Slainte Bono!

Nice!



(Photographer unknown)



A Mystery Parcel

I got a parcel today, it was a huge square box and I had no idea what it was.  I opened the box, to reveal  mounds of bubble wrap around two large inner boxes.  I removed more bubble wrap from inside these two inner boxes and in one found four small boxes, in the other four items wrapped in even more bubble wrap.  I opend the boxes and wrap to find eight glass candle holders I'd recently ordered, the total cost of my order was £8.90, surely the cost of the packaging alone!  Whatever happened to saving resources?  LOL!

New Year 2011 in Dublin

December 30th 2010

Happy New Year to you all.  I was in Dublin to see 2011 come in, no better place to be!  You can read about our short trip below.

Debbi and I met up in Manchester -  we were so lucky that the wintry weather had abated just days previously and we had no problems getting from our homes to Manchester.  Unfortunately though fog proved to be a problem, delaying the incoming flights from Dublin, including our plane.  However, we were only delayed about 40 minutes which wasn't too bad. 

We were chatting away as we were descending into Dublin when suddenly the plane made a very sudden, steep climb, I could hear the screech of the engines as they powered the sudden ascent.  Everyone went strangely quiet, knowing there was some kind of problem.  Shortly afterwards the pilot announced that the piece of machinery that aides an automatic landing in fog was not working and that's why they aborted the landing and that they had to do "a bit of work to do" on the flight deck.  The plane remained very quiet, I don't particularly like flying and this didn't help my now well controlled fear of flying!  But, 20 minutes later we landed safely - phew!

We got a bus to South Great Georges Street near Dublin Castle.  We were met there by Sean, the owner of the cottage we were renting for our few days in Dublin.  It took us ten minutes to get to the cottage off John Dillon Street in The Liberties.  The cottage was one of those small, one story homes that you see all over the city, this one was set in a small square of six cottages, with the old Dublin city wall running along one side.  Our cottage was so cute, with fabulous original window panes on the frontage.  It had a sitting room, two  bedrooms, a bathroom and kitchen - all small but well designed and it had everything we needed.  There was even a little yard with a seat at the back.  It was cosy and had a lovely feel about it, it was very homely - we loved our little cottage from the word go.

Our first job after unpacking was to go to the nearby shops for some provisions.  The area was mainly residential terrace houses set inbetween Dublin's two main cathedrals Christchurch and St Patricks. The area is known as The Liberties because being outside the city walls the areas had been self ruling to a point.

That evening we had been due to go to Dun Laoghaire for dinner with friends.  However, a family illness meant that had to be cancelled.  So, instead Debbi and I stayed in and had pizza and wine - lots of wine and talked for six hours solid!  You certainly know when you are with a good friend when you can just chill and chat like that.

31st December 2010



I had a bit of a bad head today!  LOL.  I went out for a walk around the local area to clear my head and took a few photos along the way.  This area is a stones throw from Temple Bar, yet is very quiet.  Near our square was the back entrance to a grand, derelict building called The Iveagh Market, that fronts onto nearby Francis Street.  It was built in 1902 to house market traders who previously sold their wares on the local streets.  

Also nearby was Mother Redcaps Tavern, built 1760, once one of Dublin's premier live entertainment pubs, now closed.  Both these building were earmarked for demolition to make way for apartments, offices, hotels, but since the recession has hit Ireland these buildings may actually be saved from destruction and the area will keep it's strong sense of history.  Too much of Dublin has been turned into characterless concrete, steel and glass.



Graffiti near our cottage

We took it easy that afternoon (this was to be a very taking it easy type of holiday ), then got ourselves spruced up and got a taxi to the Town Bar and Grill in Kildare Street for our evening meal. 

