Countdown to Operation Chi-rish!

T minus two days until Chicago's biggest party of the year! Word on the street is that St. Patrick's Day weekend is a pretty big deal around here and I am so excited for it!

At first I didn't believe that Chicago was "better than Boston" when it came to its St. Patty's Day celebration (how could anyone?!), but I'm starting to believe this myth that I once considered as real as a leprechaun or a four-leaf clover.

The first clue: Chicagoans have dubbed themselves the Chi-rish. I found it very clever... Chicago (often referred to as The Chi) and Irish together, seems like a perfect match! (Still doesn't beat the fact that Boston has a team dedicated to the Irish in the Celtics though).

Second clue: I went for a run this morning and I have never seen as many beer distribution trucks lining the streets as I did throughout my 2.5 mile journey. I was tempted to ask one of them where they were keeping the green beer, but didn't want to look too eager. Plus, I was wearing my Kelly-green Boston shirt (which used to have a shamrock on it but kind of got washed away after a few laundry cycles-- guess you can't expect much more from a T-shirt sold outside North Station before a Celtics game).

Third clue: The fact that I have made a checklist of the things I want to be doing this weekend in the "Kiss Me I'm Irish" shirt I found at Target.

Operation Chi-rish is outlined as follows:

1. Finding a spot along the river to watch the boats dump the dye into the water. I cannot wait to see the Chicago River dyed green! Don't worry, I will take plenty of pictures!

2. Drinking a glass (or two, or three) of green beer. If they're all out, perhaps I'll try a Guinness on behalf of my Irish ancestry (maybe).

3. Drinking that beer at one of the many Irish pubs hosting live Irish bands.

Okay, so maybe I only need to do three things to make my first St. Patty's day in Chicago complete. But I have high expectations for a city that is plastered with Millet Lite "Chi-rish" ads and has a baseball team (the White Sox) that hosts a half-way to St. Patrick's Day night in September.

Boston or Chicago, one thing is for sure... I will thoroughly enjoy this holiday --the one day of the year in which I embrace my pale skin and freckles! And I have plenty of freckles to drink to... three cheers for that!