London Calling!

So then we left Paris and took the train to London! We went through the Chunnel! I have learned to really like train journeys. It's far less hectic than airplanes and you usually get a nice view of the country side.

We arrived at the hotel which was also a helipad. Very James Bond. In fact the hotel had a whole aviation/James Bond theme throughout. The bed was giant which was nice after the tiny pull out sofa in Paris and the bathroom had a tv in it. Weird. Now, I have been to London before. But this was the first time I was here as an adult (whatever that means).

The next day I went to The Globe. To see Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry in Twelfth Night. You guys,  I booked the ticket way back in March. I know everyone loves Stephen Fry and he is great but the truth is that I went to see Mark Rylance because he is an incredible actor. The best thing is that a groundling ticket (that's for the people who stand near the stage, as peasants would have done in Shakespeare's time) is only 5 pounds! The play was amazing. It was not only witty and humorous but also poignant and beautiful. I was lucky and got to lean right against the stage. It was perfect! It rained during the last ten minutes but I was sheltered from the covering over the stage but my feet did get wet, I had been standing in a puddle which I didn't notice because I was at The Globe.

Afterwards I met the Irishman for a drink in The Swan, the bar/restaurant that is part of The Globe. It was lovely and cosy and a perfect way to end a day at The Globe. Then we wandered around London near the financial district. The Irishman took me to an old watering hole of his, back from his bachelor days of living in London. It's in an area that was an old outdoor covered market that had now been converted to pubs and shops. It is also where they film all the Diagon Alley scenes in Harry Potter for all you nerds out there.

After a while of strolling around I was getting hungry despite eating so much in Paris. The Irishman took me to Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant. Fancy! It was delicious. I had ricotta and smoked mozzarella stuffed zucchini flower to start, veal with poached egg and black truffle, and a decadent chocolate pot for dessert. Yum!

The following day we went to Westminster Abbey. I walked over Charles Darwin's grave. Literally. Oops. It took us two hours to walk through the whole abbey. I did not realise it was that large a building. That, and I'm a dork and had to stop at every tomb of dead queens and kings.  It really is an amazing place both for it's architecture and historical features.

Afterwards we walked to Covent Garden and poked around the shops stopping for cookies from Ben's Cookies, which are the best cookies ever. Fresh from the oven and warm and gooey. Then we walked up to Picadilly Circus thus completing a good day of sightseeing.

Then we went to the Irishman's friend's house were we were going to stay for the next two nights. They were very wonderful and we went to a restaurant in their neighborhood for more amazing food. First I was told that I had to try one of the restaurant's signature cocktails called The Pornstar Martini made with pomegranate vodka, vermouth, champagne and fresh passion fruit. It was delicious. But more than one would put you on the floor. I had pork belly with scallop to start, venison with a sweet potato puree, and poached pear and chocolate sorbet for dessert. Delectable. Though at this point I was realising I would need to consider not eating for a while.

The next day we went to the Borough Market which for anyone who likes food or markets (by now I'm sure you know I like food and markets) is a feast for the eyes and the tummy. I bought some drunk cheese. Yes that's cheese that's matured in old wine casks. Cheese and wine happily together as one! Then the Irishman's friend insisted we try the skrumpy cider. Really alcoholic home made apple cider. I only had a small cup and I felt tipsy.

Later that evening I met more of the Irishman's friends. They were all a lot of fun and tried not to tell me too many embarrassing stories about the Irishman.

The next morning we took a train to Holyhead and then a ferry back to Dublin. But I know I will go back to London soon. Ah, the life I live. Yes I know I'm lucky.

Good Food, Good Wine, Good Friends=Good Life

Around this time last year I went to Valencia and swooned over how magnificent a place it is, but then I went to Paris. And London. Well Valencia (and Dublin) you're going to have to step up your game cause there is some serious competition.

I actually have to confess that I had been to Paris before, once, when I was seventeen. I was with my senior comparative government class in Brussels to observe the EU (yeah we had the best teacher ever) and we went to Paris for the day. It was a long day trying to see everything and it became much more complicated when we got terribly lost and almost missed our train back to Brussels. So I decided to start over with Paris, give it a clean slate. Oh Paris. Where to start? First of all I must have been a French aristocrat in a past life because it seems Paris has everything that I love: cheese, wine, pastries, cafe au lait and chocolate.

I met the Irishman in Paris (Cue romance novel). He was there for a men only trip to the horse races but I managed to sneak in after the racing was over and the other men had left. Clever, I know. We stayed in a lovely apartment near Place de la Republique which I found thanks to this website. It was so Parisian and wonderful.

We started on our ambitious task of seeing all the sights in two days by walking along the canal towards Notre Dame. After a tour of the amazing Cathedral we paused briefly for lunch I had a brie and ham baguette. Then we continued towards the Louvre only to discover that it was closed. Thankfully it was open the next day! We continued walking and took a slight detour to get some macaroons from the famous Laduree, I also had a palmier and a cafe au lait. Of course. This was Paris. I had too. I also had to take a quick look in Chanel, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton because, well I was in Paris. I also don't have a job and did not win the lottery so really it was a bit of material world torture.

We continued to walk up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe which we then went inside and climbed all 248 steps to the top. Though it was cloudy the views of the city were worth the trek. I'm sure on a clear day the view is incredible.