We always enjoy our meals there and this night was no exception.  We both chose the same courses.  Goats cheese and beetroot starter, ribeye steak main, and an assiette of desserts (small portions of all the desserts on offer) all of which were delicious.  We washed it down with a delicious Valpolicella, c'est la vie!  The serving staff pour your wine for you, but I wanted Deb to have more than me as, due to my hiatus hernia, I have to be careful about how much I drink (and I can only drink good red wine lol). So I tried to sneak more wine into her glass only to get caught by our waiter who said to Deb.  "I wish I had a friend who poured wine like that!"

We got a taxi home but, as is often the case in Dublin, the driver had no idea where our cottage was, or even the quite big street that the square led off from, and not being very familiar with that area we couldn't direct him.  "I'm not trying to cheat you" he kept saying, he seemed genuine and had no sat nav, so we asked him to drop us at Jury's Hotel at Christchurch as we could easily walk from there, otherwise we could have been going round The Liberties getting nowhere forever!  He took five Euro off the meter price too which was very fair.  Those Dublin taxi drivers should have to pass The Knowledge like London cabbies do!

We relaxed in our cosy cottage for a while before leaving at 11.40pm for the short walk to Christchurch Cathedral, the traditional place for Dubliners to gather to see in the New Year.  The cathedral looked beautiful all lit up in the night, the bells were ringing out as if calling the people and I was very aware of being part of something that had probably gone on for hundreds of years.  The bells stopped at around ten to twelve, by now there were hundreds of people there and the gardai had closed the road.  Then at twelve the bells chimed in 2011 and people cheered, hugged, drank champagne, set off sparklers and sky lanterns started appearing in the sky, it was a lovely atmosphere, happy and very good humoured.  

Soon the people started dispersing and we headed home. St Patricks, Dublin's other major cathedral, further down Nicholas Street also looked beautiful, its floodlit spire all lit up, it's bells ringing out too.  In five minutes we were home and we opened a bottle of Prosecco, we couldn't find a bottle of our usual celebration tipple, Veuve Clicquot, in the local shops so this was our second choice, and it was lovely.
We had kept our Christmas presents to open, strangely we bought each other similar presents!  We stayed up until 3am enjoying our Prosecco and chatting.

Christchurch Cathedral when the people were just starting to gather for the New Year bells

January 1st 2011

We had a very lazy morning, in fact we never saw the morning lol!  We find as we get older we can't just bounce back from late nights drinking a pleasant wine - we need time to recover.  Once up, dressed and awake I had another walk around the local area and bought a few things at the shop.

We had intended to walk to Grafton Street to see the lovely chandelier shaped Christmas lights we'd glimpsed from the taxi on the way to the Town Bar and Grill and to look at Brown Thomas's famous Christmas windows.  But it started raining really hard, and our little cottage was so snug and warm that we didn't need a lot of persuasion to stay in.  We have visited Dublin many, many times and seen all the sights so don't feel that we have missed out if we do this.

At 8pm we walked to The Tea Room Restaurant at The Clarence Hotel, just a ten minute stroll from our cottage, the rain had eased off by now.  We were given our usual table in the corner and ordered from the Market Menu which at E25 for three courses is very reasonable.  The waiter came to take our order then he said that a bottle of wine with our meal would be complimentary.  We thought we had heard wrong, but he repeated the same thing and asked if we had chosen a wine, we had and, still mystified, ordered a bottle of Chianti.

I had the salmon fishcake with a lovely mayo dressing for starters, then ribeye steak again for the main.  It was just as good as the one at the Town Bar and Grill, but different, as it had a delicous marinade on it.  It came with the most fabulous, crispy chunky chips.  For dessert I had chocolate fondant, with banana ice cream and toffee sauce.  Oddly, before we'd left our cottage I'd said I fancied fishcake for starters and chocolate fondant for dessert, how lucky was I?  The free wine was lovely, and we still don't know why we got it.  All I can think of is because we have stayed at the Clarence Hotel, including the penthouse, a few times and are regulars at The Tea Room.  It was a very nice gesture from the hotel and much appreciated.

