USS Fort McHenry

Wow Dublin is full of Americans for the Notre Dame v. Navy!  There is loads of events going on with a pep rally in Temple Bar this morning before the game this afternoon.

The USS Fort McHenry is docked down at the port  and through a lottery held by the US Embassy I won tickets to go aboard  on Sunday!!!  So excited to see this! 

We have been given instructions to make our way down to the East Wall at the port.  We will then be taken on a bus to the ship.

Photos to follow......

Sex & the City - Kristin Davis

While in New York my sister Amy went to see a play called "The Best Man".  Starring Kristin Davis and John Stamos, Amy was very lucky to get meet them and get a photo!

Check it out....

Amy with Kristin Davis!

           John Stamos (of ER and Full House fame) with Amy

Amy said that they were both so nice.  She chatted with John and he told her how he had visited Ireland as a child.  He was in a marching band and he agreed with her that he visited Ireland to be in the St. Patricks Day Parade.  She told him that he should come do theatre in Dublin and that Al Pacino was in Ireland doing "Glengary Glen Ross".  He told her that this play was coming to broadway.  Amy was very much starstruck and said that he had a "million dollar smile".  Gorgeous!

Barefoot Contessa - my favourite cooking show!

It's lashing raining here, I had planned on going for a cycle before work but it is just to wet.  Instead I am catching up on my favourite cooking show Ina Garten's "Barefoot Contessa".  I record all of her shows and then watch them when Ciaran is not about.  Today Ina is cooking clams on the beach for her friends - it is another world and it certainly helps me forget about he dreary weather outside my door!

While she was prepping the food for her guests she asked a friend to set the beach up for a simple beach party.  "Simple" does not seem to be in this man's vocabulary! He is a florist so he planted 4 palm trees on the beach along with bringing some fabulous beach blankets and a bench and a grill.  It was all finished off with some hydrangea's and glass vases filled with sand, shells and candles - it looked amazing.

After clams and burgers topped with caramelised Ina's guests were treated to "S'mores".  I always see S'mores in American films but have never tasted one, they look delish - might make some next time I am in Key West and using the bbq!  

Next up she is cooking swordfish with a garlic and ginger marinade!!!

PS. I should mention dinner yesterday in my parents house.  My mother cooked Pulled Pork for the first time using a recipe given to here when she was in New York with my sister last week.  It was amazing!  She got up at 6am to put it on to cook.  Wow, it was worth it!

Gobble gobble! Turkey time!

My twin sister came back from New York on Monday.  She brought Bones a new toy.  It's a turkey!

We are driven insane by him, he loves it.  I've never seen him pounce on something with such gusto!

For fun we put it up on the mantlepiece - he goes wild for it.  All of his toy chickens have been relegated, the turkey is his favourite.....for the moment ;-)

Tall ships in Dublin

We just got back from the Tall Ships festival.  It was great, town was really buzzing and all of the pubs were packed with people.  Most of the pubs had put on entertainment which really made the atmosphere fantastic.  We also heard The Undertones performing Teenage Kicks which was cool!

We cycled into the city but walked back home which was not so great for Ciaran given that he had played a few hours of squash today :-(  

Smart Car Belfast

A year ago my twin sister and I organised a "Smart Car Rally" in Dublin.  14 Smart Car owners from all over Ireland (and one lady from England) joined up for a great say out.  We met in the Phoenix Park where we had coffee and cinnamon buns while we checked out each others Smart and talked about them.  We then set off to Dublin City Centre and then on to Howth.  After that we made our way back to to the Hole in the Wall Pub which it on the wall of the Phoenix Park.  There we had some food and drinks and then finished off  the rally with some amazing cupcakes courtesy of "Lydia B Cupcakes". Of course the conversation revolved around all things Smart!!

We were able to link up and find Smart Car owners through the power of the Internet as well as diligence by Amy and I - every time we saw a Smart Car in Dublin we left a note on the car about the rally and the Facebook page.  It is great to have met all of these owners - they have proven to be a great resource whenever you need anything done to your Smart there is always someone who knows where the best place to buy the part or get it done it.

In September the Smart dealership in Belfast is organising a rally in aid of the Ulster Cancer Foundation.  Hopefully we can meet up with a lot of our buddies who went to our rally at this event!  

                         My car and Amy's 1967 MG.

If you have any questions about Smart Cars, feel free to email smartcarrally@gmail.com or join us on the Smart Car Rally Facebook page.

Stay safe my Key West friends!

It seems that Isaac will be popping in to say Hello to Key West on Monday.

Stopping off in Cuba and possibly Haiti this hurricane looks like it may cause serious damage to places that haven't even started coping from the last big storm.

I'll be keeping an eye on this one over the weekend but in the meanwhile I urge my friends in Key West to either make plans to get off the island or to stock up on necessary supplies.

My thoughts will be with you it if hits........hopefully this is not the big one that is expected after many quiet years after Wilma.

Update, Isaac is expected to hit Key West about 8pm tonight (Sunday) as a Category 1 hurricane.