The next morning, Pamela Burns (now there’s a good Irish lass), owner of Monterey’s Wild Plum Café and Bakery (731 Munras Ave in Monterey) will serve St. Patrick’s Day Scones (currant with lemon curd – yum!), Irish Soda Bread, and of course, Corned Beef with Cabbage.

That evening, Great Big Sea (“two parts Irish Rovers crossed with AC/DC”) will deliver a tsunami of music when they take the stage at the beautiful Sunset Center at Ninth and San Carlos in Carmel-By-the-Sea:

Meanwhile, Fandango Restaurant at 223 17th Street in Pacific Grove will offer a wee bit of Irish tradition: Irish Stew or Corned Beef and Cabbage for $17.95, and two special $5 “green” drinks: Midori Cosmopolitan or Midori Sours. St. Paddy’s Day diners will also be invited to enter a drawing for a “mini-pot of gold:” a $50 gift certificate.

And for a real local pub experience, well, you can’t beat the Mucky Duck, 479 Alvarado, Monterey. Voted Best Singles Bar for fourteen years in a row, the Mucky Duck has indoor and outdoor fireplaces, a full bar, flat screens, dartboards, dancing, and Happy Hour everyday from 4-7pm ($3 draft beers, $3 well drinks, and 50% off appetizers).