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towniegirl
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A friend of mine just sent me a link to one of the oddest events I've heard of: the Dublin Zombie Walk. So far as I can gather, hundreds or even thousands of people are going to disguise themselves as zombies and walk on a prechosen route through Dublin before finishing up with a disco, including a children's disco, in Temple Bar.
Well, this is certainly a novel way to collect money for charity. I'm kind of sorry I'm busy this weekend, or I'd join in. Or maybe the Mom I babysit would let me bring the kids? Would you take children on a zombie walk?
Apparently, though, they are walking more or less the same route, at more or less the same time, as the annual Gay Pride Parade. Well... that sounds like it's bound to result in a lot of unintentional hilarity. OMG, I've got to go!!!
And hats off to the organisers for inventiveness! I hope they raise lot of money and have a fantastic time. I might even be there. I've actually recommended the event to a few of the people I've met in Dublin Tourism in my meet 'n' greet job. Note to self: stop doing that -- it's too hard to explain to someone who speaks English as a second language, and I think I've alarmed a couple of lovely French families. And the people I meet there are so nice!! I recommended the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl to a couple yesterday, and they went on it and had such a nice time that they came back today with a little box of Butlers Irish Chocolate for me! How sweet is that? I'm just doing my job here.
I have ALL SUNDAY OFF this week, until the evening when I'm on at the restaurant after 8. I'm torn. Should I spent the whole day in bed and catch up on some very necessary sleep, or hook up with my pal Saoirse and go to the mountains for some equally necessary exercise? Oh, decisions, decisions... Maybe I'll wait to see what the weather forecast says before making my choice.
Well, this is certainly a novel way to collect money for charity. I'm kind of sorry I'm busy this weekend, or I'd join in. Or maybe the Mom I babysit would let me bring the kids? Would you take children on a zombie walk?
Apparently, though, they are walking more or less the same route, at more or less the same time, as the annual Gay Pride Parade. Well... that sounds like it's bound to result in a lot of unintentional hilarity. OMG, I've got to go!!!
And hats off to the organisers for inventiveness! I hope they raise lot of money and have a fantastic time. I might even be there. I've actually recommended the event to a few of the people I've met in Dublin Tourism in my meet 'n' greet job. Note to self: stop doing that -- it's too hard to explain to someone who speaks English as a second language, and I think I've alarmed a couple of lovely French families. And the people I meet there are so nice!! I recommended the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl to a couple yesterday, and they went on it and had such a nice time that they came back today with a little box of Butlers Irish Chocolate for me! How sweet is that? I'm just doing my job here.
I have ALL SUNDAY OFF this week, until the evening when I'm on at the restaurant after 8. I'm torn. Should I spent the whole day in bed and catch up on some very necessary sleep, or hook up with my pal Saoirse and go to the mountains for some equally necessary exercise? Oh, decisions, decisions... Maybe I'll wait to see what the weather forecast says before making my choice.
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towniegirl
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Even though Ireland isn't in the World Cup this year, people seem pretty distracted by the whole thing anyway. Maybe it's because I'm spending most evenings working in an Italian restaurant, but it seems that everyone is pretty much glued to the television all the time. This makes for a exciting pub scene as unlike most sporting "fixtures" (why are they known as "fixtures"?) the World Cup is quite easy to get excited about. If you look at the photo below, consider how few people there are about when Dublin is usually full of people you'll realise just how much impact a particularly exciting match has on the number of pedestrians!
But, guys, football is not the only thing happening at the moment!!!
For instance, I only found out today that there's an Indian Film Festival on in Dublin this weekend. I love Indian cinema. I didn't think I would, but I do. And the stuff I like best is the real old-style Bollywood, with millions of extras and loads of singing and dancing. All the actors are so gorgeous -- and the girls look real; they make a little roll of bellyfat look as sexy as hell. It's on in the Swan Cinema in Rathmines.
