Year Two!

Due to popular demand my parents encouragement I am continuing this blog. So blame them if you don't like it. Actually don't read it anymore. Anyways, where would I be without the encouragement of my loving parents? Nowhere interesting, definitely not here.

Winter has finally arrived and it's very cold. I disapprove. This time last year it was snowing so at least we are not having to cope with that yet. Dublin, however, is lovely this time of year as the streets are strung with Christmas lights and Christmas trees are decorated all around the city. I really enjoy strolling around getting into the Christmas spirit.

A new budget has been announced for Ireland and, well it isn't good. But they did announce that prices in alcohol would not be raised. Of course not, then there would be riots. The headline in the paper this morning read "It Could Have Been Worse" which really is only one step above "ah, sure it will be grand." Oh Ireland. Sometimes your quaint, laid back attitude can be a bit frustrating. 

I am continuing assisting with one of the community drama classes I was working with when I first moved here and they are finally performing the play that they wrote next week! I have also been working in a visual and performing arts venue near where I live which has been an interesting change in pace. I saw a production there called On the Batter which was about a retired boxer confined to a wheelchair and his cocaine dealing friend. Honestly the plot was a bit trite and cliche but the acting was very well done and I enjoyed the set design as well. 

Last week my theatre company held a conference with partners from a European project we are a part of. Overall it was a success and everyone who visited Dublin had a nice time. We took them on a walk through a well known area called Henrietta Street which was once the homes of well of Dubliners and later became tenements before being abandoned and are only now being restored.

In other news two skeletons were found during road work under the street where I live believed to be four hundred years old. It is believed that they are from an extension of the graveyard of a nearby church. Spooky!

Well that's all for now! 

One Year in Éire

Here it is, as promised a re-cap of my year!

Wow. I don't know how a year a went by so fast! It feels like just the other day I was wandering around Dublin wide-eyed and often lost. Now some people actually mistake me for a native. It is hard for me to some up a whole year in one little post. I moved here on a whim, hoping that it would work out but not really sure what would happen and if I could make it for a whole year far from home. But I did it and it was great!

Since arriving in Ireland I have:
-survived a cold winter with snow
-survived the rain in general (hey I'm from the desert)
-survived floods
-survived a nearby shooting/horse stampede
-visited Kildare, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Galway, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Mayo, Sligo, Meath, Leitrim and Antrim.
-visited Wales, Spain and the Canary Islands
-walked the footsteps of James Joyce
-worked in the Dublin Fringe Festival and the Dublin Theatre Festival
-was in an all female production of Hamlet
-learned that I love tulips and eggs benedict (not together)
-learned a tiny bit of Irish
-learned to love and how to make a full Irish breakfast
-call fries chips and potato chips crisps-and eat my chips with vinegar
-developed a tiny bit of a weird quasi Irish accent
-had more than my fair share of whiskey and guinness
-celebrated St. Patrick's Day and Arthur's Day (and Thanksgiving)
-worked with 2 community drama groups
-climbed the Sugar Loaf and did the Bray Cliff Walk
-saw the all Ireland rugby team play England
-saw an equestrian show at the Royal Dublin Society

While I was in Ireland:

-Queen Elizabeth II came to town

-So did President Obama-Prince William married Kate Middleton
-Osama and Gadaffi were killed
-Egypt had a revolution
-Libya is in civil war
-a massive tsunami and earthquake hit Japan
-major floods in Thailand
-tragic terrorist attacks in Norway
-massive government bailouts in the U.S. and Europe bring us to the Occupy Wall Street movement -which is still currently going on and has had many similar movements here and in Europe.

So as you can see it has bee an amazing year full of new experiences and so I have decided to stay here for another year to see what other exciting things might happen!

Thank you all for reading for a whole year, I have really enjoyed writing this and as I look back on all my posts I am glad that I have some of my ramblings written down and that I was able to share them with others.

The big question is should I continue writing this blog? What do you think?

Slainte!

Lanzarote

Ok. So I know I am cheating again because this is supposed to be about my time in Ireland. I have learned, however, that people in Ireland take holidays (a thing that is difficult for some of us Americans to understand) and that they often go to places such as Lanzarote to enjoy warm weather and help cope with the rain and cold that they must endure. Therefore, I see this as merely a way as further experiencing Ireland on a more local/native level.

Anyways, Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands, has an incredible landscape created from volcanic activity most of which occurred during the 19th century. The black volcanic rock is barren and foreboding, but unlike most desert landscapes the ocean can almost always be seen.

It is mostly a tourist destination filled with resorts and all the obnoxious things that tend to come with that sort of place. I was glad that we rented a car for three days and were able to get a better sense of the whole island, rather than sit in a hotel for a week which some people seemed to do. The car we rented was a green jeep wrangler and it was stick shift and yes I drove. I have learned that the roads in Lanzarote are very poorly marked, that a sat nav really is not alway correct, and if a rental car seems like a really good deal it probably isn't. The jeep often started from third gear and fell out of gear a few times. Fortunately we had a jeep when the sat nav decided that a dirt road that I recognized to be one for off roading was the way to go. Still the car got us where we needed to go and it was a lot of fun.

There were tons of Irish pubs on the island which I am still having trouble deciding how I feel about. On the one hand it is nice to be able to go far away and find a place where there will be a piece of home and people from your country. We met a very kind, eccentric woman from Cork and I could see that everyone was enjoying themselves in their Irish way watching Ireland win an important football match. But I couldn't help but feel that it was strange and sort of cheating yourself out of experiencing traveling abroad. There are not really any places in Ireland that I can go to that would be like home. I would not even consider going to a Starbucks or a McDonalds and there really isn't the equivalent of an Irish pub in American culture.

Alright I will stop waxing philosophical and let my photos speak for me.

View of La Graciosa from Mira del Rio

Papagayo

Volcano!

Ides of November (not quite I know)

I survived the weekend in Mayo. I actually really wasn't that worried about it, I just pretended I was because I can sometimes be a bit dramatic. It was lovely and I always find the landscapes of the West to be beautiful.  Of course some cute kids running around always makes things more fun.

My Halloween was quite uneventful. This is truly a sign that I am getting old. I didn't even wear a costume. Granted, as an actor I have the opportunity to wear costumes on many other occasions so it really isn't the end of the world. Also, I think that I simply don't really like Halloween. I don't horror very well. Ever since I was four and had a traumatic experience in a haunted house I don't really like it. I did, however, experience my first-what are called "lock ins" in which one gets locked in a pub. Sounds pretty good, right? A traditional lock in is usually when a pub wants to continue serving after hours so they lock the doors to make it look like it's closed and tell everyone to keep it down and they can stay. This lock in was to keep drunk, rowdy Halloween people out, which was great for me and my newly realized awareness that I don't like Halloween. Or at least the scary part of Halloween. I do like pumpkins and pumpkin pie and apple cider-all the wonderful foods and smells that I associate with autumn.

I also saw the film Ides of March, which only made me more anxious about the 2012 presidential election. Ireland just held their presidential election, and although their president is a different position politically, their election process was much calmer and the campaigns only lasted a few months at the most. In Ireland you have three votes, your first choice candidate, second choice, and third choice. I imagine this is a nightmare when it come to counting the ballots-Ireland still has yet to update to electronic voting systems-but it certainly is very democratic.  I think the American campaigning process is cut-throat (to say the least) and depends heavily upon marketing, propaganda and capitalism. It seems we have lost the point of what an election  and what democracy is. And stepping off my soap box now.

As of Sunday I will have been in Ireland one whole year. It went by too fast! I think I will wait and dedicate a completely new post to reflecting on my year in Ireland once it has officially been a year. Gotta keep you guys reading.  Tomorrow I am off to Lanzarote for some sunshine before the winter comes. Don't be too jealous, I had to struggle through a chilly, rainy summer. And we did just have some serious flooding.

Back soon!

Rain, Rain Go Away...

