Posts Tagged With: Top of the Morning to You

100 Posts and Counting!

Posted on April 5, 2011 by emilyeneurope

Chocolate, Waffels, Beer

This historic post marks a milestone in my blogging experiences since starting in July 2010. You are reading my 100th post in Top of the Morning to You! And to make matters even better, we recently turned this blog into my very own, dropping the “wordpress” and turning it into emilyeneurope.com. To mark my centennial celebration, I am going to take a break from my French Riviera review to share some of my favorite posts since the beginning of the blog. Be sure to check out the poll and vote for your favorite!

  • First and foremost, I have to go back to the beginning to Chocolate, Waffels, and Beer, Oh My! It was my very first official blog following my first European travel experience with Matt. We had such a fantastic time in Bruges, and it still ranks at the top of my list of best vacations I’ve had with Matt. Minus the unruly train ticket-taker, we loved the waffels, the beer, the quaint restaurants, canals, sunshine, etc. And, the writing was so raw for my first post.

  • August was a busy month of writing, so I have a couple from here. Firstly, my Driving Differently post conveyed my true and real European experiences in this foreign land. Matt and I thought the post was pretty funny, and it seemed as though many of you agreed. I’ve even had a friend refer to my “walk of shame” – aka, the walk around the car to pay the attendant at a toll booth.

  • Next from August was my Reflections piece. It was just a simple day visiting home in Texas after moving and I couldn’t help but notice how the change was not just in the move, but in me as a person, as well.Hiking

  • I have to talk about Make Your Feet Your Friend, because it was my first hiking experience in the mountains of Dublin. I felt so alive and a part of life in Ireland, seeing what Irish natives love so much about their country: the beauty. I really enjoyed writing about it. And, of course, I loved the picture with the mountain behind me.

  • I’m going to bundle up all of my book reviews as one favorite, because I’ve come to enjoy reading more through getting to talk about the good and the bad of each book.

  • I can’t talk about my favorite posts of all time and not mention one about my favorite holiday. In Gobble, Gobble, I tackled my first “cooking for company” experience, preparing a meal that is not historically easy to make. The preparation behind Thanksgiving easily made it the most rewarding evening as I watched our friends enjoy food and a holiday not celebrated in Ireland.White Turf Horse Racing

  • Next up, and nearly my favorite, is Ice Cold Paradise. In this  travel piece, Matt and I went on his favorite vacation so far to St. Moritz for the White Turf Horse Races. It was truly a magical vacation and we loved every second. We came away with fantastic pictures, videos, and experiences from our time in the Alps. Not to mention, I ate my weight in the most expensive fondue EVER. :-)

  • Last, and certainly not least, was Time with Family – Both Old and Present. My parents finally got to visit me in Ireland. My Mom researched and visited her ancestors, I showed them my life in Dublin, and it was one of the best weeks since I’ve been here. I chose this post, because we did a little bit of everything, from seeing Saint Oliver Plunkett, to eating the best crab claws this side of the island. Add to that a fantastic evening at our favorite Dublin restaurant and my recently published article, and it will always stick out as a great post!

And for some fun, I’d like to share a couple of blog statistics. At this point, my blog has received 8,801 views of all time. My busiest viewing day was July 28th, 2010, with the post An American in Dublin. I’ve had 184 comments total from you, my readers, so thank you! This blog has been a great way to jump start my writing career, as well as keeping you posted about life abroad. I won’t be slowing down any time soon, though, so 200 here we come!

 

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Villefranche and Monte Carlo

Posted on April 4, 2011 by emilyeneurope
French Riviera

A view of the strip from the balcony of the condo. I could look at that view every day!

Tuesday came along again with perfect weather. Unfortunately, I had been under the weather coming into the trip, and this day I felt the worst. Running nose, cough, achy body – you name it, I was feeling it. On top of that, we had all decided to take our first day trip out to Monaco. Though I was giddy and excited, part of me was afraid I’d fall down with sick exhaustion before the day was over. Nevertheless, I dressed up nicely, grabbed a few packages of tissue, and got ready to see more of the French Riviera.

The French Riviera

A look at the cliff-side town of Villefranche.

