St. Patrick's Day, Bay Ridge Style

The pounding bass and loud late-night crowds have all but disappeared in the last year from the bar/Mexican restaurant two floors below us. But today is the exception to the rule: the day of the Bay Ridge St. Patrick's Day Parade.

The neighborhood unearthed everything kelly green from the closet and lined Fifth Avenue for the 90 minute march of mostly bagpipe bands and Irish dancers. Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- now running for a controversial third term -- also walked the 30+ block route. I joined the crowd long enough to get a green-tinted bagel donated by a local politician and watched the rest of the parade from the bedroom window.

The parade ended about 45 minutes ago, but I can hear the crowds and tunes from the bar downstairs and don't expect it to end for at least another 9 or 10 hours.