Last weekend it rained for almost three days. It was truly the definition of relentless rain. Even the Irish were complaining about, which means it's really serious rain. There is something surreal about going to sleep when it's raining and waking up and it's still raining with no sign of stopping. Like being in some rain vortex. It caused a lot of flooding especially because the tide was in in the Liffey. The river even pushed against the wall causing a huge crack to run down the side of the street and the road had to be closed for days. I am lucky that I live on the fourth floor of my building but others were not so lucky.

In other non weather related news I met my boyfriend's family last weekend in a oh so very posh restaurant in the K Club. Yes, even the name is posh. It's one of those "we're so posh we will just use a vague ambiguous letter for our name" clubs. Actually I think the K probably stands for Kildare but that is not the point. It looked like something out of Pride and Prejudice, especially with rain continuously coming down. The Irishman's family was lovely and very Irish, of course. Despite the intimidating setting I think meeting them went well, although I haven't been given any feedback...yet. I am getting ready to go spend the weekend with them in Mayo (eek!) and I have to go to mass. Wish me luck!

On Wednesday I went up to Lisburn for another workshop with the theatre company. It went very well except that we got very lost in Lisburn and everyone we asked directions from seemed to not be from Lisburn and were not very able to help. It was kind of like an existential crisis as we drove in circles. When I got back to Dublin I went to the community drama class I've been going to. They are performing their play next week after two years of working together! I'm very excited and glad that I was able to participate with them for one of those years.

Today I had to be a grown up and go get a flu shot all by myself in a foreign country. Ok, I've been here almost a year so it's not exactly foreign. And the doctor was very nice. But my mom wasn't here to buy me an ice cream sundae afterwards. Instead I bought myself a latte. Too grown up. Maybe I'll get some ice cream later. Or a pint. Either one seems like a well deserved reward.

Well that's all for now. Be back soon. Thanks for reading and have a happy Hallowe'en!

¡Oh Valencia!

I went to Spain for a conference the theatre company was attending. Valencia, to be more precise, and I am in love. I know I previously wrote about my love for Ireland and it remains true, but now I am lusting after Valencia. Everyone needs a Spanish lover, right? It was so beautiful and hot. We didn't really have summer in Ireland so it felt wonderful to be outside in a sundress sipping a sangria in the heat. Oh and we ate so much amazing food. Tortilla espanola, paella, jamon, cheese, wine. I have to stop eating for at least a week now. On our second night the Spanish hosts had a special dinner for the group where a sommelier taught us how to taste Spanish wines and a champion meat carver showed us how to carve jamon (leg of pig). It was delicious. The next day after our conference we went to the beach. I swam in the ocean! The next morning I got up early to go to the market which was in this incredible old building. There was your usual meat, fish, fruit and vegetables and then there was the not-so-usual pigs feet, whole pigs head, liver, lung, heart, whole sheeps head. And some fishy things that I couldn't figure out what they were. It was very strange but I still enjoyed it. Then I went to the beach again to soak up the sun one last time before returning to Dublin.

And yes, I did do some work at this conference. But that's not exciting, you don't really want to hear about that. Now I am back in Dublin and it's freezing! Winter is right around the corner. I am trying very hard not to break out the hat and scarf but I am afraid that it's going to have to happen very soon. At least the sun is still out, but it is one of those low winter suns and you can feel the crisp, cool October air. I think it's time for some apple pie and butter nut squash. And Christmas. After that it has to be warm again because then it isn't really fun anymore.

I saw Midnight in Paris, the latest Woody Allen film, the other night. I really liked it because it captures the sort of magic element that Europe holds and lures you to it.

Yesterday I went to Arklow for a performance we were doing in secondary schools as part of mental health week. The drive was beautiful as Wicklow is a more wooded area and I saw some leaves changing and felt like it was really fall. I am, however, really glad to be done with secondary school. Those teenage years are pretty weird. Oh well.

Well I've caught up, finally! Oh and I've almost been in Ireland a whole year! Crazy, huh?

Visiting Hours

So my parents were here! And it was great and they fed and clothed me and then they left which was not so great cause they weren't here long enough but it's ok because they'll come back soon. Right?

When they got here I showed them around Dublin and it was very exiting for me to show them where I have been living for almost a year. I took them to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, a depiction of the gospel dating from the 12th century, and The Long Room, the original library of Trinity which has been featured in many films due to its breathtaking ceilings. Then we went to Christchurch Cathedral and Dublin Castle. This is yet another thing I love about Europe, the way the history remains apart of the city, where it can be observed or remain unnoticed by passersby.

Their second night in Dublin we went to see an Irish band, Lunasa, play. We have seen this band perform several times over the years in Santa Fe and in California last year, I also had the opportunity to dance with them when I was in high school, so it was a special treat to finally get to see them play in Ireland. They were amazing, of course, and definitely a highlight of my parents' trip here.

Then my parents got to see the little office where I've been working and meet my boss and the artistic director of the company. We also had lunch with my friend (and their friend) R. and it was great for the four of us to be together since that has not happened in years! Oh and they met my boyfriend (eek!).

Then we set of for the West to Clare. My dad drove and I had anxiety attacks the entire time. Especially when my mom pointed out that he was on the wrong side of the road. In his defense the roads are very narrow, nonetheless you must be on the proper side of the road when a truck or tractor comes barreling down the other side. We stopped at Moran's on the Weir in Clarenbridge where my parents had been told to go for the best oysters. Oh boy were they ever. We had about two dozen. Washed down with a pint of Guinness, chips and seafood chowder. Yum. We stayed in a small town called Doolin which was perfectly picturesque which unfortunately has led to it's invasion of tourists. When we got there it was very cold and windy so we hunkered down in the pub and had an early night. The next day we drove up to the Cliffs of Moher and although I had already seen them their beauty begs to be seen again and again.  Afterwards we drove to La Hinch, apparently a good surfing spot, and the sun was out so we had a nice long walk on the sandy beach. There were some brave people who were actually swimming but I was not one of them. We hopped back in the car and drove through a tiny town called Ennistimon and then onto The Burren, a beautiful and rugged landscape where we saw old burial tombs of the Druids dating back to the new stone age. Pretty impressive stuff.  Then we drove back along the scenic coastal road to Doolin for one last night. The following morning we drove back to Dublin stopping, of course, for some more oysters from Moran's. Yes, they were good enough that we needed a second visit.  Then for their final night I took my parents to see The Blue Boy, the production I assisted with in the Dublin Theatre Festival. It was a great and very moving performance (if I do say so myself) and I was glad that my parents were able to see something that I had participated on.

After my parents left I settled back into my seemingly more normal life. Then I went with my boyfriend to his friends birthday party at this very fancy french restaurant called French Paradox. At first I thought that was a strange name for a restaurant until I read the menu and couldn't make heads nor tails of it or decide what I wanted to eat. Then the name made complete sense, though I am not sure if that was their intention. We ended up ordering several things for the table to share. Including several bottles of wine.  Never in my life have I eaten so much duck confit, fois gras, patee oh and cheese. It was a feast of duck like I had never seen before. It was great! Unfortunately it was also before I had to get up early the next day to get on a plane to Spain. But I am not complaining here...

Oktoberfest, Plays, Yay!

Oktoberfest: another thing to love about Europe. No I didn't make it to Germany but Dublin had their own with authentic German beer, food and beer wenches. I don't really care for the latter but the former is fine with me! I went and met up with some friends we had a great time. I even drank my beer in a real large glass thing (stein?) and it was so heavy I had to use both hands to hold it. Pathetic I know, I think from now on I'll stick with a pint.

