Lucky to (Not) be Irish

I never knew how much people loved their heritage until last year's St. Patrick's Day.  I (NOT being Irish, and having NEVER celebrated St. Patty's Day) was astounded that I spent it in Destin, FL of all places with two, very pale, very bearded Irishmen.  It was a rumble and tumble, beer guzzling, shot slinging festival which landed me on one hungover car ride back up to Alabama.

This year, however, I am faced with a dilemma of either participating or not once again.  But I'm in New Orleans. Besides from corned beef po-boys seen every once in a blue moon on sporadic menus I do not know of one thing Irish about New Orleans.  So, when I kept being asked "What are you doing for St. Patrick's Day?" I was quite confused as to the options that were before me.

New Orleans does have a neighborhood that lies in between St. Charles and Tchoupitoulas called The Irish Channel.  It has many shotgun houses typical to the New Orleans region but it also has one other entity that sets it apart from other neighborhoods: The Irish Channel Block Party.

I have heard that this is how you should spend St. Patty's Day if not in Ireland or Boston.  There is a parade, of course. There is green beer, costume contests (it's New Orleans so there are ALWAYS costumes) and po-boys.  The two most monumental bars for this neighborhood festival are Parasol's and Tracey's.  They have a rivalry as volatile as Catholics/Protestants (obviously not as violent. Come on) but based on history and roast beef po-boys.

So as you wake up on Saturday, Irish or not, just know that starting in the wee little hours of the morning New Orleanians (Irish or not) with enough gusto will be chugging green beer and downing corned beef hash and po-boys.  Think your power of green is strong enough? Think about it.