After a long day of walking we were tired and not sure what we were going to do about dinner. The woman who owned the apartment had recommended a few places nearby, one of which was also in my handy guidebook, so we decided to give it a try and I am so glad we did. The restaurant was very small, very much a whole in the wall type of place, which is usually a good thing. We walked in and in broken French asked for a table and if they had an English menu. We were sat in a corner and their version of an English menu was an adorable young waiter explaining the menu (which was written on large boards on the walls) in broken English.  We both ordered the fish not really knowing what type of fish it was or what it came with, aside from the fact it was with bok choi. This fish was delicious. Buttery melt in your mouth and fresh. And delicious. Along with the bok choi was potato and I think turnips. It didn't matter that we were not sure of what it was because we both concluded it was one of the best meals we've had. I also think they fish may have been sea bass. I of course had a glass of wine to go with my meal and then a very fancy dark chocolate mousse served with an unidentified, but very nice, fruit. Throughout the meal people kept trying to get into the restaurant but, alas, we had taken the last table. The restaurant was booked out for the night. I almost felt guilty. Almost. But the fish was to amazing and it was such a romantic, quaint perfect Parisian experience that clearly it was meant to be. Ce la vie.

Also I got these shoes. From this shop called Antione et Lili. See? Named after me. The shoes had my name on them. Literally.

The following day we had to leave. We also had to go to the Louvre and to the boulangerie which had the very best apple tart I have tasted. Obviously it was busy day.

After breakfast we went to the train station where we put our luggage in a locker. I think this is so European. It also reminds me of spy movies like the Bourne Identity so naturally I felt like I was someone on some covert operation. Perhaps to steal all the pastries. Then we went to the Louvre finally as I really have wanted to go there for a long time. It was certainly on my bucket-list. And now I can say that I have been to most of the major museums in the world. The Louvre is, of course, massive and we didn't get to see everything but I think we got to everything I really wanted to see. I was sad to see they were advertising an exhibition of late Raphael works opening the following day. I did get to see the works of Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Delacroix in the French paintings section and Caravaggio and Da Vinci in the Italian section and the statue of Venus de Milo. And of course I saw the Mona Lisa. For a piece of such fame it really is quite unassuming. Of course there was a crowd of people pushing to get up close for a photo but I made my way to the front and just stood, looking at the painting appreciating it for what it was and appreciating the fact that I was standing in front of it which was really quite humbling. Before the digital age people didn't have cameras with them at all times and they went to museums to see the artwork, not take a photo to prove that they were there. I wonder if the people snapping photos actually stopped to take a moment and realise what was happening around them. There was a staff member of the Louvre in charge of maintaing crowd control and after people had snapped their photo she would push them along but she let me stay where I was right at the front. Maybe she didn't notice me or maybe it was because I was actually looking at what was in front of me so she let me stay.

After the Louvre we had a quick bite at a nearby brasserie. I love brasseries. I love there is a place where you can get food or coffee or wine or all of the above anytime of day. That you can sit there for as long as you like. It's perfect. There should be more brasseries in the world. Then it was off to the train station and au revoir to Paris. But hello to London (next post coming soon)!

Wow, Time Flies!

Oh my god! You guys, you guys! Has it really been almost two months since my last post?! How did that happen?! I'm sorry I am a bad blogger.

Here is how it has been almost two months I can sum it right up to two things: Dublin Fringe Festival and the Dublin Theatre Festival. Two festivals of theatre (you know that thing I do and love?) one right after the other.

The play I was in, All Hell Lay Beneath with Sugarglass Theatre Company was in the Fringe Festival. It went very well, was very succesfull. We received high praise and were nominated for Best Off-Site Venue and Spirit of the Fringe. It was an honor to be apart of this wonderful production. Then I assisted with another production, The Last Ten Years, a collaboration between Sean Millar and RADE in St. Patrick's Cathedral. It was also nominated for Spirit of the Fringe.  Then of course I had to see some productions myself so I saw: Dogs by Emma Martin Dance; FARM by WillFredd Theatre Company; and White Rabbit/Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour. All were amazing and totally unique productions.

Then came the Theatre Festival and I spent all my money and went to so many plays. I'm going to list them off: Dubliners by Corn Exchange; Boys of Foley Street by Anu Productions; The Select (The Sun Also Rises) by Elevator Repair Service; Bird with Boy by junk ensemble; Have I No Mouth by Brokentalkers; Hamlet by The Wooster Group; and Everyone is King Lear by Pan Pan Theatre Company. These performances have been enlightening, inspiring and so exciting!

So as you can see I have been very busy.

I am currently in the process of writing reviews for everything I have seen so once I have done that I will post them here. But if you are living in the New York area both Hamlet and The Select will be coming to a theatre near you and I would highly suggest you don't miss them!

In the meantime I have continued working with the theatre company, adjusting to life by the sea, running, and generally living in Ireland. And eating, breathing, sleeping. All that stuff too.

Sorry guys, I'm tired. And I'm getting on a plane tomorrow to go to Paris! And then to London! And then I'm seeing Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry in Twelfth Night at The Globe! So I'll give you a proper update and the lowdown on Paris/London when I get back!