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Shamrock Shakin Mah Head.

Yesterday: A few work buddies and I spent our lunch break scouring every McDonald's in and around Times Square in search of the elusive you-know-what -- the Shamrock Shake. When I proposed marriage to the seasonal treat during last year's St. Patty's tribute, a couple of readers chimed in with wild claims that the big city still supplied the goods. Fucking lousy liars. The people working the registers seemed almost appalled that we'd even ask for these allegedly still-made shakes, and what's worse, we spent so much time hunting down fast food joints that there wasn't even time to enjoy a much safer bet: green beer.

Regardless, this was my first ever St. Patrick's Day spent in NYC, and it sure was an experience. Though there's been major crackdowns over the past few years on public intoxication and just generally having anything resembling drunken fun, the sea of green-donning Irishmen and tourists posing as Irishmen almost made me wish my blood wasn't so fully rooted in spicy meatball woposity.

Anyway, it was nutsy. More people were walking around in costume today than on Halloween -- and by costume, I don't just mean "green clothes." We're talking all-out styrofoam hats, ties, green hairspray...the works. So gloriously tacky. There was even a guy in a big shark suit. I'll show you the pics when I get home.

Posted by Matt on 03/18/2005. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 63 comments

It was St patricks day?! Anyway, I haven’t bothered to check for the Shamrock Shake because, GASP, I’m never going to get fast food again. The reason being that I read the book "Fast Food Nation" and now know the evil that lurks behind Ronalds smile. I cant beleve the miseries they caused to all their workers as well as independent farmers and ranchers.

Chestnuts roasted by TOM @ 03/18/2005 2:31 PM

Yes! Awesome book Tom! It wasn’t the reason I became a vegetarian, that was a spur of the moment thing, but it is one of the reasons I remained one. I am proud to say no fast food place has gotten any of my money in about 5 years. That industry is truly evil, but it’s kind of a subtle evil, which is probably the worst kind. I also recommend his book "Reefer Madness". Obviously it’s about much different subject matter, but that guy is a great muckraking author. A great read.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 03/18/2005 2:42 PM

Did anyone catch the Sci-Fi Leprechaun double-feature on St. Paddy’s day? I saw the last hour of the original and it was cheesy fun. Perfect for an x-article if it hasn’t been done yet. I believe it was Jen Aniston’s first movie.

Chestnuts roasted by JLAJRC @ 03/18/2005 4:12 PM

I wish Wendy’s would make a green frosty.

Chestnuts roasted by Eddie Lightning Frog @ 03/18/2005 5:24 PM

I live down in Orlando, FL, and I had a Shamrock Shake just a few days ago. So they are`definitely still sold here.

Chestnuts roasted by Jamie @ 03/18/2005 5:57 PM

I hope there’s a someone jumping over that costumed shark picture. Especially if it’s any actor from That 70′s Show or Everybody Loves Raymond.

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 03/18/2005 7:18 PM

Ok, let me rephrase that.

I hope there’s someone jumping over the costumed shark in the picture you took yesterday.

There, that sounds better.

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 03/18/2005 7:19 PM

I’ve had 3 shamrock shakes this season. Oh god jesus yes.

Chestnuts roasted by Mike @ 03/18/2005 7:20 PM

oh, you lousy leprechauns…
I don’t know but I have the feeling that St. Patrick’s day is even more celebrated in the States than in Ireland.

Here in Spain it’s not even a known day. Oh yeah, we get some shots of the totally wasted irish guy in a pub and that’s all folks.

Now, today it’s officially starting Easter here, so for a week what you’d see here is people dressed as if they were from KKK dragging around their processions…we’re a weird weird country…

Chestnuts roasted by melonian @ 03/18/2005 7:45 PM

I got like 3 Shamrock Shakes this year. But one of them wasn’t especially minty, it was almost just like green vanilla. I went out to the club I ususally go to, Legends in Reading, PA. There were man men in kilts and one guy was playing tunes on a bagpipe. Guys who can play the bagpipe are hot. I dyed my hair green for the celebration. And got pawed at by lots of drunken men asking my to go "hang out" with them after hours. I seriously doubt they just wanted to go play Mario Party, though…"

Chestnuts roasted by Mystie @ 03/18/2005 8:10 PM

I don’t like the shamrock shake. It tastes like toothpaste. But, I’m still sad you couldn’t find one, Matt. It’s hard when you’re hungry for something you can’t find.

