Marc Bouwer

Caitlin Erin here, The Stylish City’s official grand marshal of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day. I take great pride in leading you through my favorite green day full of beer, laughs, bangers, and mash. Since St. Paddy’s 2013 falls on a Sunday, a day of observance, New York City’s famous and flocked to parade will be held on Saturday. Strange, I know, but this just means two full days of Irish fare and fun rather than a measly one.

St. Paddy’s Saturday

Start your Saturday off early with a traditional Irish coffee at home (simply coffee and whiskey, and for an added sweet and creamy punch pour in some Bailey’s) and warm your bones before you head over to claim territory along the parade route. You COULD bring your alcoholic treat along with you within your Starbucks cup, but we would never recommend anything illegal ;).

As always, the parade runs along Fifth Avenue between 44^th Street to 86^th Street, with ticket-only grandstanding on 64^th Street. Depending on what kind of day you want to make it, the relaxed attendees typically hang above 59ths Street, while the party happens on 58^th and below. Post-Parade if you’re down to battle massive crowds for a pint, head over to 2^nd Avenue where every bar along the stretch of 50th-59^th Street is an honorary Irish pub for the day.

St. Paddy’s Sunday

While everyone’s hungover on Sunday, make the best of St. Patrick’s Day by celebrating within New York City’s most notable pubs downtown.  Begin with a traditional Irish breakfast, stocked with black pudding, Irish sausage, corned beef hash, and Irish bacon at Molly’s Shebeen (a shebeen refers to an illegally operated drinking establishment, but don’t worry, this one’s legal!). Get there early, as I’m sure this one will pack up quickly! Next up, have a few house brews at New York City’s oldest standing watering hole, McSorley’s Ale House, which was established in 1854 as an Irish workingman’s saloon. Relish in the wafts of antiquity – which smells strangely similar to stale beer and sawdust – and enjoy the history that decorates the walls. Lastly, end your night with some live music and Jameson on the rocks at Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar. You can’t find a pub with a better name than that!

Sample Sale Alert: Yellow

Go taxi free this week, and work off those beer calories by hoofing it on foot from sale to sale!

Oscar de la Renta Sample Sale

Oscar clearly isn’t Irish, as he chooses to mark the start of his sample sale on St. Patrick’s Day. Whether you visit on Sunday or Monday, be sure to let us know how the selection is at the Oscar de la Renta Sample Sale! The sale promises fur jackets for $1,320 and strapless dresses for $975. All other merchandise will be marked down up to 80% off.

Roberta Freymann & Roberta Roller Rabbit Clothing & Home Goods Sample Sale

This event may have the longest title in sample sale history. Freyman, a New York based designer, has been creating one-of-a-kind pieces since 1996, when she opened her first bazaar inspired store on the Upper East Side. During the Roberta Freymann & Roberta Roller Rabbit Sample Sale, which begins Tuesday, expect to find bib necklaces for $50 and pleat front dresses for $60. At past sales, shoppers discovered tunics for $20, button downs for $25, and evening dresses for $100.

Heike Jarick Sample Sale

The Stylish City recently interviewed designer Heike Jarick, and was extremely impressed by her vision, quality of clothing, and fair price points. Jarick’s Spring and Summer 2013 line will be on sale beginning Wednesday at the designer’s showroom. What’s cool about this sample sale is that Jarick’s staff will assist you in resizing each sample to fit you properly and ship you the reworked, personally tailored piece to your home within 3 weeks! In this day and age, it can’t get any better than that.

Other sales happening this week that may be worth a browse, is the Just Cavalli, Karl Lagerfeld Paris, & Pierre Balmain Sample Sale on 36^th Street, which will have spring and summer finds on hand, the Marc Bouwer Sample Sale, which promises dresses galore on 57^th Street and the Twinkle by Wenlan Archival Warehouse Sale beginning Wednesday, with merchandise from all seasons, including wool jackets, silk dresses, and hand-knot scarves.

Hope you’re graced with a bit o’  luck of the Irish this week! Sláinte!

By Caitlin Colford