We set out via bus to a town called Villefranche first to see the sights and grab lunch. We knew it was on the way to Monaco and just a short 15 minute bus ride, so it was a great way to see more of the French Riviera. Though the bus was incredibly hot, the minute we stepped into the town, I knew it had been a great idea stopping for lunch. With the most beautiful weather we’d have all week, I was in awe of the picturesque town. Set on the side of a cliff-face and overlooking the harbor and Mediterranean Sea, Villefranche was absolutely delightful. We followed the winding streets down to the harbor to find a lunch spot and stumbled across a row of harbor-side restaurants with tables just feet from the water.

The French Riviera

Just after lunch, in front of the harbor in Villefranche.

We decided to dine at La Mere Germaine, a seafood restaurant within the row. Our waiter sat us at a table just by the water, and with the sun shining on my face, I was perfectly content. It was certainly one of the nicest meals we had the entire week. We ordered two cheese platters for appetizers and they charged €5 per slice of cheese! Michael and I ordered the sea bass and our waiter asked if we’d like to split a whole fish, which he highly recommended, as the meat would be more tender. We agreed, and when it came time to serve, the fish was presented whole, with it’s head intact and all! After my lobster experience, I should have been prepared for this, but it still took me by surprise. Do not worry, though, because the waiter then took the fish to a side table and removed the head, scales, and bones, before splitting the fish and serving me and Michael. With it came sea salt, garlic butter, and a baked potato with sour cream and chives. It was quite possibly the most delicious fish I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

The French Riviera

Monaco - WOW!

After lunch we strolled along the water, took a few pictures, and made our way to the train station to head off to Monaco. The train traveled along the side of the cliffs, giving us a spectacular view of the sea and surrounding cliff-side towns. On our arrival into Monte Carlo, I was starting to feel a bit sick again, so we moved slowly, enjoying our surroundings in no rush. Monte Carlo surprised me: I wasn’t expecting the buildings to look so industrial. I was imagining something more like Villefranche. However, it was still an amazing sight to see. The yachts in the harbor were grandiose and you could see workers already preparing the roads for the F1 race in May.

The French Riviera

Though he is smiling for the picture, I guarantee he was not excited about the rest of the climb.

We then started quite the climb up a hill to go to the Aquatic Museum. The trees, shrubbery, and flowers were manicured to perfection, and even though I was huffing and puffing more than the rest, thanks to my cough and cold, it was still beautiful. The view from the top of the hill was spectacular and Matt mapped out the route the race cars take during the famous F1 race. There were signs with pictures of Grace Kelly along the way, explaining her rise to Princess of Monaco. It was sad to learn that she died driving over the side of a cliff-side road, which were ominous just to stand near. The Aquatic Museum was delightful and full of bright Mediterranean fish. Luckily, Matt’s fear of sharks wasn’t a problem, since their collection was not large. The skeletons of whales hanging from the ceilings and the architecture of the building itself was impressive, and we were all glad we stopped by.

The French Riviera

Though they sting, the jellyfish in the Aquatic Museum are awfully beautiful.

You may be surprised to know that our trip to the Grand Casino was brief. Though it was exactly like what you see in James Bond, there were hardly any people there and the energy was low. We were initially interested in gambling, but at that point I was exhausted and the sun was setting, so we hopped back on the train and made our way home to Nice. Anna and Michael went off immediately to a dinner on their own, while the rest of us went out for pasta and pizza. I enjoyed a spaghetti bolognese, a little red wine, and happily fell into bed later that night, tired and full and ready to sleep.

All in all, it had been a great day with so much to see. I think it will be a very long time before I have sea bass that tasty and luckily for me, it was my last day of illness. We still had markets, a comedy club at an Irish pub, and much more in store for the remainder of the trip!

 

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Côte d’Azur

Posted on April 3, 2011 by emilyeneurope
The French Riviera

Into the alleys of old Nice on one of our first days.

After a week of blissful hiatus, I am back and ready to divulge to you the experiences Matt and I enjoyed in the French Riviera. We were so very lucky to be treated to this fabulous vacation by Matt’s super generous family. Robert, Matt’s Dad, took that month-long trip back in September to Paris to learn French through immersion classes, and invited us along for a couple of visits. This April, he’s at it again. And as a special treat, he invited the whole gang along for a week-long vacation before classes get started. Michael (Matt’s brother), Anna (his fiance), and Nancy (Matt’s Mom), all popped over to Nice last Saturday and we hurried along behind on Sunday.

