Double Denim on Denim

Friday was my day off so I was up early and out to get my hair done. I was booked in to Wayward Saloon (for the first time) and was looking forward to chilling out with a magazine for a few hours.

And chill with a good read it exactly what I did - along with two tasty Nespresso coffees.

I saw something really cool in one of the magazines. Look at this, if you buy a Brabantia air dryer they will plant a tree. Love it!

After the hairdressers, I got back in my bike (it was bucketing down rain at this point) and I went to the other side of the city to meet my mother for a browse around TK Maxx (I bought a swimsuit for my holidays).

Later Amy called around to me......and when she took off her jacket we could see that we were wearing pretty much the same thing - denim on denim. Now that's what I call #twinning!

7 day cycle.....I'm on a roll

I've cycled 7 days in a row to work and I'm loving it. I feel healthier and I am getting faster and faster each day that I cycle. I am also saving time on my commute as in the morning I am able to cycle the 11km to work faster than I could drive.  However, I do miss my cup of coffee in the car while catching up on the news on the radio as I drive to work.

Here's a sight I saw on the way home from work today.

It's a building in Blackrock at the shopping centre (across from the Frascati) which is being torn down by diggers. They have been at it for the last few days. I'm sure something nice will go up in its place.

I stopped at the cycle counter to take a pic. I was the 940th cyclist to pass this point today. During Winter this number is much lower so it is great to see how high it is now with the weather getting better. 

I stopped off at Donnybrook Fair to buy wings for dinner. I also bought the makings of a Key Lime Pie. It was the first time I made it and it sure was tasty. However I only used 5 limes and I think I will go with 6 the next time to make it extra tangy!

Ireland got sun!!

Saturday was a great day. There was sun sun sun!

I had a full day planned which involved dashing all over the city by bike and tram. 

To start Amy and I got out and cleaned the canal for a nationwide Canal Clean Up Action Day. 
After that it was back on our bikes where we made our way to St Patricks Cathedral to meet up with Together for Yes Dublin Bay South to canvas for the upcoming referendum. 
This brought us up to 2pm where we then went home and got ready for our nephew's confirmation. We took the luas tram which took us from door to door from Southside to Northside.

The confirmation was lovely and it was great to be able to sit outside for dinner in the sun.

Here's pics of the day.

Of course, normal weather has resumed today with rain and cooler temps expected for the week ahead.

All kitted up and ready to clean up the canal

I pulled a waistcoat(!) out of the canal and Amy threw it in to her rubbish bag

 Coffee cake and cupcakes were a lovely dessert after a tasty dinner

 Amy and I didn't plan our outfits but we nicely coordinated with each other #twintastic

Delivery Man

Watched a great film the other day on Netflix.

It's Delivery Man and it stars Vince Vaughan and not only one Irish actor but two Irish actors! The first actor is Simon Delaney who I remember for his breakout role in Bachelors Walk (which I loved) and then the other is upcoming actor Jack Reynor.

I wasn't expecting much from the movie but it was a nice feel good film and well worth a watch. Perfect for a chilled out rainy Sunday afternoon.

What I've been up to....

Thursday evening brought me to the Stephen's Green Shopping Centre where I tried on 22(!) dresses to finally choose one for an upcoming wedding which is on in Tenerife. A big thanks to my twin sister who carried dresses in and out of the fitting room and changed sizes and colours and who without her help I may not have finally said "Yes to the dress!"

Then on Friday I met up with two friends for coffee and a catch up and then met my mother for a browse around Homesense which is the new TK Maxx homewares store. 

In Homesense I found the perfect item to bring with me to a friends house on Saturday night.
Look! My favourite Key Lime Coconut Patties that I normally buy in Key West.
Perfect for visiting Alice for a catch up about our last KW trip.

On Saturday I was working so a strong coffee in the car was in order.  Later after work I got the bus to Alice's with Amy - the bus is literally door to door as it goes from one side of the city to the other.

Alice served us amazing food and drinks and we had great chats.

And we got to chill with Baxter!

Red wine and cocktails with best friends all make for a great evening.

We were back on the bus by 11pm and home well before midnight. Sure it's nearly as good as a taxi service!

Fun weekend of incognito art

Incognito 2018 was on this weekend in the Solomon Art Gallery. It's an amazing public art initiative in aid of Jack and Jill Foundation. Over 2000 postcard sized pieces of art are for sale for €50 and after buying a piece you then get to see who created it. What fun!

Even more fun if you discovered a famous artist like Tracy Emin painted the postcard you bought.

 

Ciaran chose the piece below and  after handing over the €50 he turned to the back of the card to see that was painted by Liam Plant.

I visited on Saturday with Ciaran when he bought this piece and then returned on Sunday with Amy for another browse. 