The Dublin Theatre Festival is on and in addition to being a production assistant for a play that is in the festival I have been seeing plays all week! For free! I could get used to this.  First I saw Peer Gynt, an adaptation of the original play by Henrik Ibsen. The music was beautiful and the cast was talented. The set was lovely though a bit over the top and unnecessary. I tried really hard to like it but I couldn't. But I think this is a case of recognizing that it simply was not too my taste. Next I saw Donka: A Letter to Chekov by an Italian company that used circus and aerial stunts. Visually it was amazing. At one point there was a chandelier with ice and the actors were smashing large plates of ice onstage and then a man was juggling spheres of ice. What did that have to do with Chekov? I don't know. It was entertaining anyways. Finally last night I saw 16 Possible Glimpses a new play by Marina Carr. I studied her work the summer that I was here on a theatre course and really enjoy her writing.  This play was also about the life of Chekov (do we detect a theme here?) and I liked how Carr's writing stayed true to her imaginative and poetic style while still encompassing Chekov's writing style.

October is here and I am looking forward to autumn in Ireland last year in New Mexico I spent the fall in the Valle Caldera spotting elk and hearing them bellow. The other night as I was crossing over the Liffer I saw an egret wading in it. A rare sighting and hopefully a good omen.

Now, the most exciting part, when I wake up tomorrow my parents will be here!

Till next time!

Sligo, Fringe, Yay!

Yeah I'm behind again. I know, but I'm sure we are all used to it by now. So as I said I was on my way to Sligo and before I can get into the wild tale that was Sligo I must take a short aside to mention that I, recently, have been dating an Irishman and that is who I went to Sligo with and that is all the details on him for now.

Anyways so we went to Sligo for the weekend which is on the West coast of Ireland and the Irishman suggested that we go to Coney Island for the day. No, not the one in NY. Though apparently that is how the NY one got its name though I am skeptical as the two islands could not be more different. The island can be accessed by boat or by car when the tide is out by driving over the beach. We asked a taxi driver if he would drive us out and, to my surprise, he did. As we drove across I noticed that we were driving across a watery beach and the water seemed to be accumulating but as the taxi driver did not seem too bothered I decided not to worry too much. Once we got across the taxi let us off in front of the one and only pub on the island and a woman came out and said that the tide was coming in and if we wanted to get off the island we had better get back in the taxi. I, however, a girl of the desert whose knowledge of oceans and tides is limited said that we should stay on the island (having driven all the way out) and wait for the tide to go back out, because my concept of tides is that it would only be an hour or two. This is wrong. It was more like six hours. As soon as the taxi left it began to rain. Of course. So we took shelter in the pub where, over a whiskey, I began to realize what I had gotten us into. The tiny island only has two families living on it year round and is really a place where people go for the day or weekend in the summer. There was only the pub, no shops or restaurants, oh and this pub was also tiny and could maybe fit a dozen people at the very most. The local islanders soon realized that there were two strangers around and I think because I was American I received most of the attention.  One woman remarked on how long my hair is and asked if I plaited it. That means braid, right? Yes I can do that but nothing fancy. She then asked how I managed to stay so slim. I don't really have an answer for that. Except that I am a starving artist. I told her it was because I am not very good at cooking. This is only sort of true. Also, probably not really something you should say to an Irishwoman. She told me all I had to do was cook some mince with a bit of chopped up onion and garlic.  Why didn't I think of that?

The rain stopped and we went for a walk around the island. It was beautiful. Completely worth being trapped there for several hours. There were wild blackberries growing (which I helped myself to) and as there was no one else around it was very peaceful. I decided that when I am old I want to live on an island and go to the pub and make blackberry tarts and give silly girls weird advice. Except it would be nice if there was more than just a pub and maybe a bridge to access the island better.  After we walked around the whole island we went back to the pub where we met a few more locals who were all very kind. I noticed amongst all the different things tacked to the wall a list of people who had lost their lives at sea. This does not bode well, I thought. Finally, a lovely couple named Violet and George offered to drive us back across as the tide had made its way out. We all cramped into the front of their pickup truck and drove across the beach, which still had a good bit of water on it. I saw crabs scuttling away and big clumps of seaweed dragging along the sand. It was a relief to be back on dry land, my clothes never dried from being caught in the rain and my bones were frozen. As soon as we got back to the hotel I drew myself the hottest bath possible and stayed in till my skin turned pink. Next time I go to the island I will wear my wellies.

Now then, let's see. After that adventure I spent my week back in Dublin interning. I went to dinner (a free dinner no less) with my friend Mc. which he won through twitter and then we saw a play called Our Father which was part of the Fringe festival. The play is told through rap and rhyme and was really good. Hurray for good plays. Then it was my turn to work away on S.'s show in the Fringe. Last weekend we were in tech which is always fun horrendous. The show ran all last week, it was called Amy, I want to make you hard. S. and her friend wrote it based on their experiences of being a woman in Ireland and how that has shaped their lives. It is interesting to see what is similar about my childhood to their's and what is different. The show was well received and we had good audiences all week and I think S. should be very proud of her accomplishment. I was glad to be a part of it. I have also started working as a production assistant with S. on a show she is working on which will be in the Dublin Theatre Festival, so I have been very busy lately, which I enjoy, despite the fact that I am tired.

Well that's that! Thanks for reading!

On to September!

My boss came back from her holiday and we had quite the time scrambling in the office to get this seminar together that we held last weekend these things always come together at the last minute. Friday I drove up to Leitrim, in the west of the country and bordering the North, with K. blasting U2 and speeding getting stuck behind tractors through the country side. We met F. at the hotel where we were holding the conference and had a nice dinner. K. turned in for the night and F. and I chatted with the barman for a while. His name was Patrick (typical) and he told me that he used to live in New York but returned to Ireland to live the good, simple life on his farm of 160 acres with cattle and sheep. Unfortunately for many farmers (Leitrim is major farm land) they must work a second job to keep their farm going, hence Patrick the farmer was also Patrick the barman. F. told me earlier that everyone has a story. She is right, especially here in Ireland where the ability to spin a good tale seems to be encoded in their genes. When F. and I drove back we passed all these 1950's era cars (there must have been a car show somewhere) and it reminded me of how in some ways the rural parts of Ireland are like entering a time warp, which I find really interesting.

View from my hotel room. Rough, I know.

Our seminar was a smashing success! We had a group from Leitrim and a group from Belfast together, using drama to communicate their experiences with the Troubles. Obviously there were different perspectives but everyone was able to work together and try and see the other's perspective. When I tell people about the work Smashing Times does many fall into the stereotype that I am working with the IRA and the people have guns and it's dangerous. In reality our work, for the most part, is with ordinary people who were swept into the violence and politics caused by the Troubles.

As we come upon the ten year anniversary of 9/11 F. and I have been talking about the fact that one particular act of terrorism can become more prominent in world media than others. I am not undermining 9/11 in any way at all, it was an extremely tragic event and has probably affected my life much more than I realize, however, Ireland has seen acts of terrorism for decades that rarely receive any media attention. When I first moved here I was surprised by the amount of U.S. coverage that I see on the news and in the past week there have been so many special documentaries on 9/11 (I am not even sure they are made by U.S. companies) I have to turn off the tv. I do not see how reliving the event ten years later helps anyone, in fact, isn't this what the terrorists would have wanted? The world sitting behind their television paralyzed with fear when, instead, we should be communication with each other, connecting and sharing each other's pain/hope/fear/happiness. Is this not what makes us human? Alright, there's my food for thought, it's been on my mind anyways. (And now is when I get put on a government list) Just kidding! Don't you love the first amendment?

Anyways, it has been good to be back in Dublin or The Big Smoke as it is sometimes called. I am not sure why, maybe to do with all the factories that would have been here during the Industrial Revolution? Yeah history! I finally finished Ulysses! It is probably one of the most difficult pieces of literature I have read to date. I am still mulling over it though I have really enjoyed seeing all the places that Joyce referenced in the book around Dublin, most of them have a plaque on the wall. Now what should I read next? Part of me thinks it should be something easy, but I don't really like mindless reading. Although I don't think I'm ready for War and Peace yet.

