Clerys Heritage Gallery

By pure chance Enid and I found this wonderful little gem hidden in the Clerys department store.

What is it you ask?

It's a whole exhibition of the Clery's history and heritage.

Tucked up the back, on the 2nd floor - barely signposted and definitely not advertised - in a little room which looks like a shop, if you turn a corner there unfolds an exhibition of 5/6 rooms, and also a little screening room showing a 6 minute film.

It is FANTASTIC!  I cannot believe I have never seen or heard about it before.  I actually was in the little "shop" part of it about two weeks ago with mam and did not see that there were further rooms attached which contained the exhibition.

They really really need to sort out their signposting/advertising!

If I was Mrs (or Mr) Clerys, I would be advertising it as "the littlest museum inside a department store" or "the only department store with a museum" or "the only museum inside a department store" etc etc

You should check it out next time you are in Dublin.  It's small, but informative and interesting.  And it's free!

Charity shop / Thrift store

Today I did a big bedroom clean and wardrobe clearout.  Completed with my mother's assistance - she is brilliant at looking at something for one second and declaring "out!"  "Throw it out"

I dropped 4 black sacks of clothes off in my local charity shop.

Plus I dropped 4 coats off for dry-cleaning and some shirts off for ironing.

Feels great to have this job done. It was way overdue.

Vintage Kitchen Poolbeg Street

Enid rang me yesterday to say she had just got a cancellation at The Vintage Kitchen in Poolbeg Street.  I suggested she ring them and see if they could fit two additional people in would which mean our cousin and her weekend guest could come as well.

I am very tired so this is going to be a lazy post but let me assure you that everything about it is as good as the word on the street.

The chowder: "omg this is the best chowder I've ever tasted"

The risotto: "omg this is the best risotto I've ever tasted"

The fish cake: "omg this is the best fish cake I've ever tasted"

You get the picture!

Anyway a picture tells a thousand words so have a look at photos of all the food loveliness below.

Ps.  Vintage Kitcken is BYO - thank you to Kasey for bringing the lovely wine

Donegal smoked haddock, wild samphire & chorizo chowder

Wild pink prawn, chili & soft herb risotto

Roasted wild Irish Sea ling wrapped in Parma ham, crispy cod fish cake, caper sauce

Wicklow Duck liver creme, lime jelly, pistachio, toast & raisin, apple & star anise jam

Slaney river Slow roasted lamb shank,  treacle gravy, roasted parsnips,  sweet potato and beans

Roasted poussin,  caprese salad, horseraddish sauce, sauteed potatoes

Sunday

Yesterday was an adventurous Sunday to say the least.

Enid and I had arranged to meet at our mothers house to give it a good clean - Mam was in hospital for the last two weeks (hip replacement) and is due out soon.

On her drive over Enid had an "experience" which I can only sum up as "All's well that ends well, but it really really makes you think of being more security conscious".

It is a story that applies no matter where you live in the world so worth a read I think  - click on the link to her blog post here.

After the cleaning our cousin Kasey had invited us around to her apartment for some brunch.

Superquinn sausages!  Yum!!

All fun and games until we turned away for a second and Kasey found Bones up on the table finishing off the leftover sausages.  Bold dog!  

But seeing as he had been such a hero with Enid earlier on (read her blog post!) we decided to forgive him.

It was such a nice day, nothing like October at all, and we decided to go for a walk along the river Tolka which is near Kasey's house - she has the Royal Canal on one side and the Tolka on the other side.

Here are some pics taken along the way.  Yes Enid and I look pretty "rough" in the pictures. I remind you we were doing house cleaning that morning.  Kasey said I looked liked something out of  Love/Hate and that I was dressed for disposing of dead bodies!!!!

Acts of kindness - Pay it forward via facebook

A couple of weeks ago my cousin put the following up on facebook:

This world needs as much kindness as it can get. I'm participating in this Pay it Forward initiative: the first five people who comment on this status with "I'm in" will receive a surprise from me at some point during this calendar year - anything from a book, a ticket, something home-grown, homemade, a postcard, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit you and make you happy. These five people must make the same offer on their Facebook status. Once my first five have commented "I'm in" I will forward this message to put on your status (Dont share it!!!) so we can form a web of connection of kindness. Let's do more nice and loving things in 2014, without any reason other than to make each other smile and show that we think of each other. Here's to a more enjoyable and friendly, and love filled year.... Also, when I PM to you, I will need you to PM your address back to me.

I thought this was a lovely idea so I immediately clicked yes and then posted it on to my facebook page.

And three people clicked yes on my page!

So the story is that I need to do something nice for them.  I have been thinking about it for the last few weeks about what would be a nice thing to receive in the post and today I went out and purchased two little gifts.

This silver and Tipperary crystal Christmas star decoration will be winging its way to South Carolina very soon!

And these cute little ear-rings will be going to a girl  who I think will be getting into the Halloween spirit with her three children and will get a kick out of wearing these!

Just one last gift to choose for a special Galway Girl

Are you on facebook? Why don't you take part and "pay it forward"?!