I started a blog about about my recent trip to Muscat which turned into not so much a post about Muscat, and more a post about Dubai and Abu Dhabi... Funny how that turned out! Read it here.
So this is about Muscat!
Enid and I had the best time! It was great to see Lydia and catch up with her on everything. I also particular loved seeing her living her life, dressed for work etc (glamourama - she is cabin crew).
I also liked showing Enid around - as I have been to Muscat before but this was her first time.
So what did we get up to - bearing in mind we were there for just a week there was only so much we could squeeze in. We did all the usual tourist stuff, The Grand Mosque, Mutrah souk, walking along the corniche, drive through the mountains, a small hike in the wadi (valley) etc. And then we did a lot of usual holiday stuff - pool and beach.
Enid has posted on her blog in detail about some of these places so I've linked to them above and below. She has lots of photos as well so worth a read..
The beach! Sigh.
We had the best beach days. There really is nothing like a day at the beach. Completely different from being at the pool. Nature is so restorative. And relaxing! It really felt like a holiday/break from the norm.
The food!
We ate the best Arabic food. I absolutely adore the hummus over there. It has a more gritty/grainier/drier texture than at home. Plus a super intense flavour. Mmmm
Monday, 1 May 2017
Cocktails for, eh, a cocktail party
So! You are throwing a party! Or like I will be doing this coming Friday, hosting a gathering and having a few people over for a few little drinkies before heading out.
What to serve?!
If you have been following my blog you will know that mixing drinks for friends is my thing. Well one of my things :-)
Here are a few of my failsafe recommendations for a good night.
1. Caiproskas
Ok so these are labour intensive. See here for my full instructions on how to make them.
While these ARE a bit of work alright, they are so worth it. And in particular one thing I always say about these are they suit both men and women. I do hate generalising, but you know the way some cocktails are just "womens" e.g. a Cosmopolitan and some more "men" e.g. an old fashioned or a basil gimlet. These are real kicky drinks. And any fellas I've served them to have seemed to enjoy that kick alright!
2. Falling Waters
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!!! The complete antidote to the Ciaproskas
There are loads of recipes online but here is how I make them.
Using a potato peeler peel strips of cucumber into martini glasses. Hold the cucumber above the glass as you peel and the juice will go in the glass also.
Add 2 large ice cubes - or 3
Pour in 2 shots of vodka - the large side of the a drinks jigger
Top up with sprite
And that's it!
3. White Russians
I loves these! Particularly October, November, December and January. Don't ask! Just because!
Ice, vodka, tia maria and milk in a cocktail shaker. And shake.
This is a handy one also because you can make a large amount in a jug and then it's ready, and just pour into the shaker with ice and shake throughout the evening.
4. I am not a big Prosecco/champagne drinker but I always find a bottle of Prosecco on ice goes down well
Any of the above and I am giving my absolute guarantee of a good night! Enjoy!
What to serve?!
If you have been following my blog you will know that mixing drinks for friends is my thing. Well one of my things :-)
Here are a few of my failsafe recommendations for a good night.
1. Caiproskas
Ok so these are labour intensive. See here for my full instructions on how to make them.
While these ARE a bit of work alright, they are so worth it. And in particular one thing I always say about these are they suit both men and women. I do hate generalising, but you know the way some cocktails are just "womens" e.g. a Cosmopolitan and some more "men" e.g. an old fashioned or a basil gimlet. These are real kicky drinks. And any fellas I've served them to have seemed to enjoy that kick alright!
2. Falling Waters
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!!! The complete antidote to the Ciaproskas
There are loads of recipes online but here is how I make them.
Using a potato peeler peel strips of cucumber into martini glasses. Hold the cucumber above the glass as you peel and the juice will go in the glass also.
Add 2 large ice cubes - or 3
Pour in 2 shots of vodka - the large side of the a drinks jigger
Top up with sprite
And that's it!
3. White Russians
I loves these! Particularly October, November, December and January. Don't ask! Just because!
Ice, vodka, tia maria and milk in a cocktail shaker. And shake.
This is a handy one also because you can make a large amount in a jug and then it's ready, and just pour into the shaker with ice and shake throughout the evening.
For my gal pals on Friday I will serve them in cute little milk bottles like this with straws. Another night I might serve them in cut glass old fashioned glasses or plain glasses a la The Big Lebowski. The dude abides.
4. I am not a big Prosecco/champagne drinker but I always find a bottle of Prosecco on ice goes down well
Any of the above and I am giving my absolute guarantee of a good night! Enjoy!
Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Middle of Middle East trip
Typing to you live (well obviously not dead!) from Muscat, Oman.