It was a really popular exhibition with people lining up really early to get in and choose their favourite pieces. Here's an RTE news report that captures the excitement of the event.

Ranelagh.......ever changing

When I got off the Luas today, I looked down from the bridge and noticed a new store front on the main street of Ranelagh.  It is the Dublin Lettings store and I think it has possibly gone in to a shop that was formerly a cobbler and man's shoe shop.

Here is a closer pic of the new shop

Further up the road there is a new juice bar called Apple Jacks. There used to be an Apple Jacks in Terenure in the unit that now houses The Lovely Food Co.

And next door to Apple Jacks is the Ranelagh Arts Centre which is of course not new but it does have a new life drawing exhibition which we called in to on Thursday evening for the opening.

Across the road from the arts  centre is a new restaurant called Host which is in the old Bow and Pearl shop. Pics to follow another day!

Kramer vs. Kramer

I'm in tears. Kramer vs.Kramer is now on Netflix.

I knew what it was about but I had never watched it from start to finish. What a film. And what a performance from the actor who played little Billy. He was nominated as an eight year old for an Oscar. Decades later and I can see why.

This is a must see film.

Easter Monday Brunch

My Easter break came to a lovely end with a brunch in Pot Bellied Pig. It was an impromptu brunch. We were just passing by the restaurant after dropping items that I was clearing out to the charity shop in Rathmines. Rain was bucketing down and it was a miserable day so we decided a nice brunch was a good idea!

Pot Bellied Pig is a cute place with friendly staff and great food. I had Pulled Ham and Eggs with Benedict. Ciaran went off menu choosing poached eggs and black pudding. He was unsure what type of pudding it was but reckoned it tasted as good as Clonakilty.

The restaurant was not busy probably due to the rain and also because it was the last day of a very long weekend. Our food was made super fast but was cooked to perfection and very tasty. It sure hit the spot.

Afterwards, it was back home to more house cleaning and clearing out. I am happy to report that my the house is clean from top to bottom!

Trá an Dóilin (Coral Strand)

Before we headed back to Dublin on Sunday we took a jaunt along the Wild Atlantic Way and visited the Coral Beach in Carraroe.

Sunday was a cold day weather wise so we didn't spend too long on the beach as the wind would cut you in two. 

I was glad to see the beach, it is very scenic and as I mentioned in my last blog, I love a view of water!

Love this classy corten signage

The gravel beach is made of coral algae known as maerl and it made a light crunchy sound as we walked on it. Bones also was completely camouflaged by the colour of the sand and his sandy coloured fur.

Bones! Where are you???!

There was just time for the obligatory selfie and then back in the car to Dublin!

Road Trip!

It's always great to get out of Dublin and head West. 

On Saturday morning, I picked Amy up bright and early and we set off on a road trip to Galway. We brought along Bones for the company (well in reality I couldn't have gone with Amy if I didn't bring him because his other hooman was also gone away). 

As a first time visitor, I was stunned by the serenity of our destination when we arrived. Look at this amazing view from where we were staying. 

I LOVE a water view!!!

 
 We had such a lovely afternoon chilling in the garden. The weather was amazing - chilly but very bright and sunny at times with small patches of cloud and rain. Very changeable but on the whole, very nice.

 

We were well fed with Amy making a full Irish on arrival which we needed badly....let's just say we would have made good time except for coffee stops, losing our way (just once!) and a very enjoyable detour in to our younger sisters home for a cup of coffee (she lives on the other side of Galway).

Later in the evening we walked to a pub in the village where we had a lovely chat and a drink but we left before it got dark as we didn't want to walk on country bothair-eens with no paths - even though we had brought a torch for safety......high viz vests would probably be a good idea too.

We stood in the garden and looked over the lake as the sun set with the colours changing from time to time as the sun went down.

Is there anything nicer than the sun setting on a great day with your sister?!

Good Friday was a Great Friday!

For the first time in 91 years alcohol can be sold in Ireland on Good Friday. Back in 1927, legislation was brought in to ban the sale but after years of discussion it was changed and the ban is no longer.

It means that there will be no rushes to the Off Licences on the Thursday before Good Friday with huge queues to buy alcohol for fear of "running out" on the day!!  I'm sure the pub owners are happy but the Off Licence owners probably aren't.

So given that I have always partaken in a drink on Good Friday, I continued as always.

Dillingers was open for brunch (for the first time on Good Friday again due to the law change) so we headed there for a bite to eat late in the day nearing the end of their brunch which is on 12pm to 4pm.

Food was great as usual and my vodka & diet coke was served in my usual glass so it certainly made for a GREAT Friday!

 

Can you tell how hungry I was?! I ordered this steak and eggs - I hadn't eaten all day til 3pm

 

Above is chilli fries and below are wings and vegetarian tacos.  All so so good!!