Wednesday I went to the cinema, this is a popular past time here, I think perhaps because it rains all the time. I saw Fright Night with Colin Farrell who makes a good vampire. Fun fact Dracula was written by an Irishman whose name is slipping my mind at the moment. See? I managed to twist a silly film into my experience of Irish culture. I am a genius.

Speaking of genius I saw the most incredible, brilliant, amazing play last night! (Finally a positive review). If you are in Dublin and you are reading this than get off your stupid computer and go see this play. If you are elsewhere allow me to elaborate. The Dublin Fringe Festival is upon us and my friend S. told me to be sure and see Corn Exchange's Man of Valour. So I trotted down to the Samuel Beckett Theatre in Trinity College completely unaware of what I was about to see. In fact, now it is a bit difficult to put it into words. The play is acted by one man who not only plays several characters but also makes most of the sound effects in a mime/commedia del arte style. The actor's talent combined with the detailed yet simple light design, sound design and videography made the play seem cinematic at times, yet still remaining a true piece of theatre relying on the imagination of the actor and the audience's willingness to use their own imagination to follow him on his journey. The play shows a man living a rather ordinary and even depressing life but it changes when he learns of the death of his absent father. That synopsis sounds trite. Just go see it. Really, when I think about it my brain kind of goes gahhhhhh kjnfsduhawdpi. No, I am not having a stroke. I am just having difficulty verbalizing my thoughts as I am still processing the play. If I could see it again I would but really I just want to say to the actor, "teach me your ways master." And then he would magically bestow his acting powers unto me. That's how it works, right?

Here I am, it's Friday, the sun is out (for once). It has quickly become autumn and I'm afraid winter will be here sooner than I'd like. I am off to Sligo for the weekend and then I'll be diving into work for the play that I am working on in the Fringe. Fancy, no?

Slainte!

Two in One Day!

I knew I was forgetting something!

On Thursday I went to Christchurch Cathedral park where there was a special food market in the afternoon as an alternative way for people to spend their lunch break. I had a lovely paella.Then I stumbled upon an outdoor opera taking place in an outdoor amphitheater. Oh and it was for free, even better! So I took a seat on the concrete steps and an typical auld one (elderly) Irish woman handed me a re-usable bag saying, " Here love, take this it's far too cold to be sitting on that." How kind! So I sat on a bag and watched The Marriage of Figaro (which I saw for the first time when I was five) and my grandma used to sing the music to me to put me to sleep when I was a baby. Obviously I became emotional and cried. I also laughed a lot as it is a comedy and this particular production interpreted the opera with a hippie/love/commune theme.

Ok now you're thoroughly updated!

What a Week! (and a half)

Friday I indulged and made chocolate chip cookies, let me elaborate for a moment. The Irish don't really do cookies in the way that Americans do. They do biscuits and scones and are only recently discovering cupcakes and brownies. In fact, there is only one shop that I have found that sells semi-sweet chocolate chips and it's almost six euro a bag so they have become a luxury. As I was going to my friend R.'s for dinner I decided I would make them and give her half so that I wouldn't be forced to eat them by myself (tragic I know). We ate them with wine while we patiently waited for her boyfriend to make us dinner.

 Saturday I watched Ireland play France in a very popular rugby watching pub. Unfortunately we lost to France...again. We lost to France in the previous match and we lost to France when we played them during the last Six Nations. Do we see a pattern? I love France, they have lovely food and wine, fine art, fashion, they gave us ballet (amongst many other things), oh and they won our revolution for us (no big deal) and the little that I have seen of the country is beautiful. When it comes to rugby, however, I hate France. Especially the obnoxious French who watch the match and rub it in when they win.

Monday I was supposed to go to Lisburn for another workshop but that got canceled so I lazed around with a latte and crepe (see why I like France) and my copy of Ulysses that I have been laboring over but I am at the final section-the one where there is not any punctuation and it keeps going in one long sentence for the last 80 pages or so. I am coming down the homestretch!

Tuesday evening I went to the theatre. The Abbey Theatre (Ireland's national theatre) to be more specific and saw Curse of the Starving Class by Sam Shepard. I really enjoy his work and what kept me thinking about the play for days afterwards was how relevant the play, which was originally written and produced in 1978, is not only to an Irish audience, but to any contemporary audience. Set in a farmhouse in California, it follows a family on the brink of debt due to a drunk father and the downfall of the American frontier. Before the play began we were warned that there would be nudity and a live animal onstage. My friend K. bemused that perhaps the animal would be a goat but I said that as we were in Ireland it would most likely be a sheep. Lo and behold a lamb was carried onstage and it was adorable. I am sure it is very rare that one sees a lamb as part of live theatre, nudity on the other hand is completely blasé.

Wednesday I went to the community drama class that I have been working with since I first moved here. It is amazing how far they have come and how diligently they have been working. I cannot wait for the public to see all their hard work. Thursday I was in the office briefly, my boss has been on holiday so I've been trusted to look after things (ah!). Next weekend we are having a seminar in Leitrim so I am looking forward to that.

Friday I went to a party that S. was having as a fundraiser for her production that will be in the Fringe. There have been ads for it on buses and billboards and it is all very exciting.

Now Saturday (yes I realize I am behind and it's been over a week) but the most recent previous Saturday was a big day.  I started with a full Irish breakfast which consisted of a fried egg sunny side up, black pudding and white pudding (I know it involves pigs blood and I won't go any further than that but it does taste good), rashers (Irish version of bacon), a potato cake and, of course, tea. Then, drum roll, I saw my first live rugby match in Dublin's newly renovated Aviva stadium. Ireland vs. England, sure to be a fiery match due to the obvious rivalry and that fact that Ireland beat them in Six Nations. I have made it clear that I, not typically a sports fan, love rugby and I cannot remember the last time I was at a professional sporting match, so needless to say I was excited. And then I was quickly devastated as England won. England also played dirty, causing injuries that took Irish players out of the game, and finally the ref gave an English player a yellow card. I am not a sports commentator so I will leave out all the sports facts and numbers, but I think I have come to a realization as to one of the reasons I have come to enjoy rugby so much and that is for the Irish fan. The way they cheer on or jeer at their team is unlike anything I have experienced in my little amount of time in the realm of sports. Here are some examples:

When a player makes a bad play: "Aw, come on you muppet!"

General encouragement: "Come on lads!"

When anything is going badly: "Ah, for fuck's sake!" (This may be my favourite)

You get the idea. It's probably better in person. I certainly am not going for a career in sports commentary. I don't think cultural/lingual appreciation is really something they focus on, though maybe they should.

Then I met up with some friends at a concert by a contemporary Irish band called Kila which was really great and a perfect way to end such an Irish day. Sunday was a quiet day I visited a flea market that I had heard about but it was not all that exciting except for some antique radios and a juke box but I was sensible and refrained from buying any of them.

And here we are Monday, fully updated! Whew. I hope I didn't leave anything out but if I did I'll be sure and cover it next week. In other news I am glad that my friends in the US survived earthquakes and hurricanes, in fact most of them had pretty amusing Facebook statuses regarding the events.

Slán agat!

I've Been Famous

So following a glamorous weekend with the horses I had just begun to settle back into the pace of my normal life when on Thursday evening Mc. gave me a call asking if I wanted to go to a VIP party for the premiere of Cowboys and Aliens. What a silly question. Yes! Mc. heard rumors that Olivia Wilde would be there but after I did a quick search on twitter (yes I have become that person) I came to the conclusion that she and the rest of the cast were currently at the London premiere. We decided to go anyways and see if there would be any Irish celebs. There weren't. But there was an open bar and free food and since I was dressed to the nines and had been an extra on the film I told Mc. he could pretend I was famous. It may have worked a little. Some guy told me I had a model walk. Ha.