My only regret about my complicated patchwork of three part-time jobs is that I will never be able to get away for a whole weekend, at least until things calm down. I'm not complaining, of course, because I know I'm darned lucky to have a job and all, but sometimes I think it would be nice to go camping in the Wicklow Mountains, like I did last summer. However: not complaing. I have enough money to pay the rent, I get free tickets (occasionally) from Dublin Tourism and the weather is (mostly) shining.
So, a minor dilemma: I'd really like to go hear a band I was introduced to a while ago, Jimmy Cake. They're playing a gig soon in the Lower Deck, in Portobello. Problem is, my ex is one of their biggest fans (in a slightly worrying, stalker-ish sort of way). I don't want to see him with his (beautiful, thin) wife. But isn't it pretty lame to not do something I want to, just because he's going to be there?
But, guys, football is not the only thing happening at the moment!!!
For instance, I only found out today that there's an Indian Film Festival on in Dublin this weekend. I love Indian cinema. I didn't think I would, but I do. And the stuff I like best is the real old-style Bollywood, with millions of extras and loads of singing and dancing. All the actors are so gorgeous -- and the girls look real; they make a little roll of bellyfat look as sexy as hell. It's on in the Swan Cinema in Rathmines.
My only regret about my complicated patchwork of three part-time jobs is that I will never be able to get away for a whole weekend, at least until things calm down. I'm not complaining, of course, because I know I'm darned lucky to have a job and all, but sometimes I think it would be nice to go camping in the Wicklow Mountains, like I did last summer. However: not complaing. I have enough money to pay the rent, I get free tickets (occasionally) from Dublin Tourism and the weather is (mostly) shining.
So, a minor dilemma: I'd really like to go hear a band I was introduced to a while ago, Jimmy Cake. They're playing a gig soon in the Lower Deck, in Portobello. Problem is, my ex is one of their biggest fans (in a slightly worrying, stalker-ish sort of way). I don't want to see him with his (beautiful, thin) wife. But isn't it pretty lame to not do something I want to, just because he's going to be there?
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towniegirl
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Well, I've been here for a year and a half, and I've never seen so much unbroken sunshine ... or so many underdressed people in city parks! As in, wearing swimsuits. Ah yes, the conservative Irish ... to be seen in string bikinis in a city park near you!
Not me, though. I'm too pale to throw myself into this sunbathing business. I wouldn't turn a lovely shade of brown -- I'd just get red, and sore, and irritable. So I'm contenting myself with a black tee, shades and some hastily improvised shorts (read: hacked-off jeans).
I'm coming down from a fabulous weekend spent at the Street Performance World Championship! Absolutely wonderful. The kids I was taking care of on Saturday loved it, I loved it, and my flatmate, Bepe is now one of over 1500 people listed in the Guinness Book of Records, for taking part in the World Spacehopper Record Challenge!!! I was sorry I didn't participate, but it would've been tricky with the kids there. Anyway, supercool fun.
Today is a busy, busy day. I'm actually on a break from meeting-and-greeting at Dublin Tourism. I've been asked on 4 dates! One from a man who must've been at least eighty, so that doesn't count. But I've declined all politely as it doesn't seem professional, plus I don't think they were very serious invitations. You meet all sorts of people in there. Sometimes they're really organised: They've done all their research and know exactly what they want to do and they've just come in to pick up tickets or whatever, and sometimes they just wander in with no plan. I actually really enjoy giving advice and stuff, because at heart I'm quite a bossy person, plus I think I have some good insights into what's cool to do in and around Dublin. Although, note to self, not everyone is as impressed as I am by the thought of going to St Michan's to shake hands with a mummy. In fact, some people even find the prospect sort of scary. Go figure...
...and then tonight I'm on dishwashing duty at the restaurant which is my least-favourite job as it's dirty, heavy work and on the lowest rung of the pecking order in there, which means that people treat you differently.
But no, I'm not complaining, I do know how lucky I am to have found work so quickly and to be making enough to make ends meet!
I'd probably be feeling a little more sprightly if I hadn't been out late last night. A friend called me up and invited me to a gig at Whelans, a band mysteriously called the Van Diemans. Whelans is a fairly ordinary-looking pub, but it's got a big venue at the back, and for those in the know it's one of the prime gig venues in town. The band mostly did covers, Nick Cave and Tom Waits and that sort of stuff; lots of great, if lugubrious numbers!! I restrained myself to three drinks, but I feel like I had six.
