written by Carol Crincoli, Pure Pilates Director
This past February, Rico and I met our friends from Berlin in Ireland. While we spent most of our time in Dublin, we did take a trip to Northern Ireland, which I would highly recommend.
We spent day one in Northern Ireland, making the trip specifically to visit Giant’s Causeway.
The most characteristic and unique feature of the site is the exposure of some 40,000 large, regularly shaped polygonal columns of basalt in perfect horizontal sections, forming a pavement. It was a perfect day for walking and exploring, with the weather around 40 degrees.
After the visit, we had a traditional Sunday Roast at the Bushmills Inn.
Unfortunately, the Bushmills Irish Whiskey Distillery was closed on Sundays during the off season, so we made our way to the Dark Hedges, an avenue of Dr. Seuss-like beech trees that you may recognize from an episode of Game of Thrones.
Back in Dublin…
Day Two:
BH Bacon & Egg Sandwich at Brother Hubbard. The Chorizo Jam elevated this breakfast sandwich.
Little Museum of Dublin for a bit of history, culture and fun. A whole room devoted to Bono and U2. Emma was our talented, incredibly funny tour guide.
No trip to Dublin would be complete without a Guinness. One pub stop was O’Donoghues.
Lots of drinking and Irish music in Temple Bar, a popular area of Dublin, very similar to what you would find on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
There’s amazing food to devour in Dublin. Dinner at Pichet, a modern bistro that highlights both French and modern Irish cuisine, did not disappoint, with my appetizer of agnolotti with short ribs.
Day Three:
Up early and ready for another meal. Breakfast at the Fumbally, a light-filled open space that serves as a cafe, kitchen, store, and event space. I ordered the Fumbally Eggs, local scrambled eggs with cheese and garlic served with sauteed kale, hot sauce, and toasted sunflower seeds on sourdough brioche! Our group also enjoyed freshly baked pastries and I purchased a local sweet Vermouth for my Vesper Cocktails when I returned home.
Time to walk off breakfast, with a tour of the Library of Trinity College. The library itself is a beautiful example of Georgian style architecture. The library houses the Book of Kells, an illuminated religious manuscript from the medieval period. Written in Latin, it contains the four Gospels of the New Testament and would have been crafted by the Celtic monks in the Columban monastery on Iona, circa 800.
While there was another pub stop in the afternoon, we opted to save our appetites for dinner at Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, a 2 Michelin star restaurant. It happened to be Valentine’s Day and I chose romance and decadence for my meal: Gnocchi with black truffle and Iberico ham, Blue Lobster Tail, Pistachio Souffle and a cheese selection paired with a beautiful wine.
While dining, I noticed that each table displayed a sculpture as well as larger pieces around the dining room. I found out the artist was Orla de Bri, an Irish artist. The extravagant evening was a perfect ending to a special getaway with our friends.
