Nollaig shona!!!

Oh yes - went for the real tree, thank you very much. It was a cold day and we were tired, so we only went to 2 spots. We knew it wasn't good when the tree out front, advertising the place for people to spot and want to visit, was the saddest looking Charlie Brown tree. We go in, tell them we want a full tree, and with all seriousness, they pull out a tree, shake it out and offer it up. I'm pretty sure I could see 85% of the trunk.

Anywho, we end up with this lovely tree. And the best thing about it is that it's straight up and down and fits perfectly in the impossible hole created for it - a span of 3 feet between a chair and a BIG ASS TV.

Awwww....look at us - we're so festive.

Yep - I can fit my whole head in a "gap" without hitting a branch!! Ahhhh....Christmas.

My first trip home in 7 months!

It was a fly by for sure - 6 days on the ground and 3 cities in 2 states to visit. It went something like this:

Thursday - Drive to San Marcos

Friday - Make Black Friday blacker

Saturday - Visit friends in Lafayette

Sunday - More of the same

Monday - Drive to NOLA - visit more friends

Tuesday - Fly back.

PHEW! I'm tired just thinking about it. But it was invaluable and a much needed visit with family and friends. A few key shots:

Me ma:

Me da:

Oh hells yeah - BUMPER CARS!


Maybe next year fellas:

To Kristie, Aimee, Meredith, Mary Clayton, Isabelle, Eva, and Pam:


It was so great to see your beautiful faces!! Your turn to come here to me! See you soon...

The best show around

Last Friday a few of us went to see Des Bishop stand up at Vicar Street. I've seen a few of his DVDs since I got here and the show lived up to all of my expectations. His comedy is perfect for any American living in Ireland since he's American himself. A half-breed really: apparently he came to Ireland from Queens in his early teens.



And you better believe that we waited in line for a pic and a signature. Ok, ok - so by the time we finished our drinks when the show was over and they started making us leave, the line had died down to maybe 5 others. We were lucky.

When all of you come to visit me in Ireland, we'll plan it around a Des Bishop show. So, Des you may want to amp up the schedule in the spring. I'm just sayin'.

Anyone have any red and blue paint??

A little blurry, but it's just what it looks like. That's the Treasury building. I know what you're thinking - that makes perfect sense.



Here he comes...

LOOKY!

Purty...

The recession has definitely hit

And is even affecting Christmas decorations:

Meeting of the "big ass Christmas tree committee" comes to order:

Committee member #1: We've hit hard times. I think we may have to just have a regular tree this year.

CM#2: NOOOO! We HAVE to have the big ass tree! The public would suffer otherwise.

CM#1: Ok ok... Then we'll just have to reduce down to one set of lights.

CM#2: Done.

I'm pretty sure that's how it happened. The rest of Grafton looks pretty good:

Back in the pit, oh yeah

This weekend we went to the Fratellis concert. The concert was in a theatre called the Ambassador Theatre which, besides the balcony, was standing room only. Which means at my age, I was back in the pit. I have been in 2 pits before, one at the Guns n Roses concert and another at the 311 concert. I was in high school for GnR and in college for 311. Both times, well under the age limit of pit-going.

There were kids in there who were half my age - yes, half (ugh - I'm going to throw up). They probably thought we were narcs. Look to the left, right - "does that kid have 15 year old shiny metal braces???"

But any of you who know how I love to bounce, this was the best place to do so! The Fratellis have the most bouncy music around. Chances are if you think you don't know them, you probably do once you hear a song or two. I think one of their songs was on an iTunes commercial and definitely in the movie Run Fat Boy Run.

I've attached a few pics and even a video taken at the concert that was SO FUN!! Talk about a workout. If the Wii had a game called the Fratellis concert, I would look like one of those girls on the shows on the CW.

Anywho, here you go:

This is the opening band: The Flaws. Apparently they are a well known Dublin band and have even made it onto the iTunes list. Not too shabby!

This is my attempt at taking a picture of us myself (at arms length):

And this is Derek. He wins:

Shot of the Fratellis. The lead singer is the one on the right. I think it's interesting that he doesn't set up in the middle - maybe he actually wants attention on everyone. Awww...shucks.

The lead singer. Shirt makes sense as I've been saying that a few songs remind me of the Beatles.

Not a bad shot, if I say so myself:

Once I can figure out this blogging website, I'll post a video...

Happy Halloween from Ireland

Ahhhh...kids these days.

Post to self distruct in 1 day.