Anyways... back to work!
Not me, though. I'm too pale to throw myself into this sunbathing business. I wouldn't turn a lovely shade of brown -- I'd just get red, and sore, and irritable. So I'm contenting myself with a black tee, shades and some hastily improvised shorts (read: hacked-off jeans).
I'm coming down from a fabulous weekend spent at the Street Performance World Championship! Absolutely wonderful. The kids I was taking care of on Saturday loved it, I loved it, and my flatmate, Bepe is now one of over 1500 people listed in the Guinness Book of Records, for taking part in the World Spacehopper Record Challenge!!! I was sorry I didn't participate, but it would've been tricky with the kids there. Anyway, supercool fun.
Today is a busy, busy day. I'm actually on a break from meeting-and-greeting at Dublin Tourism. I've been asked on 4 dates! One from a man who must've been at least eighty, so that doesn't count. But I've declined all politely as it doesn't seem professional, plus I don't think they were very serious invitations. You meet all sorts of people in there. Sometimes they're really organised: They've done all their research and know exactly what they want to do and they've just come in to pick up tickets or whatever, and sometimes they just wander in with no plan. I actually really enjoy giving advice and stuff, because at heart I'm quite a bossy person, plus I think I have some good insights into what's cool to do in and around Dublin. Although, note to self, not everyone is as impressed as I am by the thought of going to St Michan's to shake hands with a mummy. In fact, some people even find the prospect sort of scary. Go figure...
...and then tonight I'm on dishwashing duty at the restaurant which is my least-favourite job as it's dirty, heavy work and on the lowest rung of the pecking order in there, which means that people treat you differently.
But no, I'm not complaining, I do know how lucky I am to have found work so quickly and to be making enough to make ends meet!
I'd probably be feeling a little more sprightly if I hadn't been out late last night. A friend called me up and invited me to a gig at Whelans, a band mysteriously called the Van Diemans. Whelans is a fairly ordinary-looking pub, but it's got a big venue at the back, and for those in the know it's one of the prime gig venues in town. The band mostly did covers, Nick Cave and Tom Waits and that sort of stuff; lots of great, if lugubrious numbers!! I restrained myself to three drinks, but I feel like I had six.
Anyways... back to work!
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towniegirl
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This will sound corny, but I actually envy people coming to Dublin for the first time this weekend. It's the weekend of the annual festival of street performance, it's amazing, it's free, and it's in one of the city's prettiest parks, in Merrion Square (home of the Oscar Wilde statue, affectionately known as "the quare on the square").
I went to this last year and it was hold-your-breath fabulous. Basically, street performers from around the world, including Ireland of course, descend on the square and put on astonishing shows. It's all out of doors, and it doesn't cost a Euro cent, and you can just wander about from one performance to the next taking it in. It's fantastic. Ireland has a big culture of street theatre and I've never gotten tired of it. You can walk down Grafton Street any day and there'll always be people performing.
I will be babysitting tomorrow, and it's going to be an easy gig, because all I have to do is take the kids to the festival and make sure they don't disappear.
A week or two ago, I met an American couple on holiday here. Well, guess what, I was at work in the Dublin Tourism centre as a meet-n-greeter yesterday and they came back! To see me! They had been down to Clare and think they found the house their ancestor used to live in. It's all been a big voyage of discovery for them because they're African Americans and only recently started finding out about the Irish side of the family. I guess a lot of Americans must have similar experiences when they come to Ireland -- but it's quite moving to hear it directly from someone in the process of finding out about their family. Apparently, all the girls in their family are always taught how to make soda bread, and they never knew why -- it was just a thing they did. But now they know it's because of their Irish heritage! How cool is that?