After the meal we went through to The Study for cocktails and sat there for a while.  There was a pretty Christmas tree in the corner and it was very pleasant and relaxing in there.

We left the hotel at midnight and were soon home.  We didn't stay up too long as we had to be up early the next day as our short trip to Dublin was now over - though we did consider squatting in our little cottage as we loved it so much and didn't want to leave it!

Bono Busking - Much better Video

Here's a MUCH better video of Bono busking on Grafton Street last night, enjoy.  Happy Christmas!

Bono Busking on Grafton Street - Again!

So  Bono eventually made it home to Dublin despite being held up by the weather.  He found time to go out busking tonight in Grafton Street as he did last Christmas.  Shame it wasn't next week when I'll be there!

Ice on the Solway Firth

The Arctic weather is making the Cumbrian seascape look like something from Iceland or Scandinavia.  Someone I know took the following photos of the ice in the Solway Firth and dock at Silloth, a little seaside town not far from where I live.  I can't remember ever seeing the sea freeze over like this before.

U2 Weather Woes

After the sun of Down Under Bono and Edge came back down to earth with a bump.  Whilst trying to get home to Dublin they were diverted and delayed by the Arctic weather that is hanging over the British Isles at the moment and had to slum it with everyone else. How I wish I'd been on that train!

Read about it here

A Christmas Message From Pepsi the Dachshund

Hello, I'm Pepsi, looking very sweet and gorjus.  Like my hat?  My mammy bought it for me, I need it with all the ice and snow outside, not gud wether for dachshunds!

I thort I'd write a little Christmas message to you, pleese excuse any spelling mistakes, I'm very clever but am only two.  My big brudder Max wouldn't wear his hat, or pose for a foto, he was just watching when I had my foto taken, he can be a bit anti-social, but I love him anyway, he's my best pal.

And here's me showing my true colours, (I have a lovely smile and don't you think?) a bit of a rascal who can't keep out of trubble for long - that's what my mammy says anyway, but I just love having fun, fun, fun  BOL!  She wasn't very happy when I chewed her boots the other day, she went rather red in the face and said sum strange words.  But she soon loved me again when I laid on my back to let her tickle my tummee.  

I eventually managed to perswade Max to pose under the Christmas tree with me, here's our festive foto.  Only four days to go - I'm soooooo looking forward to Chrisrmas and TURKEY! 

Happy Christmas to you all, and health, happiness and lots of juicy bones for 2011,  from mammy, Max and me, Pepsi! xxxx

Ice House

And I thought it was cold here - I thank my lucky stars that I'm not in Ohio!  Read and watch this amazing story of the lighthouse on the coast of Lake Erie that has turned into an ice house here

Pet Portraits

 

Would you like an original drawing of your pet to treasure?  Well, you can now commission a unique portrait of your pet for just $45 from professional artist Dianne Beeaff.

The drawing would be a miniature (approximately 4" x 3") and  executed in pencil from your favourite photo of your pet.  Dianne draws any kind of pet, not just dogs.

I've included a couple of examples of her work in this post - including one of my dogs Pepsi and Max, which I am very pleased with, she's really caught their looks and personalities.  It's lovely to have a drawing of my boys!

If you are interested, contact Dianne directly on grimspound@aol.com.

Dub of the Year

Nice, and wouldn't this be a good time to announce U2 360 Tour 2011 dates in Dublin/Ireland?


It's the sweetest thing for Bono as he's crowned Dub of the Year

PRIDE: U2 frontman insists capital can be a world-beater again

Wednesday December 08 2010
By Caitlin McBride


POP star, peace broker, humanitarian -- and now The Dubliner of the Year.

After scooping most of the top awards around the world it's only fitting that Bono should be recognised in his hometown.

The U2 frontman will tomorrow be announced as the Dub of the Year in The Dubliner magazine -- to the surprise of.... well, no one.

Bono was floored with the title and said being named The Dubliner of the Year was the perfect way to wrap up the year.

