Drink It. Free green milkshakes at The Counter [Thirsty Thursdays!].

Happy St. Patrick's Day! If you're not indulging in the green beer tonight -- DDs, that means you! -- here's a special holiday treat you can still enjoy. The Counter, of the build-your-own-burger variety, is offering free green milkshakes to those who "like" them on Facebook. Otherwise, it'll be $3 each (and for those who are indulging, The Counter's green beers are also $3). Happy drinking, be safe out there!

Check out more info on The Counter by visiting their website.

-- Chau Tu

Drink It. Irish Breakfast tea.

I know, I know, today is all about beer (and maybe some whiskey too) ... but in case any of you feel it's still too early for Guinness, Irish Breakfast tea is a nice non-alcoholic alternate that still allows you to drink something Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Irish Breakfast tea is a bold black tea blend very similar to English Breakfast tea, but a bit stronger. Like with English Breakfast, it's common to use sweetener (sugar, honey, or an artificial sweetener if you must) and cream or milk in the tea, which is served hot. "Malty" is also a word often used in describing Irish Breakfast tea, appropriate as I'm suggesting it as a beer alternate this March 17.

Barry's Tea was founded in 1901 in Cork, Ireland, and today accounts for 40% of all tea sales in Ireland, according to their website. Can't get much more Irish than that!

Cheers, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Barry's Tea is available at the Tudor House in Santa Monica, and at their online shop.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: www.theirishshop.co.uk

Do It. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in L.A.

Well good morning, BEATs, and happy St. Patrick's Day to you! Hope you've got your green attire on, because it's no time like the present to start celebrating...well, whatever this holiday actually stands for:

- Can't ring in another St. Patty's Day without visiting an Irish bar--our picks? Casey's in downtown (613 S. Grand Ave.) is open beginning at 6am, so start your morning off right. (Local radio jocks Kevin and Bean from KROQ will be broadcasting live, so be prepared for a ruckus.) You can also head over to Tom Bergin's in Miracle Mile (840 S. Fairfax Ave.) beginning at 6am for a mug of their famous (or so the sign says) Irish coffee. Hurry down the street around 11am to Molly Malone's (575 S. Fairfax Ave.) and you'll hopefully catch their bagpiper, who'll be followed by other live acts. Or for a whole mess of entertainment, get over to Brennan's in Marina Del Rey (4089 Lincoln Blvd.) in the early morn, where bagpipers, bands, green beer and good old-fashioned Irish corned beef and cabbage are all being promised.

- Speaking of food, the Nickel Diner in downtown (524 S. Main St.) is offering not only the favored corned beef and cabbage for lunch and dinner, but Irish car bomb donut holes (Guinness cake crumb filled with Jameson pastry cream). Or try to catch the Grilled Cheese truck for their special corned beef havarti sandwich with bacon- and beer-braised cabbage and mustard on rosemary potato bread (a mouthful already!).

- And dessert, of course. The two reigning cupcake-doms of L.A.--Crumbs and Sprinkles--are both offering green delights (Sprinkles boasts a Belgian dark chocolate with Baileys Irish cream cheese frosting AND a green velvet variety) which will surely clean your green beer palate.

Want some more St. Patrick's tips? Stay tuned here for info on how to embark on an epic Long Beach pub crawl and for a nice Irish alternative to the green beer, or check our twitter @beatofyoungla for updated tips as they come in! Stay safe out there!

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: 213 Downtown LA