On Saturday I had ann audition for a production of Romeo and Juliet I was given very short notice (as in the day before) so we shall see, but it was great to have the chance. I went to St. Patrick's Cathedral, which I had visited when I first came to Ireland but had not had a chance to get back to since. It was really nice to see it again but I think what was even nicer was to realize that I am not really a tourist anymore but there are still beautiful sights that I can see on a whim. Then I went somewhere new, The Science Gallery, which is a museum that combines the arts with sciences. The current exhibit is on the elements of the periodic table and shows various ways different elements are being used in art today and from the past. There were a lot of hands on exhibits (which are always the best) and I really liked that the exhibit was made to be appealing to both the scientist and the artist.

Sunday I went to a film festival and saw 30 seconds or Less starring Jesse Eisenberg which I would recommend, it was clever and funny. Next was a "mystery film" (as in the audience did not know what we would be seeing till it started and believe had I known I would not have watched) Final Destination 5. I do not really do horror films. Then there was a short film "Shoe" by an Irish filmmaker telling a very moving story about a man who is about to kill himself but a ghost convinces him not to. Finally I saw Cowboys and Aliens which I really enjoyed and was glad to see my New Mexico landscape well represented, unfortunately the scene I was in did not make the final cut. Oh well! 

I have been on my own working in the theatre's office this week since my boss is on holiday. It has actually been busy and stressful but I feel accomplished knowing that my boss trusts me to work on my own. Yesterday I went with a member of the company to Lisburn (east-Belfast) to do a workshop with a group of women who live in a Protestant community. As we drove in every house had British flags outside as well as UVF flags (Ulster Volunteer Force). It was very surreal and there really is not something I can compare it to in the U.S. The workshops were well received and I think they went well so hopefully we helped a little or at least left them with some things to think about.

Last night I went to community drama class so it was a long day of theatre for social purposes but it felt good. The group is really coming along and will be performing in November! 

I'm wrecked (tired) but I realized I was slipping too far behind and couldn't put off another update. It's almost time for rugby season! The rugby world cup is on in September and this month there are practice games so naturally I am very excited. Tomorrow night I am having dinner with some friends and then I'll hopefully have a nice weekend before I go back to Lisburn on Monday!

Thanks for reading!

Old Man Pubs, Gaelic Football and Equestrian!

August already! They say summer is over here in Ireland. It has been rainy and the autumn fashions are already in shop windows. The Irish are extremely optimistic about everything, including the weather. During the horrible winter everyone kept saying we would have a gorgeous summer, now they are telling me September will be lovely. I'm not holding my breath. The general consensus is that next winter will be even colder. Grand.

Last Friday I went to a run through of the show S. is doing in the Fringe. I am going to be designing the lights so I went to see what I was getting myself into. The play is based on S. and her friend K.'s experiences growing up in Ireland as women and the general cultural and social views of women in Irish society. It is very interesting and timely and should be a great show!

Over the weekend I went to Cork, one of Ireland's larger cities, and once claimed to be the capitol of Ireland so there is a great rivalry between Cork and Dublin. For a relatively large city (by Irish standards) it has a very small town feel. At one point I found myself in a pub that looked like it was out of the 1950's. It was one very small and narrow room around the bar with a few stools and old benches. The woman working behind the bar looked like she had been there since 1954 herself, even down to her clothes and hair. There were bottles of Bulmer's cider tucked away on the top shelf covered in dust that had to be at least fifty years old! Clearly this was a pub of true character and attracted many characters.  I kind of wanted to be the old lady behind the bar. Oh yes, I have big ambitions for when I retire. There was also a gaelic football match on which was very exciting. Summer is the season for the gaelic sports and the Irish are quite passionate about them. Cork lost to Mayo which was a big upset, though I was glad that the underdog won.

Thursday I went to Leitrim with my boss and a new temporary intern from Austria who is updating our website. We are having a seminar there in September and F. thought it would be nice to get us out of the office for the day to go up and take a look at the hotel where we might be holding the conference. It was a scenic drive of course (I don't think there isn't one in this country) and there were many green fields, horses, sheep and cows to be seen. I am looking forward to going back for the seminar.

Thursday evening I made a last minute decision to go see a new version of the musical Peter Pan. You see I have had a slight obsession and love for Peter Pan since I was two and felt that I would be depriving myself if I did not go see this new version. Alas, it was not very good and I was disappointed and left feeling very reminiscent for Mary Martin and my childhood. This new version (from the UK) attempted to modernize the story (completely unnecessary) so the Darling children were the grandchildren of the original Wendy (kind of like Hook, only it did not really work). The songs were campy and some of the costumes on the women chorus members were quite revealing which is not really appropriate for a play intended for children if you ask me. There were some good parts and I really wanted to like it but I could not. Oh well. There was a woman sitting next to me who started chatting away as Irish tend to do, her neighbor's son was one of the Lost Boys, so that made the evening a bit more enjoyable.

Saturday I went to the Royal Dublin Society Horse Fair. Oh yes I am posh. Never in my life would I have pictured myself at an equestrian show watching horses jump over fences. Yet there I was and I was enjoying it tremendously. It is very impressive seeing a horse gracefully scale a six foot wall. Everyone in the stands holds their breath till the horse and rider have safely landed on the ground. And everyone gasps when a horse knocks down a post or the rider falls. One took a bad spill but was able to get up much to everyone's relief. Yes, I felt that all I needed was an outfit from Ralph Lauren and I would have fit in perfectly, though I was glad I chose to wear a nice pair of leather boots to try and look more equestrian. There were also people from Kyrgyzstan  (I think that was the country) who did crazy tricks while riding, it was really cool.Also, racehorses and show horses have ridiculous names! Apparently this is so that there is no overlap of names, but they are still pretty silly.

All the pretty horses!

That's all for now!

July, July!

Ok, I think it's time we acknowledge that I am not very good at consistently updating, but hey I've kept this up since November. I have been in Ireland for over eight months! That is eight months of fish and chips, Guinness, whiskey, making new friends, seeing old friends, interning, frolicking through green rolling fields, sheep sighting, etc.

Last Wednesday I went with the theatre company to the Absolute Fringe Launch Party. I was dressed to the nines but in the end it was a bit disappointing. S. and I were expecting the vodka to be flowing but instead we were only given one free drink and then expected to pay at the bar if we wanted any more. Also there was not any food. Yes, I know this sounds snobby but haven been dragged to more than my share of artsy fartsy events I know that food is to be served if it is at a peak dining hour, like 6:00pm. So after we stayed long enough to schmooze S. and her friends and I headed off to a real pub had some wine and then went off to stuff our faces.

Summer comes in short doses here. A popular phrase that has been circulating is "I love summer in Ireland, it's my favourite day of the year." Sadly this is pretty close to the truth but Saturday was lovely so I headed to Malahide, a town on the coast, so I could at least say that I walked on a sandy beach once this summer. Sunday was nice as well so I took part in another popular summer activity spending the day in a beer garden. Drinking is a year round activity when it's miserable out you drink in the pub and when it's gorgeous out you drink outside the pub. I am getting the hang of it.

Tuesday was very busy in the office. We are getting ready to be audited which means we have to put together a gross amount of paperwork and I have become very good friends with the staff at our local bank branch. My boss has also put me in charge of social networking as I am young and hip. Right? So that being said like our page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/smashingtimestheatrecompany and follow us on Twitter @Smashing_Times please and thank you. Maybe if this social networking goes well I can start a blog for the theatre company. I know you ghosts of the ethernet would like that. Oh! Also my boss is sending me to Valencia, Spain in October for a seminar/conference we are doing with a partner company, all expenses paid. I am so excited. See? It does pay off to work for nothing.

Today I am feeling very Carrie Bradshaw a la Sex in the City because I bought two pairs of shoes today and am now blogging, which is essentially what she did only it was in the 90's so blogs didn't exist. And she wrote about more adult things. And spent her money on Manolo Blahnik's. The fact that I am able to make this reference makes me cringe a little. But I needed new shoes, as in truly needed not wanted, because I have worn holes into two pairs of my flats because I walk everywhere.

