Wardrobes!

Check out my new wardrobes!

Over 3 metres tall, floor to ceiling!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Raining very heavily here in Dublin at the moment.  The forecast is that it will clear up late on.  I always like if it stays dry when the little kids are out trick or treating and they stay nice and warm but then I love when it starts to pour rain after that - this obviously quenches the dangerous unofficial bonfires that are planned in different areas of the city.  Last year I read that clean up costs for Dublin South Parks was over €200,000 for the damage caused by bonfires :-( 

Have a safe Halloween folks and remember to take care when handling fireworks!!

Hot tub is open!

The hot tub is open for business!  

Finally!  

The Hot Tub company sent up two guys to replace some parts yesterday.  They drove 2 hours from Cork.  I thought they would be in and out in an hour but they were at it all day.  I think they had to practically rebuild the Hot Tub operator.  They left at 5pm and the hot tub began to heat.

This morning, I got a text from Ciaran who is in Belfast to check if it was warm.  I dipped my foot in and it was so nice that I promptly hopped in and sent him a text of the steam rising!

It was -1 degree celcus last night, so today is perfect weather for hot tubbing in the garden.

Here's my twin sister and I enjoying cocktails in the hot tub!

The view from the hot tub - what a beautiful sky!

Sweet treat!

Who doesn't love a good cupcake?!

My family certainly do. 

My mother and sister own a cupcake business called "Lydia B Cupcakes".  Due to this fact, there are always cupcakes in my parents house when I call.  It's cupcake heaven.  

I love nothing more a coffee cupcake with a nice cup of coffee.

Lydia B Cupcakes are freshly made with no added preservatives.  Cupcakes can be supplied for weddings, hen parties, christenings or any other occasion.  If you are having a celebration in Ireland and wish to order cupcakes, please use the contact details on the Lydia B Cupcakes Facebook page to contact Lydia about flavours and colours.  Cupcakes stands are also available for hire.  

Become a fan on Facebook in order to get updates about special offers and also see lots of lovely pictures of gorgeous cupcakes!

Here is a picture of a recent Cupcake display for a wedding.

Lydia B Cupcakes has lots of cupcake stands for hire including this fun record one!!

New wardrobes

We are getting our new wardrobes today!  They are being made by Dean Cooper who also did our kitchen.  Over the next few days the bar will be fitted along with screens to cover the television in the living room.    

Here is the current state of the makeshift bar:

Here are the wardrobes currently:

Day 1 

Pictures to follow of the completed wardrobes and bar.

Day 2

Historic house tours

One of the highlights of our annual visit to Key West, Florida at Christmas time is the Historic House tour.

The tour generally consists of 5 houses and is held over 2 days.  You can visit each of the houses at any time during the tour opening hours. 

The tour costs $25 and is held as a fundraiser for the restoration and care of the oldest house in Key West.

This years tour is on December the 27th.  Having partaken in this event for the past few years we have visited some really great Key West homes.  The houses on the tour tend to be varied in size with a mix of modest historical homes and also some high end luxury mansions.

It's quite a social event as you see the same people at different points along the tour.  Last year we bumped into two groups of people of that we knew on the tour.  

The houses will be announced closer to the tour date and we look forward to seeing the list!

The show must go on!

I went to see "The talk of the town" today with my sister and  cousin.  When I went to collect the tickets from the box office it was explained that the main actress had been in an accident and had a fractured skull.  A new actress stepped in to the role but given the short notice (5 hours!) she would be reading the script.  

The play its self was very good but unfortunately the reading of the script was highly distracting and somewhat amateurish.  At the end of the hour and 45 minute show the look of relief on all of the actors faces was palpable when they realised that they had got through the show (particularly the actress who played Maeve Brennan). This was the last day of the run so there was only one evening performance left.  I have never heard of this being done before and I wonder why there was no understudy.  Quite strange!

Afterwards we enjoyed a cocktail in the Mint Bar in the Westin Hotel - my twin sister and I swear by their cocktails, we think they are the best in Dublin!

                          Here I am enjoying a caipiroska - Cheers!

BTW, here are lots of picture of the house, if you are interested!

Out and about in Dublin City

We took a few days off work this week to celebrate Ciaran's birthday (it was a big one but I won't say what age he is!)

Thursday was a lovely day.  We cycled to the Fumbally Cafe for breakfast - really delicious scrambled eggs on homemade bread topped with fresh tomatoes.   

We stopped off on the way to the cafe to look at St. Patrick's Cathedral which is nearby.