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towniegirl
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It's a fantastically glorious day, 23 degrees in the shade, apparently, and strangely enough it's on days like today that I think about the rain. Everyone knows that Ireland's famous for rain, and it's true ... it does rain a lot. But it's totally worth it, because when the sun shines, it shines down on bright green fields and mountains (in the countryside) and parks and gardens (in the city). Without all that rain, Ireland in the sunshine would be a lot less beautiful that it is. Even in the city, where most surfaces are paved, the cliched Emerald Isle is busting out all over.
You'll meet Irish people who'll try to tell you that they're a restrained bunch, but that's nonsense. They're a nation of exaggerators, and you've gotta love them for it. For instance, everyone (or so it seems) has reacted to this lovely weather by running out of the offices and schools where they work, dashing to the nearest park, and tearing off most of their clothes so as to expose their lily-white Celtic skins to the sun. Maybe not the best idea, health-wise, but I've noticed more than a few tourists admiring the view :-) And that's not all: the sunshine seems to bring out the romantic in people. Stephen's Green is full to the gills of canoodling couples of all ages. It's enough to make a girl wish she had someone of her own *sniff*.
To cut a long story short, they couldn't have had a better day for Bloomsday this year.
To cut a long story short, they couldn't have had a better day for Bloomsday this year.
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towniegirl
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I can't believe it's here already! Tomorrow is Bloomsday, best day, IMHO, of the calendar in Dublin -- a day that celebrates James Joyce, literature in general, food and drink. Last year was my first. I LOVE it.
So you've never read Joyce's Ulysses, this is a good time to start. The festival kicks off early tomorrow and I think anyone can attend the events -- only the hardliners do the whole thing in nineteenth century costume. Dublin events are good at catering to a range of tastes in general, and that's certainly the case here. While most of us might find the really detailed lectures too much, there are outdoors events in Temple Bar.
Speaking of revelry, I got up at about eleven this morning (late night working in the restaurant last night) to find hoards of Brazilians, students and people working in Ireland, wrapped in flags and clearly in party mood. I assumed that the World Cup match was on this morning -- but no -- it's not on until tonight! So I guess it's no surprise there are so many Brazilians studying in Ireland. They fit right in :-)
I'm going to be working all weekend, but if I wasn't, there is a lot on. Viz. The Dublin Gay Pride festival, at which my Uncle Joey, flying the Newfoundland (and I guess the rainbow) flag for Back Home in Ireland. It never ceases to amaze me that he's actually living in this country now, when the first time he was here was just last year -- not to mention the whole out-of-the-closet thing. Fortunately, he's not staying over. My place is just too small, and I'll be working the whole time. But I am hoping to catch up with him at some point. I've just checked out the programme for the festival and I'm really quite surprised by how mainstream most of the events are - although I guess that's kind of the point. There's a big show on in the National Concert Hall.
Well, the weather is amazing, I've been working hard and there's a bottle of white wine on my desk reminding me that I've been invited to a barbeque this evening. I promised to make potato salad -- my cooking skills are coming along but still don't get much more complex than that -- so I'm going to go and do just that. I've got some small, new potatoes from Moore Street and some fresh parsley from my favourite greengrocer -- who is also the host of the barbecue! Imagine being invited to a barbecue by your greengrocer! He and his family live in Malahide, out near the sea, so I think it's going to be great.
So you've never read Joyce's Ulysses, this is a good time to start. The festival kicks off early tomorrow and I think anyone can attend the events -- only the hardliners do the whole thing in nineteenth century costume. Dublin events are good at catering to a range of tastes in general, and that's certainly the case here. While most of us might find the really detailed lectures too much, there are outdoors events in Temple Bar.
Speaking of revelry, I got up at about eleven this morning (late night working in the restaurant last night) to find hoards of Brazilians, students and people working in Ireland, wrapped in flags and clearly in party mood. I assumed that the World Cup match was on this morning -- but no -- it's not on until tonight! So I guess it's no surprise there are so many Brazilians studying in Ireland. They fit right in :-)
I'm going to be working all weekend, but if I wasn't, there is a lot on. Viz. The Dublin Gay Pride festival, at which my Uncle Joey, flying the Newfoundland (and I guess the rainbow) flag for Back Home in Ireland. It never ceases to amaze me that he's actually living in this country now, when the first time he was here was just last year -- not to mention the whole out-of-the-closet thing. Fortunately, he's not staying over. My place is just too small, and I'll be working the whole time. But I am hoping to catch up with him at some point. I've just checked out the programme for the festival and I'm really quite surprised by how mainstream most of the events are - although I guess that's kind of the point. There's a big show on in the National Concert Hall.