Yesterday I went to the National Stud in Kildare with my friend M. to see where some of the worlds best race horses are born and bred. The Queen stopped by on her recent visit, so naturally I had to see what all the fuss was about. The highlight was getting to pet some of the fouls. I was squealing and cooing over them. But they were really cute and their fur was still baby soft. Pictures will be coming! In addiction to the horses the grounds also boast a Japanese garden which was beautiful and St. Fiachra's Garden which houses old monastic cells. As we left we saw a sign for St. Bridget's Well which I vaguely remembered had some historical accuracy so I made M. turn down the narrow lane where we came to the well and the natural spring that supplies it. I washed my feet in the spring as is custom, it was ice cold, but clearly a perfectly Irish cultural experience. Then we had fish and chips at a local pub and saw The Guard, a film by John Michael McDonagh, brother of the fames playwright Martin McDonagh. I highly recommend this dark comedy set in, of course, Ireland.

In other worldly news, this past month we have seen some violence in the North due to July being what is referred to as "marching season". Protestants light giant bonfires and march through Catholic communities in order to commemorate their victory in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Next month I am going to east-Belfast with the company to hold some workshops-should be interesting.

My thoughts and prayers go to those in Norway. It seems we live in troubled and violent times all over the globe...

I hear it's real hot in the USA! Have fun and stay cool. Or send us some sun!

Over and out!

Hey Big Spender

Well I went to the poker re-match on Saturday, thus confirming my life as a bachelor as I ate pizza and had a beer. I think playing a man is starting to affect me. Luck was on my side as really I have very little strategy and I was winning when I had to leave to go to my final performance of Hamlet. So I give my huge pile of chips to someone else on the agreement that if they won I would still get half the money from the pot. (Oh yes, we played for real money, but not very much.) After the play I got a text saying that she won and that my friends had my half of the money for me! Sweet! Although I don't think I'm ready for Vegas yet.

Hamlet is over the ending of a play is always bitter sweet but it is nice to have my evenings back and be able to eat dinner at a normal hour. After the play the cast went out to celebrate at a nightclub where one of the girls worked. She made sure we all got in for free and we had a table reserved and two complimentary bottles of champagne. I could get used to this. I was definitely feeling like a high roller.

During the week I have indulged myself in my some of my usual habits of dating Dublin, such as sitting with a latte and a raspberry tart and attempting to finish Ulysses.  Rough, I know. I've also discovered a love for tulips. I think they are my new favourite flower. I saw the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean, which at this point I think the writers have given up. I only saw it for Jonny Depp.  Wednesday I had dinner with my friends H. and M. H. has just moved to a new place in a very posh area so she had us over for dinner. It was lovely.

Last night I saw the final Harry Potter film. It is like a chapter of my childhood has closed. I realized that the seven-year-old girl sitting next to me was not even born when the first books came out. I felt some indignation but mostly I felt old. I realize these will probably be one of the films I talk about when I am at the point where I start sentences with "...when I was your age..." Yeah, I don't really like to think about that right now.

I have been continuing my internship with the theatre company and still enjoying it very much. S. is doing a play in the Dublin Absolute Fringe Festival and she has asked me to help her with the lights. I had a meeting yesterday to look at the space. It should be exciting, although I am currently more excited about the Fringe launch party next week which is sponsored by Absolute Vodka-free drinks anyone? Now to find something to wear...

Till next time!

O What a Rogue and Peasant Slave am I

Oh my lord I know it has been way too long since my last update. I have been performing in Hamlet for the last two weeks and between the performances and all the rehearsals leading up to them it seems that I have unfortunately put blogging to the wayside.

I have two performances left and then I am sure I will have to find something else to occupy my time, but seeing as how I'm in Ireland and we're in the thick of summer that shouldn't be a problem. Anyways, the performances have been going well, it's in a small venue and for the most part the audiences have been pretty decent, both in size and their attention span. In fairness the play is three hours and despite air conditioning the theatre has been getting very hot. We have been reviewed by entertainment.ie, yay.ie and the Irish Times. The reviews have been mixed, from what I have heard, I haven't actually read any of them. My own feelings on the experience, at the moment, are a bit mixed though I won't divulge much in case any fellow cast members stumble upon this. Overall it has been fun and very exciting to be in my first production here in Dublin. I love Hamlet, I think it is one of my favourites and one of Shakespeare's (or Beacon's) best. We can save the debate on who the actual writer is for another time. I think I became more excited when a fellow cast member and I were realizing which characters in the Lion King we were (yes,  the Lion King is based on Hamlet sans all the characters dying). I am a few smaller roles but am probably closest to Zazu, the obnoxious bird. This is of course if you indulge me and assume that Rafiki and not Zazu was meant to encapsulate Polonius. I will spare you and not go into the rest of the characters.

In my little amounts of spare time I went to the international street performance festival which was held over a weekend several weeks ago here in Dublin. I saw mimes and lots of jugglers accomplishing various fantastic feats like juggling a running chainsaw or balancing on a unicycle. It was fun to enjoy an old fashioned type of entertainment set in the old Georgian area of Dublin. Of course it rained but because we are used to that here everyone braved the weather to watch the talented performers. I also visited my friend H. at her new job as a tour guide at the Leprechaun Museum, no leprechauns to be seen but a few exhibits on Irish folklore. I'd say it's more for the kiddies.

It is still very light out late at night here which I love. It is very surreal to be leaving the theatre at 11 walking home in twilight. The seagulls are a bright white against the dark but not yet black sky and it's little moments like these where I find myself waxing poetic that it is not surprising that Ireland has such a rich literary culture.

Saturday night, after the play, I went out with some of my cast mates. We were exhausted having done two shows that day, but we decided to go out anyways. We had a great time, though unfortunately my ipod got stolen! And my sunglasses were stepped on and ruined. This has been my first major tragedy since moving to Ireland, so I guess that's not so bad, but all the same I was bummed. For the ipod thief, however, my ipod is an ancient first generation nano and hasn't been updated to the latest itunes software in years so good luck with that. And my name is engraved on the back so it will never let you forget of your thievery. There I feel better now. I suppose this is a lesson in a. being more careful with my belongings and b. not becoming attached to material possessions. Ce la vie.

Last Sunday was my first day off from Hamlet and it was a gorgeous day! I went with my friends R. and B. to A. and M.'s place across the square from me were we had a lovely barbecue on the roof. We played Texas Hold 'em and I was very close to winning but then at the very end my luck turned and R. won. I did have some of the best hands of the day though including a full house, straight, and a straight flush. Then B. challenged me to a round of foozeball but unfortunately I lost at that as well. We may be having a poker re-match tomorrow.

Monday I went with Australian A. and a few fellow Americans to the lovely beach town of Bray. We had chips and strolled along the boardwalk for a bit and then decided to do the famous cliff walk along the beach that ends in Greystones, the next town over. The views were spectacular and it was great to be outside by the water. When we got back to Dublin we had a few pints in honor of the 4th of July and played a game of pool, which I lost, but hey at least I'm trying.

Well I think I have you caught up as best as I can! Promise I'll get back to my more regularly scheduled programming soon!

June, Baby!

It seems that everyone I know was born in June-it is a great month to be born! Friday night was my boss' 50th birthday and my co-worker S. (yes I have developed further as a blogger and am now relying on aliases instead of refering to people as this friend or that friend-exciting I know!) anyways, S. and I decided that we would head out to Bray where my boss F. lives, and was having her party, together. S. invited me to meet her in town where she was having drinks with some of her friends. After getting caught in a torrential downpour and being forced to get in a taxi for fear of being drowned I finally made it to the Shelbourne Hotel where I met S. and her very posh friends. Now, remember when you were in first grade and the sixth graders seemed so cool? Then finally you made it to the top only to find yourself at the bottom of the ranks in middle school and the seniors were the shit. Finally you suffer through this one last time in college and you graduate and you're on top of the world (I am going somewhere with this, hang on) and you think the days of pining over the big kids are over. Not so. As I sipped martinis with S. and her friends who are in their late twenties I realized I was struck with envy at how cool they all were. I mean, afterall, they were drinking martinis. Then S. and I headed off to Bray and got there just in time for some delicious food and plenty of wine. And cake. There has to be cake. We danced to the playlist that we had helped F. put together a few days before. I am a bit embarrassed to report that I did the whole dance to Michael Jackson's Thriller. I know. I blame the martini. All in all it was a great night.

