Things you find out or remember at the weekend...

Had a busy weekend, just gone. Car maintenance, visiting friends, cinema premiere, afternoon moseys in Dublin.....forgetting about The Match...

So, here's a brief extract from the list:

1. The new Muppets film is brilliant. Uproariously funny, universally appealing, unpretentious, and did I mention uproariously funny? Great to see the gang (+1 new muppet) back in action. And we saw a brilliant Pixar/Toy Story short too! A film for all ages.

2. The Queen of Tarts coffee/cake shop is still amazing. Yes, we've been in there before, but it's still refreshingly yummy in there. This weekend's conquests - Apple Crumble (and how did it crumble, perfect crunch, perfect apple), Victoria Sponge (a triple decker, bursting with berry goodness), Lavazza coffee and wonderful hot chocolate. Don't pass it, unless you're going to their other branch.

3. The Elephant and Castle is great for lunch. We'll have to go back to try the wings (everyone was having wings!), but our lamb pitta and elephantburger lunch was tasty, succulent, well presented and well priced. Again, we say.

4. It might be time to get some different shoes. In my rush to leave the house, I had a left and right from different pairs. Not dramatically different, but enough. Lesson learned.

Small few photographs taken, for a later time.

Till then!

Another day in Dublin...a lovely afternoon

I had to snap this photo - "no right turn" sign with an election poster for a strong left alternative beneath it!

It's great, how simple a day can be so enjoyable. We ordered rings for the wedding last week. They rang us this week, to say that they'd arrived, so onward we went. (hoping that we could meet some friends to watch the unfortunate rugby game, but one's foot, having been injected recently, was not up to the walking that would have required).

So, yeah. Parked. (BTW, the car park near Jurys' Christchurch has a €10 parking deal between 11am and 6pm, if anyone's interested). A bit peckish, so we found ourselves in the Porterhouse, having seen a menu (and don't tell anyone, but they advertised the Dungarvan Brew Co. Copper Coast Ale......). Interesting soup and a phenomenal all-day breakfast were enjoyed in the company of that Ale and a Kriek (cherry beer - try it!). The breakfast in there comprises ginormous sausages, yummy pudding, great scrambled egg, and lovely rashers, served with tomato, mushrooms and toast, in a frying pan. On a plate. Can't be beaten.

We soon ran out of brackets (only joking) and went to collect our rings (via some shoe shops. That was unsuccessful) - unfortunately, only one was available due to a miscommunication. Anyway. It fits, and is shiny. That is all that's required. :P



A quick wander around adjoining shoe shops, an unexpected bumping into with an aunt, and some coffee later, as well as some photo opportunity in TCD, brought another couple of hours to a close, though my foot was getting tired at this stage.





And the weather wasn't even great! Still, it was a mucho enjoyable afternoon.

By the way, there are still some great sales on....



Oh, and the Copper Coast? Another lovely beer from Waterford, you'd almost say it was a chocolatey and malty ale. Yummy, and moreish, and a definite recommendation, though maybe a step or 2 down in this blogger's list from the Helvick.

As for the Kriek. Who'd have thought cherry flavoured beer would work? Yet it does, it's light, drinkable and refreshing. Reminiscent of Belgian holidays, which helps!

Things to do on a Saturday, when the weather's nice...

Suggestion 1: Go to Malahide for an hour or two. The advantages are these - you can go to Malahide castle, which has some nice green grounds to wander around. It also, importantly, has the Fry Model Railway, which is well worth a visit. For €6 for a grown up (hah!) you get to see both a phenomenal set of model trains that Mr. Cyril Fry, a railway engineer, built in the 1920s and 1930s, and a huge (much bigger than an attic....) display of running model trains which covers the DART, Irish Rail, Luas and other model transportation. Anyone with children to entertain (like my better half, who still isn't convinced of my age) who have any sort of mechanical interest would enjoy this I think.

Also in Malahide, there is a beach for walking on. That's nice too.

Suggestion 2: The Chester Beatty Library. I finally made the effort to go and see it, it's been hiding behind Dublin Castle all these years! A small, but exquisite exhibition called "the Art of the Book" is on display at the moment, which has some absolutely fantastic and beautifully illustrated books that Mr. Beatty (obviously a man of not inconsiderable means...) collected. The vivid colours and details that were capable of being printed through the years is very impressive, and for €0 entry fee, well worth a visit. There is also an exhibition on world religions which is very interesting too.

Suggestion 2.1: Toscana, on Dame Street - a very tasty 2 course lunch is available here, in the Italian style. Excellent value, nicely filling.

Suggestion 2.2: The Queen of Tarts, also on Dame Street for coffee and dessert. Like the Chester Beatty, I'd been threatening to get in here for years but only now have I managed it! A lovely cosy café (be prepared to wait for a table, though!) which serves absolutely gorgeous cakes and Lavazza coffee. We had pear and chocolate tart, which was delicious, and a very well balanced cinnamon and apple crumble. Both were hugely tasty and lighter than we expected. It's going to be visited again.