Going the Extra Mile

After a last minute swap at work, I was able to support +Niamh, my mother and Clodagh, who were doing the VHI Women Mini Marathon. Before the start of the 10km, we went via the Mansion House, so Niamh was able to collect her t-shirt for Laura Lynn and also gave me a final chance to have a sneaky look inside. Of course the girls had to have a picture taken outside of the Mansion House before the race. Niamh and Clodagh had entered as joggers, so set off about 15 before my mother did, so I waited until she started and decided to walk with her to keep her company. However at UCD I saw Niamh and called her as she was about to pass the 6 km point mark. In the process of chatting with Niamh, I lost my mother and tried to find her again and finishing the chat with Niamh. so somewhere between the 5km and 7 km I lost both of them. I tried running to catch up with Niamh, with the calls I had with her, I just seemed to be about 0.5 km behind. At least at the finishing line, we  were able to find each other just about. All of them finished faster than last year and should be very proud of completing the 10 km especially this year in that horrible wet and windy weather. Well done girls!

As the weather was so nice on my day off on the 9th of June, decided to make the of most of it having a summer themed gin based cocktail over lunch at Yamamori, before going shooping to get some last few bits before Niamh's birthday. Somewhere between the Brother Hubbard, Panti and Oscars, I managed to lose my shopping, which would only happen me. As we were both off the next day, we decided to celebrate Niamh's Birthday a day early and go to the zoo and experience the brand new Sea Lion Cove.

Despite a slight queue at the entrance, once we were inside the zoo, it was off a flying start as the weather cleared up and the sun came out. We got to enjoy all the new habitats and baby animals dotted around the zoo. Between the sun, playfulness of the animals especially the penguins, sea lions and rough housing of the monkeys, Niamh seemed to be having a chilled out birthday day out. As the weather was so nice, we strolled back into town and stopped in Oscars Smithfield for a drinks and meal which was scrumptious especially the Maltster cheesecake which topped the day perfectly. When we got home, I gave Niamh her birthday card and her present, A necklace, bracelet and watch set.

I met Niamh after work on her birthday, for an early evening birthday meal at a place she wanted to try for ages, FX Buckley, where I was able to surprise her with a birthday desert which was nice to see the surprise on her face. For Saturday Niamh had won free finger food and private booth in Whelans which made a pleasant change.

After a busy weekend in work, was nice to chill and actually enjoy Bloomsday for once. We spent a lot of it, at Meeting House Square for songs, performances and reading from Ulysses which was hosted by Panti Bliss. Later in the week I was finally able to hear my friend Graham J Norton sing live at the Sugar Club. I was just blown away by his voice, his whole gig was captivating from start to finish, especially his debut single Life on Mars, his duet with Mary Coughlan Under Clery's Clock and an original I Miss You Most on Sundays. Graham is someone to watch.

 

 Our Parents arrived up on Friday the 19th for my father's birthday, luckily enough Niamh was able to meet them off the bus, as I was working late. I of course met them all for a quick after work drink before the walk home. I managed to have the apartment kitted out with banners, balloons and have a birthday cake waiting, which I was able to have lit before my dad got into the apartment. He was surprised and delighted as he wasn't expecting it. The following morning, as we waited for Niamh to finish work, my folks and myself decided to do the +Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour. My parents did the Small Batch tasting one and I did the Trinity small batch on. Our guide Maire, was very informative, funny and helpful. After our whiskey tour, we checked out the nearby food markets before heading to Christchurch for the Dublin Garden Festival, which had some impressive food carts and other various stalls. We meet Niamh for lunch near Temple Bar, although the musician was very good, the food on the whole was below par and over priced, so shocker really for the location. We made use of the sun by walking down Quays towards Sir John Rogerson's Quay which was hosting the Mexican Navy vessel, ARM Cuautémoc for the weekend with free entry. We ended up doing a pub crawl on the way back home, finishing it with a takeaway pizza and of course a night cap. The following morning being Father's Day, we gave our dad, his card and presents to celebrate, before eating and relaxin prior to our parents getting the return coach back to Ennis. We all agreed was such a lovely weekend, especially getting the opportunity for all of us to hang out together.

