For all of our careful pre-St. Patrick's Day planning (OK, a few quick conversations over drinks, but still ...), on the big day Sarah and I still were totally unprepared. Our plans had included cute, green outfits (which we never put together), a big group of friends (who we never actually called) and a jump-start on the Guinness (I didn't start on my first pint until almost 10:30 p.m.). So, instead of a relaxing afternoon of getting ready with friends, the two of us were rushing madly through Old Navy and Target, searching for shirts in an appropriate shade of Kelly green, and feeling just a little annoyed with ourselves for our ridiculous procrastination.
After finally finding a little, white T-shirt with a pot of gold, a leprechaun's hat and the words "Get Lucky" printed on the front, and remembering a bright green tank top which had been banished to the back of Sarah's closet shortly after the last St. Pat's, we were off to Sarah's to get ready.
By the time we actually got to Fado Irish Pub in the Green Valley Ranch, it was a little after 10 p.m., and the crowd both outside and inside the pub was massive. The area in front was roped off and beer stands were scattered around, but there were so many people that it was hard to find the entrance. Once we made our way inside, it was madness. There was hardly room to walk, pints were everywhere, and the crowd at the bar was so deep that, from across the room, it was impossible to even see the bartenders, let alone order. But when we finally made it to the bar, the wait was surprisingly short and the bartenders did an awesome job of keeping the drinks coming.
After getting a round of Velveteens, a delicious blend of Guinness and cider, Sarah and I moved to get closer to the house band, Darby O'Gill and the Little People, who were ripping it up with their great covers and takes on traditional Irish tunes. The crowd was as rowdy and fun as usual, and since there seemed to be about twice as many people in the pub as normal, it wasn't long before Sarah and I were wearing more Guinness than we'd managed to drink. Before long, we spotted our friends Travis, James and Broc, with a group of out-of-towners, and after a few minutes of talking, Sarah and I were back at the bar for another round.
Shortly after, James asked us to walk him to the casino's restrooms, and along the way we saw people in fantastic costumes, including one guy in a bright green jacket with tails and a big, green top hat. Since everyone seemed to be in a good mood, and Sarah and I had a camera, we ended up making a lot of new friends, many of whom probably didn't even remember meeting us the next day. We stopped at a beer stand for another round, and by the time the three of us went back into the pub and found our friends, Matt and Chris, we were feeling great and the crowd was really into the band.
Although I've always liked Fado, it became one of my absolute favorite places last St. Patrick's Day when Sarah and I went with her sister, Nicole, and Nicole's boyfriend, Justin. In the year since, it seems like Sarah and I go there at least once a week, and we always have a fun time. We had a couple more drinks, stayed until the band quit playing, and were reminded by both the lively crowd and awesome staff of why Fado has become our bar away from home. Look for us there again next year.
Maria Phelan sets a new bar for drinking. E-mail her your favorite watering hole at [email protected].