"Dublin is a state of mind and a place. What's being a Dub?

"I don't know, but I am one and proud of it through and through.

Punkiness

"The messy head, all the earnest conversation, our spunkiness and punkiness, our sense of fun, the self-deprecating over-confidence.

"We are so many contradictions.

"Dubliner of the Year crowns a great year for me and the band, not everyone's experience I know.

"I'm feeling very blessed and grateful, and deep down in my gut, I know this city has what it takes to be a world-beater once again.

"It already is, in my head."

Editor of The Dubliner Paul Trainer said that he was the natural winner for the 2010 title.

"Bono has inspired many of the articles we have published over the last ten years. Wherever he goes, he takes a bit of Dublin with him and in the last year he has taken our city to every corner of the earth. He is a Dubliner who makes us proud to be The Dubliner," he said.

Famous Dubliners have come out in honour of the superstar to celebrate his newest accolade.

Former Dubliner of the Year Brian O'Driscoll is often considered one of the capital's best ambassadors, and he praised the iconic singer for staying loyal to his roots.

"No matter where he is in the world, whether on stage or meeting world leaders nobody is ever in any doubt that Bono is a Dubliner through and through," he said.

And Danny O'Donoghue from The Script, whose band has often been compared to U2, praised his hero as a success story which should be celebrated".

"Bono has got what most musicians search for all there life -- 'heart'. His belief changes others. He made it possible for Dubliners to dream, to think 'what if?'

"His belief and drive as a Dubliner got him to where he is today and we all need to be reminded that we drink the same water.

"So I congratulate Bono and say well done, keep flying the flag for Dublin and Ireland," he said.


Check out tomorrow's issue of The Dubliner, available every Thursday in the Herald, to find out all the details on Bono winning the title, and what 2FM DJ Dave Fanning, Gavin Friday, Senator David Norris, Mick Pyro, Niall Breslin of The Blizzards and Shane MacGowan have to say.

mcbride@herald.ie



 

The Suburbs - Arcade Fire

The first time I heard of Arcade Fire was during U2's Vertigo Tour a few years ago.  Well I say heard of them, it was their song Wake Up, played just before U2 took to the stage, that caught my attention - it was amazing.  I found out who sang it and have enjoyed most of the bands music since.  There are seven main band members, but on stage they are also joined by others (I've never worked out how many), so they are not your average four piece rock band visually - or sonically.



I downloaded their third album The Suburbs a while ago.  I'd heard lots of positive reviews but I've been busy and only listened to bits of it here and there.  But tonight I made the time and sat down and listened to the whole thing - and this album most definitely has to be listened to as a whole, it's an amazing, powerful sonic experience. 

The Suburbs is complex lyrically and musically, and like most U2 albums, the songs are interlinked in theme, it is very much a single entity and a grower.  I feel I need to listen to it a good few more times before I could attempt a proper review, but what I can say now is that this is an excellent album well worth buying.  Arcade Fire have their own "wall of sound" and are like no other band around.  And in this age of  made-to-order bands it's refreshing to know young people still have the hunger to create and express themselves and how they see the world around them via excellent rock music!

Read a review by NME here that says it better than I ever could.

Bad in Melbourne 1st December

This song never fails to send shivers down my spine, lovely version, great sound at that gig.  Roll on Canada next year!

Missing Snowman and Whiteout UK

You know life is wieder than fiction, this story was reported by the BBC

Woman Dials 999 to Report Snowman Theft in Kent


A woman who dialled 999 to report the theft of a snowman from outside her home has been branded "completely irresponsible" by Kent Police.

The force said the woman, from Chatham, thought the incident required their involvement because she used pound coins for eyes and teaspoons for arms.

During the call the woman said: "It ain't a nice road but you don't expect someone to nick your snowman."

Kent Police said officers had given her advice on real 999 emergencies.

The force said the call was made at the same time as operators fielded thousands of other phone calls about the heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures in the county.

