Mar 15: St. Paddy's Sunshine

Ireland is not renowned for its sunshine. Florida is. Where would you rather be on St. Patrick's Day? After the winter much of this country and Europe experienced this year, I suspect many might answer that the Sunshine State sounds a whole lot better to them right about now. As it happens, our weather is perfectly glorious. At the beach this morning, the green lifeguard flags were flying beside a gentle, glimmering sea. Those of us with sunroofs and convertibles had them open to the clear sky, just as we did all weekend. Paddy's Day festivals in Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood welcomed sun-warmed partiers on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The temperatures should stay pleasant for the real holiday on Wednesday. So the next question is: what's the best spot for you to go seriously green on St. Patrick's Day?

The hard part will be picking among the many, many Irish pub options. Or maybe the hard part will be going from one to another after a couple beers. (For that, of course, there's always the new - and free - iPhone app that can help guide you around town. Called iVisitLauderdale, you can download here. Just might help you find the next pub before the night's final jig is up.)

One of my personal favorite pubs always has been Maguire's Hill 16. Definitely real Irish, definitely fun. It's totally packed to the gills on St. Patrick's Day but, hey, that's part of the appeal, isn't it? Located at 535 N. Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, Maguire's is close enough to downtown that you can walk - not a bad idea, actually. There's also Briny Riverfront Pub, about a 20-minute amble from Maguire's. This is another huge draw on Paddy's Day and offers a great view of passing boats along the New River. You'll find Briny at 305 S. Andrews Ave. A little farther afield is, well, the Field Irish Pub & Eatery. Run by a former Maguire's owner, the Field is authentically Irish, with excellent food and a major Paddy's Day bash. It's at 3281 Griffin Road in Dania Beach, maybe a 10-minute drive west of Federal Highway. Other notable spots you can dial into that iVisitLauderdale app include Mickey Byrne's in Hollywood, Waxy O'Connor's in Fort Lauderdale and Korrigan's Irish Pub in Pompano. Among lots of others. All you'll need is an appetite, a thirst and some smilin' Irish spirit to fit right in. Being in Fort Lauderdale, of course, you just might need some sunscreen as well.