BTW jhnnywalkr, I’ve never heard of the book "Fast Food Nation". What kind of stuff do they do?

Anyway, you all had a better St. Patrick’s Day than I had. :(
Holiday’s are rough on me.
I need a social life.

Chestnuts roasted by Tetsu Deinonychus @ 03/18/2005 10:36 PM

Getting a Shamrock Shake was about the extent of my celebrating yesterday, since liquor of any color and I don’t get along and I had to work anyway. A girlfriend invited me to a party, but I pleaded a cold and didn’t go (and it wasn’t entirely a lie – I WAS really tired). Turns out the party was a bust anyway, just a lot of co-workers making awkward conversation.

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 03/18/2005 11:21 PM

I live in Milwaukee, and we still have shamrock shakes at all our McDonalds here.
In fact, I remember my middle school from 4th grade until 8th grade (I am currently in 11th grade, so it’s not as nostalgic a memory as it appears) would let kids preorder and pay for Shamrock Shakes. Then, on St. Patricks day, some teacher made a run to McDonalds, bought the 4.6 billion shamrock shakes our school ordered, and tote them to back to school where they would be engulfed by mint-crazed twelve year olds.

To this day, I think it is the coolest thing any public school has ever done.

Chestnuts roasted by Garrett @ 03/18/2005 11:41 PM

I’m from Windsor, Ont. I Went to the nearest McDonald’s in search for the Shamrock Shake – the girl at the counter said they havent had them for the past two years now, and when I asked, she said no other locations in Windsor had them.

I was very dissapointed.

Chestnuts roasted by Grimspoon @ 03/19/2005 12:58 PM

I don’t drink the Shamrock Shake because they are mint flavor and my mom told me they were no good. I’m not a really big mint fan anyway.

Chestnuts roasted by pikachulover @ 03/19/2005 1:26 AM

God I pity you poor bastards who must go without shamrock shakes on St Patricks day. They’re still available here in backwoods Oregon, though it seems like every year the window gets smaller. I’m sure that the green shakes will only be available for 30 seconds in coming years.

Chestnuts roasted by jalansk0 @ 03/19/2005 3:05 AM

Did schoolwork and theatre lighting work for my school all day. Didn’t do shit as far as anything fun went.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 03/19/2005 5:09 AM

I lead a boring life.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 03/19/2005 5:09 AM

Well, no Shamrock Shakes in Germany, but I did get married to the most wonderful girl in the world yesterday! Happy day!

Chestnuts roasted by Mad Cow @ 03/19/2005 6:45 AM

I totally forgot about Shamrock Shakes. Maybe that’s a good thing.

There better be an Easter article soon, Matt!

Chestnuts roasted by Jeff Mack @ 03/19/2005 11:40 AM

congrats Mad Cow! Hope you had a great day!

kingklash…yeah, thanks for the info. "Shamrock Shakes and your GI tract…a match made in hell!"

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 03/19/2005 12:17 PM

Well, Pitch Black Mt. Dew wasn’t the first to bring out the funky color for the holidays, lemme tell you. Just another chance to do your best Montgomery Scott impression. "It’s… it’s green!"

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 03/19/2005 2:31 PM

Congrats Mad Cow, where in Germany? Butzbach here.

Semper Fi,
Erik Majorwitz

Chestnuts roasted by EMajorwitz @ 03/19/2005 2:37 PM

Out Here in L.A. I’ve seen shamrock shakes in all the mcdonalds I’ve been into. The thought of a green shake kinda creeps me out though….
By the way Matt, When can we expect to see some new articles???

Chestnuts roasted by D-Roc @ 03/19/2005 4:27 PM

Woposity, LOL. I think we went over this last year. Saints days belong to all Catholics, whether they hail from potato riddled islands or boot shaped penisulas.
Seconding D-Roc: we still have the Sham Shakes in So Cal. The concept of a mint shake is beyond nasty to me though, so I celebrated with one of Carl Jr’s deeeeeelishious new real ice cream shakes. So freaking good; better than In-N-Out even.
Congrats Mad Cow! So, are you registered at TRU or KB?
Trajeal, just in case Matt can’t come through with the shark jumping pic: http://the-op.com/media/image2.php?cat=6200&i=6902&cat=6200">The Fonz jumps the shark, again. Best. Gag. Ever.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 03/19/2005 10:45 PM

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