As we were cycling along the canal I saw these ballerinas.  They were there for a photo call and there was a group of photographers on the other side of the canal waiting to take their picture.

After breakfast we walked along Francis Street and called in to some antique shops.  Our house is from the Victorian era but this is not a style of furniture that we would like to own. 

Among all of the antique stores we found a shop that sold mid-century modern furniture, it was XXc Antiques. We both loved this Willy Rizzo designed table from the 1960's.  

In the centre of the table is a cut out tray for setting up liquor bottles when having a party.  Very cool!! 

We continued up to Thomas Street where Ciaran needed to call to an art supply shop.  We also found the "Ferocious Mingle Market" which was a bizarre type of bazaar market.  It was a long market with lots of little cafes and stalls.  In the middle was a large screen showing a film with cinema seats.  All very strange.  At night time it then turns into a live music venue.

When we got Bones home after a long day he collapsed on the couch!  It was a busy day for a little pup.

Today we had breakfast in Door 51 and then visited the Georgian House Museum at Number 29 Fitzwilliam Street.  We had visited this house a few years ago and it was well worth viewing again.  If you are in Dublin, Ireland I recommend you visit this museum!

Wild weather

Last night in Dublin there was a high tide combined with heavy rainfall.  Met Eireann had issued flood warnings all day and boy did it get wild last night.  I could hear heavy rain all night pelting against the windows and also against the glass studio roof.  This morning when I got up there were leaves everywhere.  Luckily I am off work today so I don't have to drive through flooded streets.

I have 3 days leave from work so I am not back in until Monday.  Today I have plans to buy some large kilner jars.  I want to make some chocolate dipped strawberries to bring to dinner tomorrow.    

On Saturday, my twin sister and I are going to a play called "The talk of the town" on Saturday evening along with our cousin. It is written by Emma Donoghue who wrote the award winning "Room"  The play is set in the 1950's and is about an Irish woman, Maeve Brennan, who moves from Ranelagh to New York City and writes for the New Yorker for The talk of the town under the byline the "Long winded woman".  We plan to dress in the style of the 1950's and go for a cocktail beforehand!  Should be fun......

I should also mention that plans are afoot to finish the final things that need to be done in the house.  Dean Cooper, who made our kitchen is also making the wardrobes in the master bedroom, the bar and also a screen to cover the TV in the living room.  He called to the house yesterday to go over a few details with the builder who needs to do some remedial works.  Can't wait for these to be all finished!!  

Next job then is to to something with the kitchen table.  I'm really not happy with it.  We brought it from our old house and it is not the right colour for our new kitchen - not to mention the scratches on it from the bold Bones jumping up onto it when he was a puppy.  What a naughty boy!  I might go chat to someone in the hardware shop up the road and see if they can recommend something to cover up the scratches for the moment.  I have a nice Ralph Lauren floral tablecloth on the table at the moment but it is not complimentary to the kitchen.  I'll have to sort something out.....

Keeping an eye on the street

Creature habits.....

Bones sits up on the front window and makes sure that nothing untoward goes on in the street. He sits up here and looks out at nothing for hours on end. 

Here Bones is watching me eat a slice of chocolate cake  - he wants to make sure that I don't drop any crumbs but if I do he is right there to clean up!

I like the way the light under the bench seat illuminates him.

Christmas is coming!

We called in to Brown Thomas in Dublin City after visiting "Yo! Sushi" for Sushi Sunday.  I couldn't believe it - the Christmas Shop was already open!!  I was in my element!  Ciaran was not too impressed, he said it should be against the law to sell Christmas items before Halloween.  Here's a few pictures of all the beautiful decorations.

                                                     

                                                 

What a lovely morning!

We are getting a security alarm fitted in the house today.  I was off work so I headed off for the morning to let the engineers do their thing.

I cycled to Rathmines firstly to do a few chores and potter around the shops.  I then called to Rathmines Library where I signed up for membership.  They had a very different selection of books to the Library where I work so it was nice to browse as a "borrower" rather than as a Librarian.  Obviously I couldn't help making comparisons between my work library and this branch library!  ;-)

I then cycled into town to meet my twin sister for something to eat during her lunch break.  She took me to the cutest little place, Estling & Anders, and treated me to a gorgeous hot chicken wrap with the nicest tangiest relish.  It was delicious!

After our food we got a coffee in OCB's and took a stroll around the area near her office.  

Twin coffees for the twinnies!