We were a bit worried stepping off the plane in Nice, because the rain was coming down HARD. Matt joked that Dublin weather will haunt us for the rest of our lives, but do not fret, because we had beautiful weather the rest of the week. Because of the downpour, touring Nice by foot wasn’t looking appealing, so we settled for a group lunch nearby. The food in Nice is very Italian in influence, so imagine pastas and pizzas all week (though I will be sure to expound upon some of our authentic Mediterranean and French meals later on). It was so nice to all be together and visit, so that’s exactly what we did the entire first day. The condo was set right on the main beach strip with a view of the ocean and room for all of us. We settled in that first day, enjoyed some wine and cheese for dinner, and did a ton of catching up.

The French Riviera

One man's trash is another man's treasure - antiques at the market.

We awoke the next day to absolutely gorgeous weather. Sure, the ground was still moist from the showers the day before, but it was nothing true sightseers couldn’t handle. We went first to the market just around the corner from the condo. This is the same famous Nice market that appears in the movie To Catch a Thief with Carey Grant and Grace Kelly. On Mondays, the market consists of old antiques, which Matt found quite interesting. He loves everything antique and old, so I was surprised that we didn’t leave the market with a boatload of stuff. Just browsing was an experience, though. Old canes, parasols, art, books, etc., gave us an idea of what old Nice must have been life back before we were born.

From the market, Matt and I joined Michael and Anna for a small lunch at an outdoor cafe. We went truly French with stuffed vegetables, a croque madam, and bruschetta – yes, the last being Italian-influenced as I mentioned above. At noon, there was a large KABOOM, at which point all birds took off and the four of us nearly flew out of our seats. Matt asked the waiter, “what the hell was that?!” to which he smiled and replied, “it is noon.” Ha, simple and straight to the point; we all got a good laugh at that response.

The French Riviera

A stunning view of the town and mountains beyond.

We then joined up with Nancy to wander into the long park at the edge of old Nice. Matt went off in search of a cigar shop while the rest of us wandered around in awe of our surroundings. The large palm trees and fountains in the center of town were grandiose, and it was by them that we found a fabulous view of the mountains behind Nice. Metropolitan life was buzzing in the surrounding squares and we had quite a nice time strolling around for the rest of the afternoon. Matt and I briefly broke off to check out the all-pebble beach and I stuck my feet in the Mediterranean for the first time since Majorca, Spain. It was freezing, but the sun was warm and I knew that at some point in the week, we’d be laying on those flat stones soaking up the rays.

The French Riviera

Lobster! So intense dissecting this thing to eat, but rewarding in the end.

That night, the entire gang gathered to head over to the port on the other side of the hill for dinner. We chose a table outdoors at a seafood place by the harbor, to which began one of the most delightful nights of the week. We all tried to order authentic food – minus Matt who does not like seafood – and boy were we in for a surprise! Robert, Anna, and I received lobsters open-faced in the shell, with shell-crackers for for the claws. This was my first time with lobster cooked this way, and it was hilarious! Growing up, Matt spent summers in Maine with his parents and grandparents, and Nancy became somewhat of a lobster connoisseur. Thankfully, she was not shy when it came to helping us learn the ways of lobster-cracking. With fantastic French wine flowing and plenty of entertainment, this was easily one of the best nights we had on the trip as a group.

THe French Riviera

The monument at night - the colors in the middle are of the French flag.

Walking back to the condo, we passed a French monument built into the side of the cliff-face, honoring the French fallen in both of the World Wars. During the day, and lit up at night, it was a stunning reminder that we are so lucky to be given these fantastic opportunities. This was just the beginning of our trip, and on that stroll home, the lights of Nice filled me with excited anticipation for the week to come.

Stay tuned!

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Thank You St. Patrick, For Giving Us This Spectacular Holiday

Posted on March 25, 2011 by emilyeneurope

Getting back into the swing of things after a week and a half of vacation can be very difficult. Waking up Monday morning to get ready for work is never my favorite thing to do, and if it weren’t for the incredibly beautiful weather, the sentiment would have been the same after a week of sleeping in a little longer. I had such a wonderful time with my parents while they were here, and was really sad to see them go. The last few days of their trip were a whirlwind, but certainly did not pale in comparison to our other adventures.

Paddy's Day

I'm totally loving my Irish garb!

