For the last ten years, we've closed theshaw at the joint where we got started. Back then, it was the ONLY place in town to be on Paddy's Day. It got so successful, the there are now 5 other places cutting into the pie. PLus, this year the house decided to close the evening with a locally popular soft rock style group. So we opened, and then did something new and different. We staged a dinner show at an avant gard cafe that doesn't sell booze. We "headlined" the menue with a leek/oarmel soup that allegedly goes back to Colum Cilie, then had five entrees folks could choose from, with rum-soaked Barm Brak & home made real whipped cream for dessert. $25/couple, and BYOB. A grand time was had by all, but the volunteer kitchen crew lost sight of the "authenticty goal" and converted the menu to "fern-bar de jour." We made a number of mistakes, expected, I suppose, for a first time event, not the least of which was failing to have a volunteers' school, and over-buying a number of items. All that aside, it was a huge success, and we served about 50 people. Any bigger and it would have to be a professional job. And, we under-charged. My marketing strategy was authenticity, and no bar tab to pay. The local paper dubbed it a "Saintly Feast." The latter "hook" was an amazingly popular device. And, Oh the variety of whiskeys and such that people brought, and were so happy to share. I treated myself to a sleep-in this morning. We'll do it again next year, hopefully having benefited from this year's learning experiences. I confess, I'm still pooped. Think I'll sleep in again tomorrow.