Google’s homepage doodles, which combine playful animations or illustrations of the Google logo to commemorate special or historically significant dates, combine information and entertainment in a fun and quirky way. In a similar vein, the search giant has released a virtual tour of it’s email system called The Story of Send.

The interactive presentation follows an email from sender to recipient through the multicolor and complex piping of Google’s energy efficient servers and advanced security protocols. While the speed and security with which messages are delivered through the Gmail system seems obvious for a company as enormous and connected as Google, what might surprise the average user is Google’s green side.

Some of Gmail’s environmentally friendly features include:

• Data centers that use 50% less energy than typical centers
• Where available, data centers are powered by wind energy
• Buildings utilize “free-cooling” techniques like using outside air or reused water for cooling
• Server rooms are kept 80 degrees fahrenheit to reduce the need for energy intensive air conditioning
• 100% of the electronic equipment that leave the data centers is recycled

You can learn more and watch the entire presentation by visiting The Story of Send.

The concept stores are a significant aesthetic departure and offer a glimpse into the future of the chain. Built under strict LEED sustainable building guidelines, to reduce the impact on the environment, this store features a floor-to-ceiling tattooed mural celebrating the history of Dutch coffee traders; repurposed Dutch oak throughout the space; antique Delft blue tiles; a ceiling sculpture created from 1,876 hand-cut wooden blocks; and a wall clad in recycled bicycle inner tubes. Designed under the direction of Liz Muller, Starbucks director of global concept design, The Bank is a laboratory with a Slow Coffee Theater, hyper local design, floating community gathering spaces and in-store baking.

More than 35 local artists and craftspeople transformed the vault of the former bank into a modern masterpiece. Concepted as a theater space with the 17-meter (57-foot) coffee bar as its stage, the multi-level community areas will cameo as stages for local bands, poetry readings and other cultural activities.

More antique color wheels and color cards from the 16th, 17th and 18th Century can be viewed here.

Tweet-A-Beer, a new web app, allows users to buy a round for their friends using the power of Twitter and PayPal. According to the creators — Portland’s tenfour agency — they built the app in order ”to ensure that distance, agoraphobia and gang rivalries no longer prevent you from sharing a pint.”

Tweet-A-Beer integrates with Chirpify, a Twitter payment application. Once signed up, a user enters the screen name of another Twitter user and the app credits $5 to their PayPal account. Users can also include a message such as a suggested meeting place and time, and it will appear in a tweet along with the gift.

After the user accepts the gift, the money is credited to their PayPal account. Although the user could potentially use the money for something non-beer related, the creators don’t recommend it. ”Seriously, we recommend using it for beer,” mentions the website, “Because … it’s beer.”

Photograph by Kate Underwood

Nashville is home to the St Patrick Catholic Church, located on 2nd Avenue South and was built in the late 1800′s. It features one of the few remaining Second Empire style buildings left in Nashville.

If drinking is more your thing, Dan McGuinness will be hosting a St. Patrick’s Day festival extending out into the street. They will be selling tickets in advance for $10. You can start your day with “Keggs and Eggs” in the morning and party late into the night with all the traditional Irish festivities, live music, costume contests, and more. They expect 7,000 – 8,000 throughout the day.

Whatever you decide to do on St. Patrick’s Day be safe and have fun!