This is my third time in the Middle East. Hmm, when I see that typed in b&w that seems crazy - because being honest it would be far from my first choice for a holiday. Allow me to explain however. The first time I visited was 2/3 years when I was working on a project for a few weeks in Abu Dhabi (with some meetings/days in Dubai) so it wasn't actually a choice - or a holiday! And then last year I went to visit my sister here - Muscat, Oman where she lives and works. On that trip I also took in a few days in Abu Dhabi and Dubai again (my other sister K was also with us and she had never been to those cities before).
And now! Here I am to visit my sister L again.
I have a lot of holidays to take this year and I wanted to get some trips in my calendar. I also need to make sure I squeeze in holidays in between college etc - whenever I have a break from college I need to ensure I at a minimum, take some time off work, and ideally that I go away somewhere. So I had this week in April booked off since early January and then I just needed to decide where to go. I was thinking of visiting a friend in San Francisco (which is one of my favourite cities in the whole world) but for a variety of reasons I will go there some other time. And so (for a variety of reasons also, which I won't go into!) I decided I'd go visit L. Then it turned out that Enid had some time to take also, plus she had never been out to see L so she decided to come too.
I like Muscat. Out of the three places in the ME listed above it is far and beyond my favourite. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are not my cup of tea at all. If I was forced that I had no option and must go back then I'd take Abu Dhabi at a push, but Dubai I will never be in again. Dead cert.
In fact I like Muscat a lot....
...TBC
For part deux click here!
This is my third time in the Middle East. Hmm, when I see that typed in b&w that seems crazy - because being honest it would be far from my first choice for a holiday. Allow me to explain however. The first time I visited was 2/3 years when I was working on a project for a few weeks in Abu Dhabi (with some meetings/days in Dubai) so it wasn't actually a choice - or a holiday! And then last year I went to visit my sister here - Muscat, Oman where she lives and works. On that trip I also took in a few days in Abu Dhabi and Dubai again (my other sister K was also with us and she had never been to those cities before).
And now! Here I am to visit my sister L again.
I have a lot of holidays to take this year and I wanted to get some trips in my calendar. I also need to make sure I squeeze in holidays in between college etc - whenever I have a break from college I need to ensure I at a minimum, take some time off work, and ideally that I go away somewhere. So I had this week in April booked off since early January and then I just needed to decide where to go. I was thinking of visiting a friend in San Francisco (which is one of my favourite cities in the whole world) but for a variety of reasons I will go there some other time. And so (for a variety of reasons also, which I won't go into!) I decided I'd go visit L. Then it turned out that Enid had some time to take also, plus she had never been out to see L so she decided to come too.
I like Muscat. Out of the three places in the ME listed above it is far and beyond my favourite. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are not my cup of tea at all. If I was forced that I had no option and must go back then I'd take Abu Dhabi at a push, but Dubai I will never be in again. Dead cert.
In fact I like Muscat a lot....
...TBC
For part deux click here!
Saturday, 15 April 2017
The Train, Abbey Theatre
Yesterday was Good Friday in Ireland, and while some businesses close unfortunately the part of the company I am currently working in does not - but however I chose to take the day off. Which I am glad of. It's feeling like a very nice long weekend already and it's only Saturday.
Cousin Kasey, Enid and I met in my flat where I made some cocktails. The (ridiculous) licencing laws in Ireland outlaws the sale of alcohol, and the Church says one should not drink on Good Friday. On this basis I go out of my way to make sure I have a drink or two. I really do not like being told what I can or can't do by the State - particularly when the State is being told that by the Church... And ironically enough, this year, that ties in nicely with the theme of the play we saw later.
I had intended making a few different cocktails. But in the end I was too busy chatting and we needed to leave earlier than intended to collect our tickets, so the pineapple dacquiris and ciproskas were scratched, and I just made Falling Waterfalls and vodka and diet cokes.
I've no photo of the food but it was LOVELY - thanks to Cousin Kasey for bringing!
From there we headed down to The Abbey to see The Train
This poster was up outside my office during the week
We had another quick drink before the start of the play - theatres are exempt from the licencing laws. You see! Like it makes no sense at all. Why is a theatre exempt but a pub is not? Crazy.
And I ordered our interval drinks. Ok enough about alcohol on Good Friday, on to the play!!!
But first, a pic of Enid and I (posterity! posterity!)
The Train
It was wonderful! Absolutely wonderful. Such an imaginative and creative way of telling the story of the contraceptive train, plus the Ireland as it was then - how much the church was involved in the "bedroom" of Irish families.
The actors were excellent - and great singers - it is a musical afterall. All in all a great production.