Thursday was none other than St. Patrick’s Day, and the second year in a row was a blast! I will say, there are far too many people out and about, and I felt myself being squished and bounced around. The parade was pretty much impossible to see; I’m pretty sure people staked out from the wee hours of the morning to secure their spot at the front of the pack. But, we did do other fantastic things. My Mom enjoyed a traditional Irish stew for lunch, while I had a beef and Guinness pie. Me, my Dad, and Matt had Guinness by the plenty. We bounced around from pub to pub listening to the traditional Irish music and watched the locals dance. Our favorite spot was The Mercantile. It was a three story pub, where we found a spot on the railing and watched an Irish band play. Everyone was clapping along and dancing, and we joined right in. We finished our day with dinner in Dundrum, because the city becomes rather crazed in the evening and we’ve heard that many fights ensue the later the festivities reign (we saw Garda breaking up one fight and figured it was time to call it quits).

Paddy's Day

Look at all the people!

Friday morning was slow-going, but we certainly did not want to waste the day. Matt was able to leave work a little early and join us for a late lunch at a local pub called The Goat. We wanted to see the Cheltenham Horse Race, so we secured a spot by the televisions, and just relaxed with our food and the crowd. Everyone was amped for the race, as it is very popular here in Ireland. Our pick did not win, but that didn’t kill the excitement. We learned that The Goat has live music every Saturday evening, so I foresee a “nightlife” post coming at some point. :-)

Saturday, their last day of the visit, was an important day for Ireland. The last 6 Nations Rugby Championship Series game was to occur, and it was between old rivals – Ireland and England. That game is HUGE over here, and it was being played in Dublin, so the city was crowded and alive. The energy in the air was palpable, and it was fantastic being part of things. We fought the crowds for a little while so that my parents could buy some souvenirs to take home and then triumphantly secured a seat at a restaurant to watch the game. The best part of the day – Ireland killed England 24-8! I can only imagine the celebrations that happened in the city that night, but alas, we needed to go home so my parents could pack.

Paddy's Day

The gang in Temple Bar.

We had a nice, relaxing evening watching March Madness (I officially have a sorry excuse for a bracket) and my parents prepared themselves for their flight back on Sunday. Taking them to the airport was a bummer; the weather was absolutely gorgeous and I would have loved spending just one more day. But, we all needed to get back to our lives. It’s been hard getting back into the swing of things at work. I’m restless in my seat and want to be walking outside like I did the previous week. And I’m sure the jet-lag didn’t help my parents much. However, we had a fantastic time together, took a million pictures, and I’m pretty sure my parents will be planning more and more trips to Ireland whether I’m here or not! Stayed tuned, because I’ve got my first Irish comedy night and an another vacation after just a week back – a trip to Nice, France!

Paddy's Day

I was really excited it was Paddy's Day!

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Powerscourt House and Gardens

Posted on March 17, 2011 by emilyeneurope
Powerscourt House and Gardens

The impressive Powerscourt House.

After a brilliant night out to The Port House, getting up early wasn’t exactly easy. Yesterday, the weather forecast indicated sunny, blue skies, and we did not want to miss out on a second of it. Since I knew that days like the one we were getting were pretty far a few between, I planned an outdoor adventure. We would be visiting the Powerscourt House and Gardens.

First, though, food was in order. Every Wednesday at Matt’s office park, a market is set up with different make-on-the-spot treats. We decided to meet Matt there and enjoy lunch in the sunshine by the pond behind his complex. Now, Matt and I are pretty familiar with the market, because before I started with Suas, I would meet him every Wednesday for lunch. We always got fried dumplings and pad thai. Yum! Just like every other Wednesday this is what we picked out to share. My parents each got personal-sized pizzas, we all found a seat in the sun, and Matt joined us for a nice Wednesday lunch.

Japanese Garden

One of many shots in the Japanese Garden.

As hard as I tried to get Matt to play hooky from work, I was unsuccessful, so my parents and I made our way to Powerscourt after lunch. Matt and I had been there once for his company summer party at The Ritz, but I had never been to the manor or gardens. I can just say right now that it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. We stepped out through the back of the house to a view of manicured lawns, fountains, and the humongous mountains in the distance. Seriously spectacular. We wandered through all of the trails to see the individual hotspots. There was a Japanese garden that Matt must come back with me to see. Flowers were in bloom even though we are just coming out of winter. A medieval tower sat among tall, ancient trees. Walled gardens and ponds with fountains were scattered throughout. It was absolutely beautiful, and with the perfect weather, we were in heaven. We even considered sitting out at the back of the house to have a coffee and a snack.

