Weekend Round-Up: 3/16-3/18

Yeah, this week’s weather made me crazy too. But would it really feel like mid-March without the cantaloupe-sized hail, random snow flurries and monsoon-like rain all interspersed with moments of blinding sunshine? Not for a true Seattlite. Really, we should know that there are only two ways to cope with the depression that overwhelms us this time of year when reading Facebook updates from your non-Seattle friends talking about 70 degree weather and sunny skies- dive headfirst into some vacation planning and keep yourself really, really busy. We can’t help you plan your vacation (well, actually, I’ll answer any question in the comment section), but we can help fill your calendar with an awesome weekend. Without further ado, this is how to keep from thinking about the rain this weekend:

• Shopping always cheers me up. Check out the new Nordstrom Rack yo!
• It looks ugly out there, but it is getting warmer, so it’s time to think gardening. Hit up Seattle Tilth’s Edible Plant Sale at Magnuson Park for great deals, inspiration and more starters than you can shake a stick at. Saturday, March 17, 9am-3pm.
• We told you how excited we are about Washington Wine Month. Pick up one of the bottles we recommended or go for a tasting at one of these locations!
• If this doesn’t cheer you up, I don’t know what will- Chop Suey is hosting a Holi Hai Party Saturday night. Holi Hai is the Indian Festival of Colors. Get some free henna, learn some sweet Bollywood moves, and leave the club covered in fairy dust. (Best.Holiday.Ever.)
• Turn your chores into an adventure- strike out and get your grocery shopping done at the new Whole Foods in Lynnwood. It’s their first official weekend, so there will be A LOT of free sample action up in there. Totally worth the drive.
• Oh yeah, St. Patricks Day is on a freaking Saturday this year! That means whiskey for breakfast, no excuses. Well, you can celebrate however you want, whether it’s joining in on a massive pub crawl, breaking in the new Paddy Coyne’s on Pier 70 Downtown, or seeking out some of the other festivities endorsed by Seattle Met and Seattle Weekly’s Voracious column. Even Sustainable Ballard is hosting a shindig where you can drop your kids off for balloons and face-painting while you toast several pints.
• Multi-tasking is good. Seattle Underground is doing a St.-Patrick’s-Day-themed tour that allows you to learn about Seattle’s super-shady history and drink at the same time.
• If you want to pre-tox for a day of drinking, you can still sign up for the St. Patrick’s Day Dash. Run first, beer second.
• Once the all-day-drinkfest is over, recover with a quiet afternoon of crafting with some of our favorite bloggers. Three Imaginary Girls (you really should be reading their blog if you want to know what’s cool in the music/movie/artsy world) are having a “craft-ernoon” at Porchlight Coffee and Records to celebrate 10 years in the blogosphere. Go, chill and make a necklace out of Scrabble tiles!
• Embark on an adventure to explore you city with Get a Clue Seattle. Solve puzzles, get discounts at awesome local businesses and support good causes like The Queen Anne Helpline, The Capitol Hill Housing Foundation and DESC. The adventure runs through the end of the month.

Did we miss anything? Do you have a new study on the danger of green food coloring in beer or an awesome cabbage recipe we should try? Tell us anything and everything on Facebook, Twitter or in the comment section below.