Here is a picture of a little food market that was on down at the canal - Amy works just a few steps away from the Canal.  Lucky girl!

The food market was just great!  There were about 20 different stalls selling various types of food including Thai Curries, Paella, Wings, Gourmet Burgers, Noodles, Burritos and also cakes and pastries.  There were loads of people sitting on the wall of the canal eating their delicious food.  I will definitely be meeting Amy here when the weather is warmer and we can sit out and eat in the open!

Here's a picture of Miss Amy!

Great days like this make me feel very blessed to live in Ireland!

Who is it?!

Recognise this pair?!

 Painted by Ciaran

And check out this little handsomer!!

 "Bones" painted by Ciaran's Dad

Bones outside the house - he is not an outside dog, he goes out to go to the bathroom and then immediately starts to whine to be let back in - I think he thinks he is human!

We went to Tribeca.....again!!!

If you are a regular reader of my blog you are probably getting a sense of what is my favourite restaurant in Ranelagh - it's Tribeca.  We are terrors for finding a restaurant we like and then continually going to it and never trying out any other place.

On Sunday we met friends for lunch and when they asked us to make a booking you can imagine what restaurant we chose!!!

The two friends were Frank & Eilish.  They brought their son with them and also Frank's sister and partner.  Frank loved the vibe of the restaurant, he was amazed by how busy it was and how there was such a good vibe in the place.  He had been speaking to the waiter about the steak special on the menu and he loved that when the waiter was delivering the steak to another table as he passed our table he nudged Frank and pointed out what the steak and eggs were like.  Frank turned to me and said "I got the nudge - I love that!!!"  

Food came out and it was gorgeous as usual!  I also had a nice glass of house wine.  I ordered the merlot (as usual - as pointed out by Ciaran!).  After lunch we walked to our house and had coffee and cake for afters.  A lovely afternoon with friends!!

Here's some photo's of Tribeca that I found on the Internet as well as a review of the restaurant.

Our conversation pit!

Yesterday I blogged about visiting the very cool and retro Sam Stephenson designed Conversation Pit in Number 31

Here's our take on a conversation pit - our upholstery was completed and delivered on Saturday morning.

10 people can comfortably sit on this couch - 12 if you are feeling friendly!!

How do you think it turned out??

House pictures!

It's been a long time since I posted pictures of the house.  Here are a few that I took this morning.  I hope you enjoy them and would love to hear your comments.

Artwork in the Master Bedroom - this was painted by Ciaran

                                   The Master Bedroom

                                                         
                                          Bathroom

This is the living room:

The glass stairs leading up to the studio.

The Lucellino Wing Lights in the Guest bedroom.

Here's the bed in the Guest Bedroom.

Here's the mantlepiece in the Guest Bedroom.  I have put my Paddington Bear's on the ground.  Check out the biggest bear - he's nearly 30 years old and he is one of the original design Paddington Bears - he is a much more solid bears then the newer ones.  I used to love reading Paddington Bear when I was younger, written by Michael Bond he will always be a favourite of mine.  Here is some trivia about Paddington Bear - Jeremy Clarkson's mother (of Top Gear fame) made and marketed the first Paddington Bear Teddy!!

The picture on the mantlepiece is of Picasso, it was painted by Ciaran's Dad.

Architecture in Ireland in 1950's

This morning we walked down to Number 31,  a mid century mdern beauty designed by Architect Sam Stephenson, which was open to the public as part of the Open House Architecture Festival.  

We were meeting friends at 2pm for lunch and tours of the guesthouse started at 12pm.  We got in line at 11.30am (we were in 2nd place) as we needed to have the tour completed by 1pm or so.  

Here's some pictures that I took of the place.

Here's the exterior of the building.  It is a mews so the entrance is down a lane at the back of a building.

 The Piece de Resistance in the house - the sunken conversation pit around the fireplace

 The ground was covered in tiniest white rectangular tile mosaics.

 We got to sit in the conversation pit to fully experience it - here I am making myself comfortable!

 To the back of the room was a bar that was tiled in mosaic mirrored tiles.  Very cool!!

The tour took about 20 minutes as we only toured a few of the rooms in the guesthouse - this is a working business so obviously we could not see the whole building.

You can stay in this guest house!   A word of warning though - some of the rooms are based in the main house so make sure you request a room in the Sam Stephenson house.

More info here!

Our conversation pit being built.

Click here to view our conversation pit!

And you can see the one off bespoke coffee table designed for the space in our Conversation Pit.