After a full day of nature, we briefly walked through the house before calling it a day, where my Mom bought some souvenirs, and I bought a gift for a friend back home. That night we made homemade burgers, watched a little March Madness, finished our brackets, and relaxed in anticipation for the Paddy’s Day celebrations. I will certainly say, though, that Powerscourt is a must-see in Dublin, and that I will demand that Matt and I go in May when the weather is nice and the flowers are in bloom. Here are a bunch of photos for your enjoyment. :-)

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Time with Family – Both Old and Present

Posted on March 16, 2011 by emilyeneurope
Ardgillan Castle

Dad being silly at a sundial in the gardens of the Ardgillan Castle.

Things didn’t slow down for us here in Dublin at the start of the work week. Unfortunately, Matt needed to return to work, so we were on our own for entertainment. My Mom really wanted to explore her heritage and see where her ancestors came from, so Sunday evening we did a little research. I had been told that Saint Oliver Plunkett hailed from Drogheda, so we hopped online and discovered that his remains are preserved in a church in the city. I mapped out a plan for us to see Mom’s history, followed by lunch in the seaside town of Skerries.

We started our travel north to Drogheda early Monday morning. Drogheda is a town I had yet to see, so it was a treat for me too. The city was surprisingly large; I hadn’t expected to find a bustling city with churches on every corner. We had to stop for directions once, but parking was easy and next thing we knew we were standing in front of St. Peter’s Church. Situated in between smaller storefronts, the enormous church seemed to be the heart of the city. Inside, soft music was playing and a few people were praying. My Mom said she thought it was more beautiful inside than Christ Church Cathedral, with it’s tall ceilings, gothic architecture, and a shrine to Oliver Plunkett.

St. Peter's Church

The shrine to Saint Oliver Plunkett. His head is in there! Out of respect, though, I will not be posting the up close and personal shot.

This is where things get cool. Saint Oliver Plunkett’s head has been preserved and is encased in a golden shrine for viewing. It was incredible to see that even his teeth are still intact! Now, Saint Oliver Plunkett is a distant ancestor in my Mom’s family. Hailing from Ireland in the 1600′s, Oliver Plunkett was a martyr for Roman Catholics; he was eventually arrested and tried for treason in London. Oliver Plunkett was hanged, drawn, and quartered and became the last Roman Catholic martyr to die in England. At the church, a shrine has been erected in his honor, holding even the door that imprisoned him while he was waiting for his execution. Needless to say, we were all in awe, especially my Mom.

From Drogheda we backtracked south to have lunch in Skerries. I took my parents to the Stoop Your Head Pub, where Matt and I ate on our visit, and enjoyed probably the best meal we’d had yet. My dad and I devoured Seafood Chowder, my mom, French Onion Soup, and then we all shared the buttery crab claws. Mmmmmmm. The weather was beautiful, so we took a post-lunch stroll on the coast, followed by a look at the Ardgillan Castle. It was even more impressive to see this time around, because the sun was shining and I could see the ocean from the grounds.

Drogheda

Among the town there are all kinds of relics like this. Pretty cool.

That evening we cooked dinner at home and sat around visiting. Matt and Dad had a cigar while my Mom and I visited. Yesterday was a “lounge” day, because we needed a little R&R with time to just visit. We read books, chatted, and watch as the Airfield started bringing animals back in (yea!). That evening, we got all dressed up and met Matt at Cafe in Seine for a pre-dinner cocktail. Matt and I then took them to The Port House, since it’s our favorite, and it turned out to be a fantastic choice for the evening. We had a great time sitting under all of the candles, enjoying nice wine and tapas! We ordered enough food to feed 12, but enjoyed it all nonetheless. On our way home, we stopped in the Hairy Lemon, made some Irish friends, and listened to our own music picks on the jukebox. All in all, it was a fantastic evening and we all had a great time! 2 more days down with great Irish adventure!

The Port House

We knew they'd love The Port House just as much as we do!

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Dallas Does Dublin

Posted on March 13, 2011 by emilyeneurope
oldest pub in dublin, the brazen head

One of the oldest pubs in Dublin, The Brazen Head.

I overwhelmed my blog at the start of March with posts almost every day in anticipation for my parent’s arrival. I knew that once they got here, we would be out and about constantly, and the time I had before to post would be gone. But I was completely fine with that. :-) It seems as though we are taking a little hiatus from sightseeing this afternoon, since we’ve already walked a million miles. Right now, we are sitting in the family room, watching Duke-North Carolina basketball, with groceries in the fridge ready for dinner. A relaxing Sunday at home with my parents will be nice.

