am. Irish music will play all day long, dig into their Irish menu – Bangers and Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, Fish & Chips, Guiness Irish Stew, Corned Beef & Cabbage.
Before the pubs even open, Toast will be serving Irish specials: colcannon benedict, corn beef platter, and green bagels.
The Manor in West Orange has added traditional St. Patrick’s Day dishes to its lavish lunch and dinner buffet.
And if you plan to stay home and cook, like me, check out Bernadette’s yummy soda bread recipe that has candied orange peel. Need a little help in the kitchen? Tallmadge Cheese Shop has Irish cheeses like Dubliner, Cahill Whiskey, Ardrahan, Gubeen, Daru. Montclair Bread Company has tradtional Irish soda bread, hot cross buns, Sally’s “Green Soup” to go – made of swiss chard, parsnips, zucchini, and leeks, and pizzas in the colors of the Irish flag.
The 59th Annual West Orange Parade, washed out last weekend, has been rescheduled to begin at 12:15 this Sunday, March 21.
Are you getting your Irish on today?
–top photo, St. Patrick’s Festival 2010
“Visions of leprechauns today?”
More like delerium tremens. But back in the day when I was a Boston-area resident, St. Pat’s would start with a pop or two at The Happy Swallow (perhaps the best-named bar in America), followed by a long and often solely liquid lunch at the Dudley Chateau, some late afternoon Irish music with Seamus Kennedy or Robbie O’Connell (or even Billy Carson) at Liam’s Irish Tavern, and then into the Old Town for the madness at the Green Dragon or Mister Dooley’s. Last call? The Ancient Order of Hibernians in JP.
(Then, three days of vacation, Alka-Seltzer, and a “rinse” cycle.)
Today I’m Herb O’Everschmel
Drinking all day long. What a wonderful way to celebrate. Not my favorite holiday.
Wally O’Roo
I will sneak in the obligatory Guinness sometime today, will catch the parade at lunch time (it’s a block away and it’s gorgeous out). I love all things Irish: my husband, the music, the country, the poets and writers…heck, I even like the food.
Dare I add that in Ireland the day is still viewed as a religious feastday first and foremost, to be properly launched with attendance at Mass and the taking of Communion for the Papists?
Even in NYC, the must-attend event of the day, for which politicians scheme for invites, is the Archdiocese’s pre-parade Communion breakfast.
It also should read above “Top o’ the mornin to ye,” not “ya.” We’re in the spirit of Bing Crosby or Bono here, after all, not the Black-Eyed Peas.
I just polished off some leftover macaroni and cheese and steamed pork dumplings both drenched in the dumpling sauce.
Damn that was freaking delicious! Who would have thought that dumpling sauce and macaroni and cheese would be good together.
I’ll celebrate this day with an ice cold Coke and some left over chicken later on.
The best place to see the St. Patricks day parade is the crosswalk at 5th and 72nd. They leave that one open for pedestrians to cross 5th. As you look down the avenue and see the sea of people and all of the marchers coming up towards you an indescribable sensation of joy will permeate your soul.
.. and when you reach the park side of the avenue you can duck into the bushes for a quick pee!
LOL, Mellon…that will surely get you sent to the pokey!
favorite images from St. Patty’s day in NYC: drunk high school girls from “Lon Guyland” vomitting outside of my 5th ave office; and, 8pm in the Bus Terminal, 60-ish man and wife tottering along the concourse, bright green banlon sweaters, droopy green carnations. Like seeing your grandparents drunk.