AND at the very end a superb hat tip to #WakingTheFeminists (do you remember my blog post about the event I attended) and a call to action for more areas of women's lib where change is needed. To be honest it did depress me that while there have been improvements of course (contraception, divorce, signing for loans without a man [bloody hell], removal of obligatory redundancy on marriage, equal pay) there are still remaining other areas where there is MASSIVE improvement needed - bodily autonomy for women being key of course.... #Repealthe8th. While two years ago Enid and I did a lot of canvassing for Marriage Equality, Enid had told me that she didn't think she could do it for a referendum for Repeal the 8th. That considering some of the stuff we encountered on the doorsteps (while mostly good, when it was bad, it was HORRIFIC), that she just thought it would be too emotive. Anyway after last night she thinks she will do it. I am happy about that - she was really good at it - but I want her to only do it if she wants to do it herself.
Team Clean up Dublin
Here's Enid and I at a canal clean up day a couple of years ago. It was the most gorgeous weather that day. Lol which is why I am wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a mini skirt. In Ireland. As you do. Actually, when the sun shines in Ireland it absolutely IS what you MUST do, in my opinion!
And here we are on Friday picking litter in Ranelagh. There were loads of other jobs we could have done - weeding, painting plant pots etc - but we always volunteer for the unglamorous job of litter picking. Reason being that no one else volunteers for it, and it just needs to be done, and anyway we just walk along chatting and having a laugh and the time flies and we get loads done.
#TeamCleanUpDublin
#TwinTeam
Holy Thursday 2017
Enid, Alice and I met up for a catchup on Thursday in Xico on Baggot Street. Enid isn't mad on the food but it suited Alice and I - she wasn't in the mood for walking far as she was wearing very fancy shoes, and I just adore the food here.
I ordered the chili as I always do. My friend Tara and I are obsessed with the rice here. Last time we went we were asking so much questions about it that they were almost going to send the chef out ot us #ricenerds
Tara and I go here a lot - we used to go a lot when it was the Baggot Lounge previously. "Pint and a platter?" used to be our code for will we go to the Baggot for a drink tonight...back in the day!
I also like the atmosphere in Xico. At some point of the night it literally goes mental and turns into a nightclub with dancing on the tables. Well that's what I remember doing last time I was there. I joke and call it the "Titty Twister" from the movie "From Dusk til Dawn".
Enid wasn't overly happy with the food. Lol but sure she never is :-) She was complaining to Ciaran the next day. He was like, well you were eating in a nightclub, what do you expect?!
We left way before the titty twister turned into vampirefest however. None of us fancied a hangover the next day! It was a great night as always with these pair early finish or not.
Vincent Hanley
This Irish Times article came up on my facebook feed this morning. It is 30 years since the death of Irish VJ Vincent Hanley. Below is what I posted on my facebook page today.
I was a bit young for MT USA originally but I remember it well - maybe from reruns?? I always loved Vincent Hanley.
It's sad though that the story of his death, and the conversation about the cause of his death/how it was reported at the time overrides how just bloody good he was.
It actually isn't just an Irish story though - it's redolent of the (1987) book "And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic". The world was simply afraid to say the real reason people were dying. People were scared and fearful that they too could be infected. And with that fear came shunning and abandonment...
"In 1988 Key West had one of the highest AID'S rates per capita in the US. Part of the reason for this was that it became a refuge for hundreds of people who were diagnosed elsewhere but felt they could not remain at home in what many considered to be hostile environments". (Source keywestaids.org/history/)
If you'd like to see some photos of this sombre but beautiful memorial I had blogged about it previously here.
I'm glad I live in a different world now.
Edit.
Enid commented on my facebook post which is a very good add on to the above
"So sad, to be dying and then to be cut off from your family and society by the stigma of the disease that will ultimately kill you. I remember the Benetton ad - it put a face on the people and their families. I think it was ground breaking"
http://time.com/4592061/colorization-benetton-aids-ad/
I was a bit young for MT USA originally but I remember it well - maybe from reruns?? I always loved Vincent Hanley.
It's sad though that the story of his death, and the conversation about the cause of his death/how it was reported at the time overrides how just bloody good he was.
It actually isn't just an Irish story though - it's redolent of the (1987) book "And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic". The world was simply afraid to say the real reason people were dying. People were scared and fearful that they too could be infected. And with that fear came shunning and abandonment...
"In 1988 Key West had one of the highest AID'S rates per capita in the US. Part of the reason for this was that it became a refuge for hundreds of people who were diagnosed elsewhere but felt they could not remain at home in what many considered to be hostile environments". (Source keywestaids.org/history/)
If you'd like to see some photos of this sombre but beautiful memorial I had blogged about it previously here.
I'm glad I live in a different world now.
Edit.
Enid commented on my facebook post which is a very good add on to the above
"So sad, to be dying and then to be cut off from your family and society by the stigma of the disease that will ultimately kill you. I remember the Benetton ad - it put a face on the people and their families. I think it was ground breaking"
http://time.com/4592061/colorization-benetton-aids-ad/
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