RAVE: There’s no cure for ouroffice supply addiction

What are we reading? Well, we just finished a few books on macroeconomics and plate tectonics. Now we plan to curl up and re-read our favorite book of all time: the Staples office supply catalog.

We can't help it. When Liquid Paper came out with the "pen and brush combo" dual applicator tip, we were ecstatic. Just how ecstatic? We bought three — one each for home, office and car. And how about those forest green file folders? Man, do they ever dress up our financial records drawer!

And look, here is our collection of mechanical pencils, sleek and compact. The Papermate Sharpwriter is a multisurface overachiever but with very short lead life, while the Bic Mechanical Pencil Available in .5mm or .7mm leads is eraser-tipped, contains three self-feeding leads and has a convenient pocket clip in assorted colors.

Yes, we are a recovering Office Supplyaholic, but let's be frank: There is no cure. Nor do we want salvation, not with all these wonderful tapes and clips, two-pocket portfolios and desk organizers, punches and trimmers to round out our collection.

Gotta run. We hear the new X-12 shredders are in. We can't wait to use one on our macroeconomic texts.

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EATS: Celebrate St. Pat’s in Morristown, Morris Plains

BY WILMA HURWITZ
SPECIAL TO MORRISTOWN THIS WEEK

Luck o' the Irish? We have two days to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Morristown this year. This Saturday, March 13,we have Morristown's St. Patrick's Day parade, which starts at noon at town hall and proceeds down South Street to Morristown High School. Expect about 50,000 people in town either in the parade or as spectators.

And there will be more celebrations on the official St. Patrick's Day of Wednesday, March 17.

Here are a few places around town to enjoy the music, Irish cuisine and spirit of this holiday.

Jim Mongey, who has been the owner of the Dublin Pub for the past 37 years, displays one of their dishes, the Dublin style fish and chips. Photo by Elbaliz Mendez

Dublin Pub, 4 Pine St. (just off South Street), Morristown. Celebrating 37 years in Morristown, Dublin Pub is famous for its warm, friendly and fun atmosphere. On parade day it will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday.

Dublin Pub's menu will feature corned beef solo or with cabbage, fish and chips (fish here can be salmon, scrod or grouper), hearty Irish stew, steaks, chops, burgers and sandwiches Entertainment — in the afternoon, enjoy the sounds of Peter McKiernan and his band from New York City. The evening features Tim Harte and his band (also from New York).

On March 17 the pub will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday. The menu is the same as Saturday's. Along with roving bagpipers (a group that visits most of the restaurants on March 17), hear Marty McKernan, an Irish musician/entertainer with some lively Irish tunes plus bluegrass, country, blues and rock music.

Hennessey's Washington Bar, 140 Morris St., Morristown. Stroll into Hennessey's and enjoy the great pictures on the walls that reflect the history of the Irish in Morristown during the American Revolution. (Owner Jim Hennessey is a history buff.) On parade day, the bar will open at 8 a.m. and close at 2 a.m. Sunday. Special for the day: Hennessey's $5 corned beef sandwiches.

On March 17, Hennessey's will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday. Start with potato leek soup and move to special St. Patrick's Day entrees — corned beef & cabbage, shepherd's pie (minced ground meat covered with mashed potato and a layer of melted cheese), bangers and mash (sausages with mashed potatoes), Irish lamb Stew, fish 'n chips, hamburgers and cheeseburgers.Sona Thirteen, 13 South St., Morristown. Sona Thirteen is a classy Irish American restaurant/bar on the parade route just off The Green. On parade day, it will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday (last call 1:35 a.m.). On the menu: hot dogs, salad and different sandwiches (including corned beef) for just $3 to $5 with a bag of chips.

On March 17, Sona Thirteen wil be open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday. There will be a free buffet from 5 to 7 p.m. with corned beef and cabbage, other hot entrees and salads. Entertainment: the Bobby Lynch band (a quartet that brings a living room setup with them, including an upright piano) will play from 8 p.m. until closing.

Grasshopper Off The Green, 41-43 Morris St., Morristown. A few steps east of The Green, Grasshopper features a bustling singles and sports watchers' bar, spacious family dining room and a special party room — all with Irish decorations. On parade day, the Grasshopper will have live music all day, including Cray & Dempsey Experience and Paddy & the Pale Boys with Irish step dancers, bag pipers and giveaways. For dining, the menu will include Irish specials of shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, Irish stew, corned beef and cabbage and fisand chips.

The same menu and music will be available on March 17.

Collins Pub, 688 Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains. Want to enjoy the parade but don't want to drive into Morristown? Start your celebration at Collins Pub in Morris Plains. Park in the lot behind the restaurant (no meters on Saturday during the day), take the train into town, enjoy the parade and return to the pub for refreshment.

On parade day, Collins Pub will have a two-piece Irish band from 2 to 6 p.m. playing Irish songs. You can eat corned beef and cabbage, great Irish coffees and the usual burgers, steaks, sandwiches, wraps and salads.

On March 17, corned beef and cabbage is available all day and evening. From 6 to 9 p.m., hear bagpiper Ed Shivas playing some favorite Irish tunes.

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Hero: John Butler is grand marshal of St. Patrick’s Day Parade

John Butler is Grand Marshal of the 2010 Morris County St. Patrick's Day Parade.

BY PAUL BONASERA

SPECIAL TO MORRISTOWN THIS WEEK

As grand marshal of this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade of Morris County, John Butler's excitement grows steadily as the Morristown parade this Saturday approaches.

"I'll take a deep breath to ready myself for the excitement when I first get to the parade lot ," Butler, 66, says. "That's where everybody reports and gets lined up in their positions before the parade starts at noon."

The location is the rear parking lot of the Morristown Municipal Building on South Street. From there an estimated 4,000 marchers, including 22 bands and 122 organizations, will walk onto South Street and toward the Green. The parade lasts a little more than two hours, ending at Morristown High School.

"At first I was dumbfounded. Now I'm getting used to it," Butler said about his appointment as grand marshal. "I worked on the parade for so long behind the scenes, and for so many of the grand marshals, that I'm now surprised I'm put into the same category as them."

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Teens make an impact with 4-H Club action

Matt Elam, 18, of Morris Plains, takes part in a workshop at the 4-H Club of Morris County meeting in Morristown. Photo by Warren Westura.

By KATELYN FARAGO

MORRISTOWN THIS WEEK

The teens involved in the Morristown-based "Be The Change" 4-H club raised $1,000 for the American Diabetes Association last year with a 5K run/walk they organized at Loantaka Park.

This year, they plan to host the 5K again, and have decided to donate the proceeds to the American Red Cross for the Haiti relief effort.

"I definitely feel like we're making an impact," said Maya Epelbaum, a 15-year-old Morristown resident who serves as the club's president.

In addition to the annual 5K, the members of Be The Change also take part in county river clean-ups and multiple service projects benefiting the families of the nation's service members.
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