Q:
A: A pinch of green The St. Patrick's Day clover, according to most sources, originated because St. Patrick used it to explain the trinity to those he was trying to convert. The practice of wearing green, Parker speculates, is to signify the lush green landscape of her home country. "They call them the Emerald Isles," Parker said of Ireland. "When people go there, the first thing they notice is that everything is so green." Of course, the Irish bars in the Vail Valley will be sporting all of their greenery on St. Patrick's Day weekend, beginning Friday. Not only will Guiness and other Irish beers be flowing strong, but green beer, corned beef and cabbage and Shepard's pie will be on the menu. "It's the busiest day of the year," said Betsey Foley, manager of Paddy's in Eagle-Vail. "Everybody wants to be Irish and go out. Last year was crazy busy. We did something like 700 lunches and dinners. Most were corned beef and cabbage." Grouse on the Green in Cordillera will also serve up homemade Irish fare - corned beef and cabbage and lamb stew, in addition to serving $3 Guinnesses. "What it means to me is to have a Guinness - having good drinks with good people," said Grouse on the Green manager Dan Hollenbeck. "I'm a tainted Irish. I was born and raised in Texas. But St. Patrick's Day makes me feel proud. Even if I wasn't working at Grouse, I'd celebrate it. There is a sense of Irish pride that I've seen, especially on the East Coast, to celebrate St. Paddy's Day."