Walking with Mom in City Centre.

Since their arrival Friday morning we have seen so much. They landed before the crack of dawn, so we came home and took a solid nap before venturing out. Their first day here I took them to City Centre to see the downtown area. It was fun taking them on the LUAS, since I take it every day – now they know what it’s like! We grabbed lunch at Dakota, which has a really nice menu and ambience. Getting there was a true Irish experience; the streets were bustling with people and rain was pouring steadily. Following lunch, I took them to see the Molly Malone statue and then we strolled through Trinity College. We ran into the CEO of my company, Suas, which really made this place seem like my home to my parents. Here they are in Dublin running into people I know! And the best part is, we ran into another friend of mine later while having drinks at The Bank. Matt met us for dinner in Ranelagh, where we went to a busy Italian restaurant. Yum. I successfully kept my parents up until at least 11, which helped them adjust to the time difference.

Dun Laoghaire

Being silly with Dad in Dun Laoghaire!

On Saturday, we went back to City Centre, but to a different area. Matt and I wanted to show them Temple Bar, because that’s where the younger crowd goes. Ireland was playing Wales in the 6 Nations Series, so we wanted to take them to an authentic Irish pub to watch with the crazy fans! But first, we went to Christ Church Cathedral to see the architecture and relics. I’d been there once before, but Matt hadn’t seen it yet, so it was a nice sight to see on his day off. From the church we went to one of the oldest pubs in Dublin for a drink and a snack – The Brazen Head. We grabbed a table by the old fireplace, ordered a platter of pub food and Guinness, and relaxed among both tourists and locals. We then went to The Auld Dubliner to watch the rugby match. We were about 30 minutes early, so we caught the end of a live Irish music session. We then cheered and jeered with the Irish fans, only to be equally disappointed when Ireland lost.  We had dinner closer to home at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Cortina’s, and called it a night.

We were slower moving today, but that was okay. We took a nice scenic drive through Dalkey and along the coast. We stopped in Dun Laoghaire for lunch by the harbor and then drove through the area. My mom just took me grocery shopping for dinner supplies (mac & cheese!) and we’ll finish out the evening in the apartment, enjoying some American college basketball, and the setting sun by the mountains. It’s just the start of their trip and we’ve already seen so much! I will keep the posts coming when I have time, because we plan to see some things even I haven’t visited yet.

 

dun laoghaire

I love this picture of the harbor on the coast in Dun Laoghaire.

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Greek

Posted on March 9, 2011 by emilyeneurope

Through this blog I’ve celebrated accomplishments, given my perspective on Europe, lamented the changes that are hard to get used to, and basically created a space to share all of my experiences while overseas. There have been great positives in my time here: the American Women’s Club of Dublin, Suas, my new friends, beautiful Ireland, the opportunity to travel, and a chance to step outside of my comfort zone. There have also been adjustments that were hard to make: the weather, driving differently, leaving my family and friends behind, visa woes, and a different way of life. Last night, I experienced a definite downside to being so far from home without access to normally scheduled programming. My favorite show on television, Greek, ended unexpectedly, without any warning.

Why was I not given warning? Television in Ireland is not the same as television back home. They have different programs, different stations, and different commercials. Matt and I watch all of our favorite shows online a day after they air. Because we have different advertising and commercials, I did not have the week-long announcement to “tune in for the series finale of Greek.“

So, Matt and I got all comfortable and ready to watch another episode of the fun-loving series on life in the Greek system at college. The humor in this show is great and I recently got Matt into it when I made him watch all prior seasons before starting the new one. As the episode drew closer to the end, I started to get a sneaking suspicion that something was off. Characters that hadn’t been present since the first season were appearing, closures were made on relationships and friendships, and an odd feeling of finality started to approach. I tried to convince Matt, and myself, that it was probably a season finale. But no, we were completed blind-sided.  Following the final credits, we googled the fate of Greek to find that it was, in fact, the series finale. *Sigh*

I was beyond disappointed, depressed, and shocked. A little notice would’ve taken a bit of the sting out the realization that one of my favorite shows had been cancelled. I know that everything comes to an end eventually, especially in the world of television (RIP – Friends), but with American commercials and advertisement, there is always forewarning. Never again will I re-live college through the eyes of Casey, Rusty (Spitter), Cappie, Evan, Ashleigh, Rebecca, Calvin, and Dale (yes, I have a slight obsession – don’t judge me). I guess I’ll just have to start using the time I usually saved for Greek to do something productive.

