My Dublin Life

Last night, I took Vicki, my visiting friend, to the imaginatively named Exchequer gastropub on Exchequer Street! No, I'm not rich, but I had bought vouchers from Citydeal so we were able to pay for most of the meal with them.

I'd never been to the Exchequer before. It's really pretty. There was a very rowdy elderly bunch shouting at each other so enthusiastically about golf or something we had to move tables to get away from them (seriously!!) but we had a great heart-to-heart and a fantastic meal. There's even a brooding, mysterious-looking chef type person swanning around, so we had a bit of a look at him, too. I must say, now that I work in a restaurant, it's really very nice to be on the other side of receiving service and a cooked meal for a change.

I have steam coming out of my ears! I wanted my friend Vicki to get along with my flatmate Bepe as she'd be staying at our place, so the three of us went out last night. We bumped into some friends of his and between one thing and another ended up in Hogan's on George's Street.

Hogan's isn't a place I usually go, but it's nice. Anyway, the evening was going great, and then I noticed that she was flirting with Bepe, big time. Surely that's not on? Of course, it's not really my business, but she's here to visit ME, goshdarnit, and I don't want to have to deal with hurt feelings, etc., or whatever. Anyway, it's all pretty awkward and needless to say I haven't even mentioned it to her because I don't want to cause any hard feelings... but still. Grumph.

So this morning we went for Irish Breakfast at T.P. Smiths, which is near where I live.  (Very nice, by the way, I haven't needed lunch in consequence). She could tell that something was up, but I didn't tell her. I don't know why it's getting to me so much!!! I advised her to go the Hugh Lane on her own this afternoon, because I've already been there several times, so that's what she's doing now. Sigh. Maybe I should just get over it already. I honestly don't know why it's bugging me so much.

Anyway, we're going to the theatre tonight. Maybe we can talk about it after the show. It's a new play. We're going to two things as part of the Theatre Festival, one Irish classic, and one new. It was hard to choose as there's so much on, so in the end I selected almost at random. Looking forward to it though! :-)

Hallow'een is coming! I think it's my favourite festival. I've loved it ever since I saw Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas as a little kids. It scared the bejesus out of me, as my local greengrocer would say, but I think it's my favourite film of all time, and quite possibly the reason why I ended up studying Gothic literature in the first place.

And of course it's particularly special to celebrate Hallow'een in Ireland, where the festival originates. People say it's become "Americanised" and I'm guessing that's supposed to be a bad thing, but I'd be more inclined to see it as part of the ebb and flow of Irish culture across the Atlantic. Anyway, if you can't beat it, you might as well join in!!! And this year, I'm gonna have a party. Although this event in Marlay Park also looks like fun.

I'm having a wonderful week so far -- OK, so it's only Monday -- because my best galpal, Vicki, is here, and we are just seeing all the sights -- many of which I've already seen over my year-and-a-half here and also plenty of new ones. We've lucked out with all the stuff on right now, from the Theatre Festival to Oktoberfest, and I already know that I'm going to be crawling to the boss and looking for overtime to pay for all this, but what the hey -- it's worth it because my best, oldest friend is here and we are making memories that are going to last a lifetime!

I was a little nervous about introducing her to my best Irish friend, Saoirse, and sure enough, it was a little awkward. Why is it hard when friends from different parts of one's life meet up? I've never been able to understand that! Fortunately, considering the bijou size of our apartment, she's hit it off with my flatmate Bepe. That's a relief.

There's great excitement in Ireland right now -- or at least in my apartment right now -- because Google maps has launched, and now you can see all the streetscenes around the country just as though you were walking down the road. I have to say, this is loads of fun! I found my window on the facade of the apartment building where I live and can distinctly see my sneakers on the window ledge. I can even see that they could have done with a bit of a wash.

Anyway, you can take it from me, it's really fun browsing Dublin on your computer. You can walk all around the main squares, and even see into the parks. What's more, the nice people at Google kindly took all their pictures of Dublin in the late spring, when all the leaves were on the trees, which is SO much nicer than January when there's still plenty to do, but things are looking greyer. Go on - it's fun, kind of like peeping into a dolls' house.

Last year, I went to the Irish Botanic Gardens to see the Sculpture in Context exhibition. It was absolutely wonderful. It's on again this October, so if you're coming to, or live in Dublin, you've just got to go. I love the Botanic Gardens - but because they are a little way out of the centre, I think they sometimes get overlooked. The exhibition is a great time to go because it's fantastic, and it's not just about the plants.

Well, I'm a very happy girl right now because not only is my oldest friend coming over, but I'm about to start a week off. Tonight's my last night and work and ... woohoooo!!! Just try to stop me. And I feel that we've really lucked out with the timing of her visit as the question is really going to be what not to do because there's so much on. Like this, for example.