2009 St. Patrick's Day San Diego Style

I am not Irish even though my son and I both have red hair. I do however enjoy my fair share of Guinness and even was proposed to in the back of a local Irish pub. I mostly aviod St Patrick's Day madness due to all of the amateur drinkers that emerge, but there are plenty of ways to celebrate this sudo-holiday without subjecting yourself to drinking green beer (I have to break it to you that it is not real beer anyway). Here is a list of things you can do to combat those individuals who insist on pinching you for not wearing enough green.

Go to an Irish pub/bar to have Guinness, Jameson or an Irish coffee (but stay away from the Irish car bombs). You may not want to go though, since the bars will most likely be packed. I know I won't be. Here is a comprehensive list of local Irish bars.

Attend ShamRock in the Gaslamp. Basically like Mardi Gras all over again, where you will find half naked girls and frat boys drinking anything that is green. At least they have the Downs Family and the Young Dubliners playing.

Partake in some corned beef and cabbage or maybe some shepherds pie. Many local establishments, including restaurants & bars (like Starlite, Shakespheare's Pub, O'Sullivan's and this list) and your nearby VFW, are having specials or potluck-style meals of this delicious dish.

Read some Irish poetry. I guess the D.G Wills Books in La Jolla is on it's 13th year of this crazy celebration. I never really could make any sense of Irish poets like James Joyce and friends. Oh, did I mention that this event does have good Irish beer?

Look for four-leaf clover. I once found over 20 four-leaf clovers in this one field in Battle Creek, Michigan (long story to why I was in the cereal capital of the world). There have got to be some good fields of clover around here somewhere.

Watch a live radio broadcast. Both 91X and FM94/9 are broadcasting remotely that day. FM94/9 will be at Hooley's in Rancho San Diego (6am-8pm) and 91X will be at Rock Bottom Brewery in the Gaslamp (5:30-10am) with the San Diego Derby Dolls & Get Back Loretta. I will be headed to Hooley's with Thomas for some early morning drinks. Come join and please don't pinch me.

Sources: San Diego Travel Tips, San Diego Reader and individual sites.