La di da

So, we're just walking along in the airport parking lot, minding our own business when we see:

What in the HELL is THAT??!! And WHERE is it COMING from??!! I don't even think it hopped away - I think it walked away. And there were more:

Actually 4 that I could see. You just never know what you're gonna get.

Must've been the fish and chips

The Saints pulled it off - THANK GOODNESS! There was some weird activity there at the end. Don't know what was up with that. Anyone understand why Drew Brees would run backwards and spike the ball behind the endzone so that the team can score a safety? Why not just spike the ball?? Anywho...

The trip was really great. Not only did I get to see the Saints play, but I got to hang out with actual NOLA friends!

We went to dinner at Smiths of Smithfield - a 5 story restaurant/bar where the higher you go, the more expensive it is. We ate on the 2nd floor. :) They did serve organic beer and I have to take a picture of anything that says "Bob". That's for you dad...

The next day we went to the Tower of London. By the time we ate and toured, it was time to head out to the game.

The stadium is apparently only a couple of years old:

They even set up a tailgating party. It was very strange to see all of the people in football jerseys and then hear their accents - clearly English. There's more international interest than I thought!

I was very impressed with how efficient everything was. I was more impressed that the stadium had it's main focus on the Saints due to the fact that they were giving up a home game to be there. San Diego would've been away regardless. There was a mention in the email sent to all who bought tickets, both scoreboards were all Saints logos, there were huge Saints banners covering the first few rows of seats, and there was a Saints flag on every seat. We had first level seats - not too shabby.

Stereophonics started off the show:

Then Neyo sang the National Anthem:

And then Joss Stone sang God Save the Queen:

Deeuuuuuuuuuce....

One of the many great shots we were able to get.

Overall it was a fantastic experience and I can't wait til next year!!

I'm back!

And here to tell you all about our trip to Cork at the beginning of the month. Cork is located in the south central part of the country and is approximately 3-4 hours from Dublin if driving.

A little wikipedia history:

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city of the province of Munster. The city has a population of 119,143, while the addition of the suburban areas contained in Cork County brings this total to 190,384. Metropolitan Cork has a population of approximately 274,000, while the Greater Cork area is about 380,000. Cork County has the nickname of "the Rebel County", and Corkonians often refer to Cork as the "real capital of Ireland". The River Lee flows through the city, an island in the river forming the main part of the city centre. The city is a major Irish seaport — with quays and docks sited along the broad waterway of the Lee on the city's East side.

You here this a lot: and Corkonians often refer to Cork as the "real capital of Ireland". To be honest, I don't think that the people of Dublin care where the capital actually is, but they love winding up the Cork people about it.

The accent is my favorite part, and wikipedia describes it best:

• Redundant use of the words "like" or "so" to terminate a sentence: e.g. "I don't know him at all, like"
• Use of the words "boy" (often pronounced "by") and girl, to address each other, even into adulthood, e.g. "Come here to me, boy"

As an American, I have about a 20% shot at understanding anything that they say. Makes it fun. It's a whole other world over there.

We were there for a black tie event, but had a chance the following day to walk around the city for an hour or so. I didn't expect much but I was pleasantly surprised. Here's one view:



The streets have the widest sidewalks, which makes the street feel very open even though the buildings are extremely crowded together.

Glad I didn't have to go up that hill! If I had to commute up and down that hill every day, I'd buy a donkey.

The joke is that this is where they burn the Dubliners (spoken from a Dubliner of course):

Yet another picture of a trash can. I may have a problem here. Need to join "obsessed with trash cans anonymous."

If you have to drive for 4 hours, at least you get to look at this:

There's actually an interesting resemblance of this drive to any interstate drive in southern Louisiana: green farm lands, cows, and a random house no closer than 200 yards to the next.

I actually can't wait to go back. If you're headed to Ireland, I recommend!

Just for you Isa

It's all your fault Mom

So, my mother decided to give us Prison Break - Season 1 as a gift. So now that's ANOTHER show that I'm hooked on! We are now on Season 2 and I will say that I'm glad they're not physically in the prison anymore as that was too nerve wracking for me. It doesn't hurt that Wentworth Miller is a hotty. :)

List of current TV show addiction:

1. Biggest Loser
2. Lost
3. 24
4. Prison Break
5. Brothers & Sisters
6. Grey's Anatomy
7. Ugly Betty
8. ER - might as well finish this one off
9. Gossip Girl
10. Young & Restless - yeah yeah
11. Family Guy
12. Desperate Housewives - this one may drop off of the list
13. Project Runway
14. America's Next Top Model
15. Lipstick Jungle
16. Cashmere Mafia - is this still on?
17. Tudors
18. Entourage
19. Private Practice
20. How I Met Your Mother

It's out of control.