Saturday night I met my friend M. and some of his friends (it is a strictly platonic friendship) to go to what was a very scenester/hipster club by Dublin's standards-very fun but certainly not as classy as the Shelbourne, though definitly less expensive.

Sunday was a rainy day and I had rehearsal for Hamlet. It opens in less than 2 weeks! We have amped up rehearsal time and it is starting to come along. Monday I popped into the office to help F. with a few things before she headed off to Greece, lucky lady. Then it was back to more rehearsals.

Tuesday night I went out for my co-worker K.'s birthday. She is a fellow American and there was a band from her homtown of Portland playing, they were very good and very typical Portland. I think I may have already written about them as we saw them play a few weeks before when they kicked off their tour of Ireland. Afterwards I went to The Temple Bar where a musician is trying to break the Guinness Book of World Records for playing for 101 hours. By the time I got there he had been playing for 58. Apparently he is allowed a 5 minute break every hour, still that's a lot of guitar playing. I think tonight is his last night so I may stop by to see if he was actually succesful.

Yesterday I had lunch with a woman named C. who is from Santa Fe but lives in Galway for part of the year. It was nice to see someone from home who understood where I came from but who also shared a love for Ireland. We went to a great Italian restaurant and I had a delicious pizza! I had another rehearsal for Hamlet last night that focuse on movement and my body is sore! We had to move as though we were marionettes and fall to the floor. I haven't actually looked but I'm pretty sure there is a huge bruise on my ass. Oh the pains I take for my art!

I was supposed to go to Belfast today with the theatre company but unfortunately that fell through, but there will be another chance for me to go I am sure. The good news is that I can be in Dublin today and today is Bloomsday, the celebration of James Joyce's epic Ulysseus. I started reading it, hoping I would have it finished by today but sadly I am only half way through the dense thing. At least I will sort of know the story while perusing events today and through the weekend.

Thanks for reading, till next time!

I Heart Whiskey and Other Things

That title would make a good title for my memoir. I am 23 now. I would say that I am old, but I am actually realizing that I am really still a baby comparatively speaking. I liked 22 because it was a cute sounding number (weird I know) but it was an insane year and I am welcoming a new one, time to turn over some more leaves. Most of the people I have met or spend time with here are older than me which is fine because I am mature for my age which is a blessing and a curse. But it is nice when I talk to someone who I assume to be my age and they seem far more accomplished than me and then it turns out they are 28!

I went on a tour of the Jameson Distillery with a friend. I actually live right next to it so was a bit silly that I had never been before, although I consider myself not to be a tourist so I generally avoid places where they go. As part of the tour 8 volunteers are selected for a special whiskey tasting-I was one of the lucky few and sampled a Scottish whiskey, Jameson and Jack Daniels. Needless to say Jameson is my favourite though J.D. will always have a special place in my heart. I was given a certificate stating that I was an official whiskey taster and I was also given a Jameson key chain as it was my birthday. I also may have purchased a vintage shot of whiskey for 14 euro on the pretense that it was my birthday and you only live once. It was very smooth. Bottoms up! Then I met up with another friend and we had pizza and white wine. Classy! Then, well...it's Ireland and it was my birthday so we hit the pubs.

I have a new flatmate who moved in on Monday. He is English and works in the stock market. Between our schedules we hardly ever see each other but he seems nice. And handsome. I have decided to tell myself he is gay because a). he may be or he's just European I can't really tell and b). I figure if I assume he is gay it won't be awkward.

On Tuesday my theatre company did a performance in conjunction with a campaign UNICEF is leading to raise awareness and deal with suicide among teenagers and young adults. The event was held in an area of Dublin where suicide has been prevalent and the Minister of Children and Youth Affairs for Ireland was there. I do not want to brag too much, but our performance was very moving. Oh yeah, and I did the lights for the whole thing! It was great to be part of such an important event and to see the theatre company in action on a very critical issue.

I have had two Hamlet rehearsals since my last post. The production is starting to come together and has been a lot of fun. Last night we worked on our characters and had to choose an animal to act like, I chose a peacock and strutted my stuff. I am looking forward to rehearsal tomorrow.

Today I went to an Italian retail/wholesale shop that is right around the corner from my house. Why I had never been there before is beyond me, I have no excuse. From now on I will be going there all the time. I bought mozzarella, pesto, gnocchi, and risotto all for about 8 euro! Next time I will check out their wine and olive oil. This has also inspired me to investigate the fish shop also around the corner.

I am learning more about blogs as I become more confident baring my soul. Apparently I am supposed to end with a question for you, my public audience, so you can participate/feel included. I think it is supposed to be relevant to the subject of my post. So anyone traveled anywhere exciting lately?

Ciao!

Calves, Cliffs and Kilts!

June! The sun is out, it's finally stopped raining and my birthday is on Friday! This should be a good week, but first I must tell you all about last week!

I went to a little get together with the drama group to celebrate their class being completed. My fellow instructor and I were serenaded and I was presented with a box of chocolates. It was very sweet. Then I went with said instructor to a music gig of some friends of hers from Portland. It was a very typical Portland band of klezmer/folk like musicians and the proceeds went to benefit a Dublin cycling group. Totally hippie but still fun.

Sunday I went on an adventure to the West. I did a family run tour that started in an area known as The Burren that is composed of vast landscapes of limestone and old rock walls that were built during English rule. The tour started on their farm were I got to bottle feed a lamb and stuck my hand in a calf's mouth. The farmer told me to do it. It was a bit slobbery but too adorable not too pass up.

Then we hiked around the farmland which backs into The Burren and took in the great views. Afterwards we had coffee and cake before heading onto the bus. Then we drove through County Clare making our way to the key destination of the Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland's most famous landscapes. I have seen photos of the cliffs for years now and have always wanted to go so naturally I was quite excited. The bus driver pleasantly announced that the winding road we would have to take was often referred to as "the corkscrew", needless to say there were a lot of sharp turns on a very narrow road. (U.S. Highway 1, anybody?) I am glad that I managed not to get carsick.  As cliche as it may sound, when we finally got to the cliffs, it was truly breathtaking. There is something very majestic about the large, imposing cliffs with waves crashing beneath. There is also something very daunting about standing at the edge of a country with nothing but the Atlantic surrounding.

After the cliffs we went to the small fishing town of Doolin and had lunch at a pub. I had a delicious seafood chowder. Then we drove up along the coast making our way to Galway where we had an hour to take in the city. I made friends with a Canadian girl who is also living in Dublin so we grabbed a pint. After a very long day (we left around 7:30am) we made it back to Dublin. There had been a big football(soccer) match earlier in the day between Ireland and Scotland (Ireland won!) and so there were Scottish men clad in kilts walking all over the city. The Canadian and I decided to join in the post game revelry and had a great time! Who knew I would learn to love sports so much?

Tuesday I got back to my life as an intern and sent off more grant applications! Next week were are doing a performance in partnership with UNICEF and I will be doing the lighting for the show.
Then I had a Hamlet rehearsal, which seems to be going well, though we still have a lot to do before we open 4 weeks from now!

Oh, and you may have noticed that I changed the layout, just thought I needed to try something different. I have also started adding photos! Unless otherwise noted they are all taken by yours truly. I added some to older posts so check them out.

Till next time!

‎Is Féidir Linn

Things here have been very exciting!

First we had the Royal visit from Queen Elizabeth II which was incredibly monumental as an English monarch has not visited Ireland in 100 years and the two countries have had a very turbulent history. For the most part, I gathered, that many people were happy about her visit and she was well received. In some ways I suppose her visit was meant to be a symbol of piece and unity. There were, however, protests against her visit which resulted in a few skirmishes with the Garda as reportedly rocks and "missiles" were thrown and some false alarm bomb threats. Fortunately no one was hurt and I think the Queen left with a positive impressions of Ireland.