From the Jeanie to Miranda Hart

After quite a long week, both myself and +Niamh couldn't wait for Saturday and +Miranda Hart. We managed to get tickets on Living Social for the +Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship and Famine Museum for 6.50€ instead of 18 euro. I was lucky enough to get my bus to almost at the ship where I meet Niamh. There was a few people gathered outside the office, including ourselves, the door was locked, which worried a few of us, but the tour guide it seems runs the office and tour simultaneously. Although the tour started 20 minutes late, we all set off and boarded the ship. Our guide Paul, was quite the character and was very entertaining, described the history of the ship and lives of some of the crew and its passengers. It was quite an interesting tour and then our guide let us explore the main deck which was kinda fun in a childish way.

  After disembarking from the ship, we went on the search for food, which proved harder than we would have likened and the place we decided to try, ended up being not the best. After this sub par food, we decided to make the journey to +The O2, we decided to try a different route to see if it would be quicker for again, despite almost getting lost on route, we finally managed to collect our tickets. Once inside the arena, we went straight to the priority lounge to get a beverage or two and relax before the show at 8. We were quite comfy when we got snapped by an O2 angel. The resulting pic even surprised me how well it turned out.

  When we finally got to our seats, although we have never been so high up in the arena before, we still had a pretty decent view. From the off, Miranda had absolutely everyone in the audience in stitches laughing right to the interval. Lucky enough we had the passes to the lounge, neither of us had to join the awful queues for the toilets and even had time to get another drink to bring back in with us. I almost wet myself laughing with her antics and jokes. As we exited, we began to walk into town and we were lucky enough to get on the luas at Mayors dock and decided to sure head out for a while and went to Panti bar for the show, before some how ending up in the Czech inn playing foosball, which I some how lost to Niamh. It was a long, interesting, funny kinda day but was well worth the tiredness that followed the night link home, which I swear I was nearly home in record time.

  During one of my weekly meet up with Niamh, we decided to buy last minute tickets to go see Potted Potter in the Gaiety that evening, a Tuesday. After lunch in Wagamama's where we managed to get 2 for 1 thanks to Priority Moments, I showed Niamh the House of Lords in Bank of Ireland building on College Green. The show itself, headed up been quite a fun night out. The idea behind the show is a parody on Harry Potter and condensing all seven Harry Potter books with game of Quidditch into seventy quite hilarious minutes.

                    
This was followed by the next night, the Wednesday, with a night of wine and canapes at KC Peaches on Nassau Street, which I won on twitter, with a competition they were running, where you tweeted a picture of the food you were eating. The deal Niamh and me had was, I had the free wine and she had the canapes, with all the free refills, not too sure how many of glasses of wine I ended up having. This reception was followed by the movie in Cineworld. The movie was a premiere of Love Punch which is not out till thefollowing Friday. The movie itself was very funny and worth seeing.

To enjoy the Easter weekend, I met Niamh in town after I finished work at Panti Bar to celebrate International Record Store Day with a line up of musicians and bands including our mate Mark's act, Slap & Tickle, who was hilarious as ever. We ended up staying for the Panti show, which was one of the best. Anthony Cotton the actor who plays Sean Tully in Coronation Street was there, and one of  the number was a tribute to him, which was brilliant and got the whole audience laughing. I ended staying the night at Niamh's. 

Easter morning, we got ready to go to Millennium of the Battle of Clontarf and the Death of Brian Boru, out in St. Anne's Park Raheny which was transformed into a Viking Village, containing interactive displays of Viking life and demonstrations of Viking skills and crafts. The highlight of our day and of the whole event was the 45 minute large scale re-enactment of the battle of Clontarf with armed and Viking clad warriors which was preceded with warriors on horseback. It was scary at times, as the battle looked so real, it was only at the very end, did people actually notice, one of the warriors was injured for real, and an ambulance had to bring him away. In a sign of respect, there was a Viking barrier so no pictures could be taken and the crowd where moved back by the event security. No word as yet the state of the 'warrior's', hopefully he will be alright. 

After sampling some food at the taste of Clontarf, we hopped onto the bus just as the rain started to belt down, back into town. We decided to get warm and relax so ended up for pizza and drinks, for a food deal in Front Lounge before the bingo and Easter Revelations show in the George. We both agreed that this week was one of the best and definitely possible the funniest for a long time. As the jackpot was not won, we will have to struggle and drag ourselves there again next week.