The big day

Last Friday I went to a 21st birthday party. No, I'm not going through some 1/3 life crisis and hanging out with 21 year olds - have a connection to the family.

From what I've been told, the 21st birthday is celebrated here with a party the size of a wedding reception. It is normal that 100-200 people would attend. I think for my 21st my friends and I did shots at some bar on The Strip in Lafayette. I was lucky as Louisiana didn't increase the drinking age to 21 until the year that I turned 21. Slid right in there.

For a 21st, the party was impressive. Had to pay for drinks, but I never bought one myself so that was ok. :)

The best thing for me was that it was pure Irish tradition. Not the leprechaun-Irish dancing kind of tradition. Apparently the tradition for the 21st includes a stripper. Those are pretty much standard in any country. Big muscular/greasy guy in a thong with his socks on dancing all over the girl who's sitting in a chair. The difference with their tradition is that it seems the birthday girl's friends give the stripper embarrassing stories about the girl to tell the entire room. Hmmm... may take that out if it were MY 21st.

Drank til 2:00, met loads of family members (here's me mom's sister, here's me mom's other sister, and another, and so on), and did my best to understand all of the conversations.

I think the actual birthday girl ended up with €2,000 from birthday cards - not too shabby when you're 21 - or when you're 30something!!

No Man's Land

We went to see a play last night at the Gate Theatre. I got second row seats, but I expected there to be an orchestra bay between the first row and the stage. But nope - first row was right up against the stage.

I can't even tell you what the play was about. Wikipedia says:

"No Man's Land is the name of a 1974 play by the English dramatist Harold Pinter.

The play is a four-hander. Hirst, a successful but isolated and alcoholic writer, looked after and guarded by Foster and Briggs, has met Spooner, a failed writer (if a writer at all) who seeks to inveigle himself into Hirst's household.

Once the four characters are established, the play shows their manoeuvrings - Foster and Briggs seeking to fend off Spooner, and Hirst and Spooner's verbal jousting. An entire scene is spent on Hirst's mistaken - or feigned - recognition of Spooner as an Oxford contemporary from the 1930s, to which Spooner plays up, leading both of them into ever-increasing extravagance of reminiscence. The play ends ambiguously, after Spooner's most blatant attempt to supplant Foster and Briggs, when Hirst pronounces that the subject has been changed for the last time, leaving him (and conceivably the others) 'in no man's land...which never moves, which never changes, which never grows older, but which remains forever icy and silent.'"

We went because of the actors. They are relatively famous here and in the US:

1. Michael Gambon (Hirst): This is one of those actors that you would recognize but not sure from where. His credits include all of the Harry Potter movies, Layer Cake, The Good Shepard.


2. David Walliams (Foster): His main credit is for one half of a comedy show called Little Britain. They are actually going to start Little Britain USA on HBO on Sunday, September 28 at 10:00 pm EST. http://www.hbo.com/events/littlebritainusa/


3. Nick Dunning (Briggs): He's currently playing Anne Boleyn's father in The Tudors on Showtime. They're filming the second and/or third season here in Dublin so his schedule seems to work out well.


4. David Bradley (Spooner): Harry Potter movies. He had the most lines in the actual play.

We weren't sure if we could take pictures, but here is one of the stage:

Cell phone pictures don't have the best resolution, but you can get the idea. That's taken standing in the middle of the theatre, so you can see it's not very big at all. We guessed about 400 people maximum.

All in all a great night! I think an Oscar Wilde play is next.

What's the most interesting thing about this picture?

It's difficult to see, but it says:

"Happy Hour: Every Day from 10:00 Until 19:00"

Is it the fact that it was taken in Portugal? No, I don't think so. Apparently the "you're an alcoholic if you drink before noon" thing doesn't translate there.

Another fun fruit to try

When I saw the dragon fruit, I thought it was pretty:

I honestly expected it to have a red middle. Apparently that was an idiotic assumption:

Check that out! I wasn't sure what to expect with this, but since it is a fruit, I thought for sure it would be sweet. Not so much. Strange really. See for yourself. :)

BANANITO!

This is a bananito:

No, that is not a really big dollar bill, it's a really small banana!! I swear it said bananito on the label. I may occasionally be funny but that's not something I would come up with. The description said that it would taste like an apple. Huh??? So I had to try it and I would say that it's mostly banana flavored, but does have a hint of apple. Maybe 5-10%.

Go out and get yourself a bananito today!