Next President Obama came to visit! To see me of course, and then he was polite enough to say hello to everyone else. It was wonderful to see that he was so popular here. He gave a speech in the centre of town near Trinity College, at least 30,000 people came to see him and had to wait in line for hours to get through security, braving the wind and rain, I was one of them. While I was only able to see him from a large portable screen that was put up I was very glad to be there. Everyone was wearing red, white and blue and waving American flags which was a bit surreal. Obama's speech was great and I think between the Queen and his visit there is a new sense of patriotism for the Irish which has been greatly needed during this dark recession. It felt good to be an American in Dublin as Obama reminded us in his words, "There has always been a little green behind the red, white and blue."

 On Sunday I took the bus to Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow to climb what is called the Great Sugarloaf, a small mountain at 1,644 feet high. First I missed my stop and had to get off at the next one where I got a local bus with a sympathetic driver who took me back in the general direction I was meant to go and the dropped me off where I could walk to the town. After finally reaching Kilmacanogue I referred to the directions in my guide book on how to get to the trailhead, however, the directions were vague and stated I should walk along a small road opposite the church. I easily found the church but all the roads surrounding it were small, as this is Ireland after all. Finally I chose the narrowest of roads which seemed to be going in the direction of the Sugarloaf and walked to the end of it where I found a small trail. There were these yellow wildflowers blossoming everywhere and the air was thick with their sweet, nectary smell. As I climbed higher I could see the town of Bray and the Dublin Bay. Then my little trail disappeared and I was left picking my way through bogs and nettles until I finally found a rocky trail again. Though it is not a particularly big peak, as I got closer to the top the slopes became incredibly rocky and steep and the winds were viscous. The last bit requires you to climb up the rocks in order to get to the very top. It was well worth it, the view was spectacular. I could see Dublin Bay down to the Wicklow coast and behind me the the Wicklow mountains and fields of green. As I climbed down I missed the little trail again and found myself walking through someone's farm, there were some nice horses and sheep who started making a lot of noise. Oops! If only a handsome farmer had come to my rescue. Alas, no, for as dramatic as my life may seem at times it is not the stuff of Hollywood films. Fortunately I made my way back to the road and safely onto the bus to Dublin! Whew.

Last night I had the last class with one of the community drama groups I have been working with. It was bittersweet, but I am very proud of the work they have done and I hope they enjoyed it as much as I have. Hopefully I will have the chance to work with some of them again in the fall when their class resumes.

Well, that's the weekly report! Over and out.

Catch Up

Ok. So I know I have been on a bit of a hiatus. Those of you who I know that regularly read my blog already knew where I've been. But for those of who hiding out their in the ether and for my own blog record let's recap.

At the end of April I jet-setted back to the USA. I know, I know betraying Dublin once again but we back on strong now. I was actually asked if I was an American citizen when I went through immigration. I thought that's what passports were for. Then when I found out that my flight from Dallas to Albuquerque was delayed by 2 hours I begged the desk agent to put me on a flight to Santa Fe. He didn't understand why I was so impatient. But I had been up since 6am Dublin time and maybe the few pints with an old Santa Fe friend the night before were not the best idea. But I got onto the flight and had to run down the jet-bridge, I made it!

One of the reasons I went home was to attend the memorial service for my late grandfather. He was an amazing man and a scholar and truly will be missed. I did get to spend time with my wonderful family, which was nice.

The other reason I went home was to work on a film! A British film maker recently moved to Santa Fe and wrote the screenplay for "What? Or a Roadtrip to Europe" is it a satire based on U.S. immigration policy, especially the law recently passed in Arizona. I played a young girl traveling with her family during the 1940's in Germany who gets stopped by a border guard. The film was a lot of fun, I had my hair in adorable little braided-pig-tail-loop things, and the cast and crew were great to work with, Plus this was my first official paid acting gig! The film will be playing in international film festivals in late 2011/2012.

Image Courtesy of Gabriella Marks 

At the grocery store I found Kerrygold butter and Magnum ice creams bars so I was reminded of Ireland while I was away. Otherwise I had a nice time at home with my family and my farm animals. Had a early celebration for my birthday since I will be here and not home when I ring in 23! Oh, and I got to zip around in my car which I missed, even though walking everywhere is better for me and the environment.

A friend from Santa Fe, as I mentioned earlier, was visiting Dublin for a while so we hung out when I got back, so it was almost like being in Santa Fe still, but now I am officially back to my Dublin self.

Oh yeah and there were big world events happening during this long crazy week. Like the Royal Wedding. Yay monarchy and people loving each other. Then Osama bin Laden died. I am not entirely sure how I feel about this. I admit I am glad that he is gone. Part of me would have preferred that he had a trial and was sent to rot in jail for the rest of his days tortured by guilt for his violent acts. Although I imagine a man like that has little remorse. I am hoping that this will make Obama's road to re-election a little easier but who knows.

Next week I have rehearsals for Hamlet, the Queen is visiting Dublin and then Obama is visiting soon afterwards. Oh boy!

Ducks, Beer, Uprisings-Must be Easter!

When I got back from Wales last week I had to rush from the airport to my first audition here in Dublin and I am happy to say that I have been cast in an all female production of Hamlet! I do not know which part yet, but it should be exciting. It has been a fairly quiet week and the days have been lovely warm. Friday was Good Friday and as Ireland is very Catholic the city was shut down. Including the pubs. In fact you are not allowed to purchase alcohol. So a friend and I went to the park and fed the ducks. Riveting, I know. Saturday was a gorgeous day and I went to a rooftop barbecue with some friends and we had quite the feast. We also had a few beers (we're not counting) to make up for our sobriety the day before (naturally). The festivities stretched long into the night and we got home as the sun was coming up and the true devout where on there way to Mass. Happy Easter. Speaking of Easter, this past one marked the 95th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, one of Ireland's most significant rebellions against England, which took place during Easter, hence the name. While unsuccessful it did bring Republicanism back to the forefront of Irish politics. It is cool to be in a country with such a tumultuous history that really is quite recent. I caught the end of the film The Wind that Shakes the Barley, which portrays the tragic drama of the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War that occurred in the early 20th century. I highly recommend it, especially because it stars Cillian Murphy who is a stud. I also, in the spirit of Easter, caught the end of The Passion of the Christ, and even though I had heard the controversy over the film my curiosity got the better of me. Oh boy was it graphic...and that's all I think I can say right now. Easter Monday is not a public holiday in the States (that I am aware of) but it was here, and schools have the week off. It is interesting to be in a country were one religion is so dominant, and yet, in some ways it does not seem to have as extreme an effect on politics as it does in the U.S. Also, Ireland has much better Easter chocolates and they have been stocked in the shops for the past month so I have been gorging myself on Cadbury caramel eggs. Oh dear.

I have been learning to play the violin for a film that I will be doing in the U.S. next week. It is a difficult instrument and I actually hurt my neck from practicing so long. But as I do love Irish music maybe I will learn to be more patient with the violin and take up playing trad music. Maybe.

On another note-back to politics. I saw on the news today that President Obama released his birth certificate. Really? Is this really what "democracy" has come to? I am sorry that this is the state of affairs in my country. It would be too hopeful to think that the "birther's" will lay off, in fact, I am sure there will come up with something more absurd. I can only hope that this will open the eyes of the rest of Americans and they will realize it is time to stand up to the hypocrisy of the Republican party and the "tea party". Please. People here ask me who I voted for and I proudly tell them Obama and I usually get a high five or something like that. American politics affect the entire world and it is time that we start showing the world that we are a country that cares about actual global issues and not a petty birth certificate.

Oh and the Royal Wedding craze just has to stop.

Well that's my weekly report!