Well, the weather is amazing, I've been working hard and there's a bottle of white wine on my desk reminding me that I've been invited to a barbeque this evening. I promised to make potato salad -- my cooking skills are coming along but still don't get much more complex than that -- so I'm going to go and do just that. I've got some small, new potatoes from Moore Street and some fresh parsley from my favourite greengrocer -- who is also the host of the barbecue! Imagine being invited to a barbecue by your greengrocer! He and his family live in Malahide, out near the sea, so I think it's going to be great.
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towniegirl
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Art is everywhere.
Dublin's a "real" city, not a picture-postcard place. It's got a real city vibe, and there's so much in terms of art. I've just come out of a very long stint at university, between my undergrad and overgrad years, but whatever about literary studies, the real art is happening on the street and it's amazing how so many people are so inventive.
Case in point: On Saturday, I was watching the kids in my babysitting job again and I asked their Mom if I could take them to The Exchange in Temple Bar. I've been there before and it's a great place -- just a venue where people can gather and exchange their (artistic) ideas. Saturdays, they run an event called Melodic Mayhem. Children can go and it's like a great, big jam session. Well, all the kids had a great time, but I think the adults had even more fun. We were all just grinning and laughing and by the time we staggered out at 2 pm we were all high on adrenaline and life. People are so inventive! Wow; I wish I was more musical. But I'm not quite as not-musical as I thought. Or at least, I was banging the drums away with all I have. *wonderful*.
Sunday I was working in the restaurant, and oh-my-god, who came in but my galpal Saoirse's cousin-who-is-a-famous-rockstar!!! I was all like, "I know that guy!" and all the waiters and staff were like, "Yeah, right," so I went over and he invited me to sit down for a few minutes for a chat, which I duly did, and he told his friends that my Mom's bottled moose, which she had posted me just for him, was "Out of this world."
As always happens in Dublin, all the diners were studiously ignoring the fact that there was a seriously famous person in their midst, thus enabling him to eat his swordfish in peace. Afterwards, the souschefs were all excited about the fact they'd cooked for him, and he left a major tip too, so we all celebrated afterwards by going for a late-night drink!
Dublin's a "real" city, not a picture-postcard place. It's got a real city vibe, and there's so much in terms of art. I've just come out of a very long stint at university, between my undergrad and overgrad years, but whatever about literary studies, the real art is happening on the street and it's amazing how so many people are so inventive.
Case in point: On Saturday, I was watching the kids in my babysitting job again and I asked their Mom if I could take them to The Exchange in Temple Bar. I've been there before and it's a great place -- just a venue where people can gather and exchange their (artistic) ideas. Saturdays, they run an event called Melodic Mayhem. Children can go and it's like a great, big jam session. Well, all the kids had a great time, but I think the adults had even more fun. We were all just grinning and laughing and by the time we staggered out at 2 pm we were all high on adrenaline and life. People are so inventive! Wow; I wish I was more musical. But I'm not quite as not-musical as I thought. Or at least, I was banging the drums away with all I have. *wonderful*.
Sunday I was working in the restaurant, and oh-my-god, who came in but my galpal Saoirse's cousin-who-is-a-famous-rockstar!!! I was all like, "I know that guy!" and all the waiters and staff were like, "Yeah, right," so I went over and he invited me to sit down for a few minutes for a chat, which I duly did, and he told his friends that my Mom's bottled moose, which she had posted me just for him, was "Out of this world."
As always happens in Dublin, all the diners were studiously ignoring the fact that there was a seriously famous person in their midst, thus enabling him to eat his swordfish in peace. Afterwards, the souschefs were all excited about the fact they'd cooked for him, and he left a major tip too, so we all celebrated afterwards by going for a late-night drink!
