Ireland - the best country in the world to do business

After looking at over 140 countries and considering a matrix of factors, Forbes magazine has named Ireland as the best country in the world to do business.  Having located their European centers in Ireland, I'm sure EBay,Google and LinkedIn all agree!

Santa is coming

Here in Ireland it is traditional to leave out a snack for Santa for when he comes down the chimney.  When I was growing up, the snack for Santa was the very last thing we did before bedtime. 

In our house the tradition was that we always left a carrot for Rudolph  along with a glass of milk for Santa with a slice of pudding or Christmas cake.  In the morning the cake and carrot would be gone and the milk would be half drank.

I know that in other houses there are lots of tasty treats for Santy.  In my friends house it was always a glass of Baileys that was left.

Do you do this in your house? What do you leave to refresh Santa on his travels around the world?! What are the Christmas Eve traditions in your country? 

Christmas is coming!

I got the first 20 of my Christmas cards written.  I'll try and get them in to the mail tomorrow - in particular the cards that are going abroad.

This year, as always Bones posed for our Christmas card, but the change I did make is that I got them professionally printed by Vistaprint.  I'm very happy how they turned out!

I bought my wrapping paper and matching present tags in M&S.  They had quite a good selection and it was all 3 for the price of 2.

Wreathes are appearing in my neighbors doors.  I thought this door was particularly attractive with the plant pots either side of the door.

Starbucks have started their 12 Days of Gifting.

I do like their reindeer mugs!

And I will probably buy some of their bags of coffee when it is on offer. I generally give a bag for my parents to have on Christmas morning in Hotel Bebbington!

I'd love to put our tree up this week but I unfortunately need to hold off.  I have representatives from a Department Store calling this week to look at my house.  They are considering whether it is suitable to use for shooting their Spring catalogue in.  If it is chosen as the location for the shoot I won't be able to put up my tree and decorations until after the shoot has taken place.

New openings!

In the spot where Eatery 120 used to be, a new restaurant has opened in Ranelagh. It's called "An Bhialann" which in the Irish Language means "The Restaurant".

We may try and make a reservation for after Christmas in this new place.

I don't think the seats outside will appeal to anyone in December!  ;-)

 

In other Ranelagh happenings, the Christmas Tree lights are being switched on next Saturday.

Hotel Bebbington

A few years ago there was very bad snow over Christmas and New Year in Ireland.  I was in Key West, Florida so I never experienced it.  My twin sister needed to stay with my parents during this time as the snow was quite bad out where she lived and my parents house was closer to the city where she worked.

She stayed with them for about a week and she had quite a time.  After she went back home she talked fondly of the week she spent on holidays in Hotel Bebbington

As you can see she set up a facebook page for our parents house and since then "Hotel Bebbington" has been a running joke.  When we go for dinner in our parents house we say we are going for dinner in Hotel Bebbington. 

The other running joke is that my mother looks like Darina Allen the Irish celebrity chef from Ballymaloe House.  If you go to the facebook page you can see that my sister has put a profile picture up of Darina Allen.  The food is always described as "Simply Delicious" in Hotel Bebbington ;-)

Perhaps my sister should put a profile for Hotel Bebbington up on Tripadvisor so we can review it!!

Here's the table set in Hotel Bebbington for Christmas 2012

Please do click like on Hotel Bebbington's Facebook page if you would like to keep up with the goings on of my family!

What I wore last night!

Here's what I wore last night:

 

A Tommy Hilfiger black and navy shift dress (top was black, the skirt was navy - how unusual to pair these colours!)

Black Clutch from Benetton

 

And shoes from Zara

 

Here's a pic of a model wearing the dress.  You can see the navy and black pairing in this dress along with the band detail around the waist.

Bonne Appetite!

Here's the menu from the Wine Dinner Event we attended.

Grilled Fillet of Turbot on a White Wine Bean Cassoulet and a Field Mushroom Velouté 

Breast of Wild Mallard Duck with a smoked bacon boxty potato, apple and raisin chutney and crispy sage

Roast rack if lamb with ratatouille of vegetables, gratin potatoes and tarragon sauce 

Selection of French Cheese

1996 Chateau Calin Segur "St Estephe" - served in a balloon glass - all at the table agreed that this was the best tasting wine we had during the evening.

 

Christmas jumper time!

It's coming in to Christmas Jumper season!

 

Have you got yours yet?!

 

I spotted these in the window of Penneys (Primark)

I like the navy one in the middle row.  It's not too unstylish all things considering and it is quite Nordic looking - not the worst looking Christmas Jumper.

 

I'm not a fan of deliberately choosing the ugliest Christmas Sweater. I think Christmas time is the perfect time to wear good looking warm snuggly jumper that says "Winter time".

 

The wearing of Christmas Sweaters has just taken off in Ireland in recent years and there are lots of pop up shops around town with a large selection for sale.  The other alternative is to browse online and order from home.

 

I like to wear my Christmas Jumper in to work on the last day before we break for Christmas.  Most of the staff wear a jumper or a hat and we take a picture of us all in front of the large Christmas tree.  The photo is then put up on Facebook and we wish all of our customers a Happy Christmas!

Above is my twin sister and I in our Christmas jumpers - fun!