Critic's Notebook: St. Patrick's Penthouse; $4K scotch; challah classes for the kiddies

Tomorrow right around this time (it is currently 11 a.m.), Fifth Avenue will be busier than usual for a weekday as crosstown traffic is diverted to make way for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade. Later on in the day, after the marchers and on-lookers have moved on to their pints and/or plates of corned beef and cabbage, the avenue will still be hopping—at least where it crosses 27th Street. That intersection is where you'll find 230 Fifth, which tomorrow will be the scene of a St. Paddy's Day bash you'll never forget (assuming you're able to remember it in the first place). Hosted by RadioIrish.com and Eurocircle, the social networking website, the event will run from 6 to 11 p.m. and take place at 230 Fifth's heated Roof Garden (aka, Penthouse). A disc jockey from RadioIrish will be on hand to spin all your Gaelic faves. You can avoid paying the cover charge on the event by RSVPing at the Eurocircle website (registration required).

How Many Cases Can I Put You Down For?

The Village Voice Food Blog reports that scotch distiller Highland Park plans to release a series of 40-year-old single

malts at a price tag of (drum roll) $3,999 per bottle. That's seven and a half times more expensive than Highland Park's merely obscenely priced 30-year-old single malt, which sells for $539.99 per copy, and forty-two times the cost of the 18-year-old (for pikers) shown here. The question that arises is not who can afford to drop $4K on a bottle of hootch, but—as the Voice correctly notes—who will carry this fancy beverage?

From the You-Don't-Have-to-Be-Jewish File

This coming Friday, March 19, the 92nd Street Y (1395 Lexington Avenue, 212-415-5500) will be conducting a class on challah-making geared to children (check out the video below). The class, led by one Karina, will include instruction on the squishing (that's an official baker's term), rolling, and braiding of this popular egg bread. Children of all ages are welcome to participate, and everyone gets to take home a proofed loaf ready to bake. The cost is $10 per child; adults get to play for free. If you can't make it this Friday, not to worry. The Y repeats these classes from time to time. Check out the Y website, or phone them for information on future classes.