 

I sure will miss this fictional cast of entertaining characters.

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Shamrocks and Roses

Posted on March 8, 2011 by emilyeneurope

My colleague in the suit - jealous.

As the rain comes down upon my windows, I am so glad I spent part of my morning in a park, underneath the beautiful, warm sun. Today, Suas was holding a little photo shoot for their upcoming fundraiser, Shamrocks for Schools, with the 2010 Rose of Tralee, Clare Kambamettu. I had originally volunteered to wear the shamrock suit for the photos, and was in fact pretty pumped about it, but my colleagues felt that the gender balance required a male in the shot. Hrrrmph.

Let me back up, though, because you are probably wondering what exactly are Shamrocks for Schools and the Rose of Tralee. Shamrocks for Schools is a fundraiser Suas organizes on St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Cork, and Galway. During the parades and festivities, and while thousands of people are on the streets, hundreds of volunteers gather up Suas buckets and face paint to dole out shamrocks on the faces of spectators for donations in return. These donations go to aid our Partner Schools in Ireland and overseas.

Rose of Tralee

The beautiful Rose of Tralee, Clare Kambamettu.

The Rose of Tralee is a pageant of sorts, much like Miss America, minus the scantily clad bathing suits and scandal. To compete, you must be of Irish origin, whether your were born in Ireland or have an ancestor from Ireland. Women from the United States, Canada, Britain, Dubai, Australia, New Zealand, and counties in Ireland compete for the title. Apparently, the Rose of Tralee is rather popular in Texas, which always sends a girl for the competition. When my co-workers started mentioning the “Rose of Tralee,” I finally asked what the heck they were talking about. I never knew this was such a popular competition not only in Ireland, but in the States and elsewhere.

Today, Suas did their photo shoot with the 2010 Rose in the Merrion Square park right by the office. Not only was Clare beautiful, but incredibly sweet and funny. My co-worker did an alright job in the shamrock suit, though I think it would have been much more up my alley. ;-) The day was gorgeous, everything was so green, and the cherry blossoms were bright and colorful on the trees. It was a moment where I really felt like I was in Ireland. My colleagues told me that during the summer, everyone in the office will pack their lunch and go to the park together. I love it! And though I didn’t get to don the infamous shamrock suit, it was nice to get some fresh air, learn something new about my home, and watch someone else dance around like a green character!

 

Shamrock Suit

And this is what I could have looked like in the shamrock suit...

Categories: Musings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My First Published Article!

Posted on March 7, 2011 by emilyeneurope

This isn't the issue I'm in, but here's a look at the magazine to give you an idea.

It’s out! My very first published article for a real magazine is on the shelf today. The editor of the magazine knows how pumped I am about this and emailed me today to let me know that this issue is now out, and that she has copies for me! My leap of faith into the world of freelance writing is officially paying off and I am slowly, but surely, building my portfolio. Ladies and gentleman, check your bookstores, newsstands, and online for your next copy of Irish Quilting.

The best part of this new endeavor is that my experience writing this blog helped me get the gig. My American experiences abroad inspired the article I wrote, and will continue to bring me work with the magazine. I met Sherry, the editor of Irish Quilting, through none other than the American Women’s Club of Dublin. She gave a talk on her magazine in one of our first meetings of the year, around the time when I started this blog and decided to really follow my dream to write. I emailed her, told her about my blog, and offered my freelance services if she ever needed someone to cover an event.

Knowing that I knew just about nothing when it came to quilting, Sherry sent me to the RDS Knitting and Stitching Show on October 31st last year. The goal – to give a novice perspective on my experience at the show. Basically, do what I do in my blog every day, just focus it on quilting, knitting, and stitching, and make it professional and magazine-ready. The event was fantastic and gave me all the material I would need to produce a stellar article for her magazine.

And now it is finally out. I am picking up a few copies on Thursday, just in time for my parent’s visit. The best news – Sherry wants me to cover more events and travel to new places to check out quilting shops and groups. Emily’s European adventures are no longer contained in just this blog. Let me know if you want a copy and I’ll do my best to help you get one!

Categories: Book Club, Musings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

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