Vanilla ice cream, milk, and mint extract aren’t the only ingredients used for an NVU-Lyndon event, but they were the key ingredients for last Friday’s Luck of the Shamrock Shakes movie night. Originally scheduled for St. Patrick’s Day week, event host and RA Annabelle Hipp had to postpone the event to get her first COVID-19 vaccine shot, but that wasn’t going to stop her from celebrating her favorite holiday.
Shamrock Shakes are a seasonal McDonald’s mint milkshake, showing up around St. Patrick’s Day every year. RA Annabelle was able to recreate the flavor with vanilla ice cream, whole milk, mint extract, a blender from Sodexo and some green solo cups, adding to the holiday flair. Assistant Director of Student Life Mike Secreti has only ever had homemade versions of the McDonald’s shake. The shakes were popular with everyone in the room, with some students adding green sprinkles, a cherry and some last-minute whipped cream Secreti ran off to get to top off the St. Patrick’s Day dessert.
A few students popped in just to grab a shake, but others stuck around for a showing of the Disney Channel movie “The Luck of the Irish.” The movie follows a high school athlete named Kyle Johnson who discovers he’s half leprechaun from his mom’s side. Kyle and his family have been able to blend in as humans, but the family’s luck is stolen by a dastardly power-hungry leprechaun. Kyle must fight to get back his luck before he and his family lose their human appearances and become full-fledged leprechauns.
The plot doesn’t hold up to an adult’s critical eye, but “The Luck of the Irish” is a fun children’s movie. The film originally aired in 2001, bringing up nostalgic feelings for the students in attendance. One student said they watch the movie at least three times a year around St. Patrick Day.
Despite the one-week delay, there was enough St. Patrick’s Day luck leftover for Luck of the Shamrock Shakes to start the weekend strong for NVU-Lyndon.
Feature Photo designed by Alexandra Huff