During the conversation she said: "There's been a theft from outside my house.

"I haven't been out to check on him for five hours but I went outside for a fag and he's gone."

When she was asked who had gone, the woman replied: "My snowman. I thought that with it being icy and there not being anybody about, he'd be safe."

She was then asked whether it was an ornament, and answered: "No, a snowman made of snow, I made him myself.  It ain't a nice road but at the end of the day, you don't expect someone to nick your snowman, you know what I mean?"

The operator then told her she had rung an emergency line and she should not be calling it to report the theft of a snowman.

Ch Insp Simon Black said: "This call could have cost someone's life if there was a genuine emergency and they couldn't get through.  It was completely irresponsible.

"We have spoken to her and advised her what is a 999 call, and this clearly was not."

(http://www.bbc.co.uk/)


Whiteout UK, satellite photo taken yesterday



Paint the World (RED) on World Aids Day

                                                                         

(Photo by Don Arnold/Getty Images AsiaPac)

On 30th November Bono (looking very smart) and Edge flicked the switch to illuminate the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge in red ahead of World AIDS Day 2010.  Adam was also there, Larry seems to have opted out or maybe he was just in the background.  With the lads at the ceremony were New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Chair of Pacific Friends of the Global Fund, Wendy McCarthy.  More than 80 iconic landmarks, (including Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament in the UK) across 13 countries will join (RED) to promote awareness of the ongoing fight against the AIDS epidemic, by turning red to mark World AIDS Day on December 1.   On the evening of the 1st U2 play their first concert of the 360 Tour in Australia in Melbourne.

(Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images AsiaPac)



Snow Snow Snow!

Snow for two years on the trot, so where's the global warming?  It looks so pretty.  I'm going to a Christmas Market in the city centre tonight and one of the special events is an hourly fall of false snow lol!



Who's been out in the snow then?



   

A Christmassy tree in my garden

Bono's Helpline

This gave me my best laugh of the week!

The Celtic Tiger's Roar Turns into a Whimper

Over the last few days, like many others, I've been following the financial woes of Ireland that has resulted in the country receiving a massive loan from the E.U. 

I've been visiting Ireland, mainly Dublin, for over twenty years.  In the early years it was a rather down at heel city, but  what it lacked in modernity and riches it more than made up for with character, warmth and friendliness.  We grew very familiar with the Docklands area, (U2 fans will know why ) which was grimy, partially derelict and oozing history.  I especially remember the smells - coffee from Bewley's warehouse, and curry wafting from somewhere near Hanover Quay, we never did nail down exactly where that smell was coming from.   O'Connell Street was trashy, Temple Bar didn't exist, Bewley's waitresses still wore their black and white uniforms complete with pristine aprons.  Our favourite watering hole was Docker's pub, a wonderful old-time "real" pub, complete with snug, that served the best Guinness and sandwiches in town.  The Clarence Hotel still held tea dances.  And you could bump into U2 members in the street.

Then, Ireland joined the E.U in the 90's, and the Celtic Tiger started stirring and before we knew it the country was booming and Dublin was changing by the month.   The entertainment area of Temple Bar sprung up, O'Connell Street was tidied up, the waitresses in Bewley's lost their smart uniforms, Docker's pub didn't fit the new modern image for Dublin and now is no more.  The main change was all the building, the Dublin skyline became a mass of cranes.  New buildings of steel, concrete and glass lined the quays replacing the old stone structures.  More homes were built than were needed and house prices shot up to an unbelievable level.  But in the process the city was losing something, that innate "Irishness" . 

Don't get me wrong Dublin did need to modernise and the building brought lots of employment for people.  But a boom of those proportions couldn't last and again it seems the banks are to blame for this financial crisis.   And who is going to be hit hardest, yes, as usual the ordinary person in the street.  I consider Dublin my second home and I really feel for the Irish.  But they are resilient people and that Irish spirit will prevail,  they have weathered other hard times and I'm sure they'll get through this.