Inspiring Life from the Core

Library Login

Call Us

Call Us

Inspiring Life from the Core

Library Login

Call Us

This is Where I’ve Been… Ireland with Carol Crincoli

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.

Become An On-Demand Member

Just $17 per month

Click Here To Join

Visit Us In The Studio!

Call Us To Schedule Your Visit. 908-286-1100

Schedule Your Visit

View Older Posts

Related Articles

An Homage to Helen Melon

An Homage to Helen Melon

1970 Celebration with Helenwritten by Carol Crincoli, Pure Pilates DirectorThe month of May is upon us.  I think about my mother a lot and with Mother’s day approaching, I thought it was the perfect time to share Helen with you and the lessons I’ve learned from her....

read more

0 Comments

Katie is a passionate mover who was brought to Pilates through dance. After a professional dance career, Katie discovered her love of teaching-connecting the mind and body, and working with students of all ages and levels. Her appreciation and understanding of everyone’s ever changing body and needs only became greater as her own body went through pre and post natal stages, an experience which has helped Katie navigate problem solving, and bring a freshness to each session making them feel personal and specific to each body’s needs. Her sessions are full of flow and aim to challenge clients with a sense of comfort, and often a little humor, all of which she has brought to Pure Pilates since 2016. Katie thinks the gift of movement and self care is one of the best things one can do for overall wellness, and is thrilled to seek and fulfill milestones and goals with each of her clients. When she’s not at the studio, Katie is taking care of her three little humans- another job that also makes her smile, laugh, and challenges her on the daily.
Eighteen years ago I discovered my love for Pilates. After having my two children, I felt the need to move my body again. At the time I was living in North Carolina, and worked through many different exercise and training programs. I discovered Pilates, and instantly knew it was right for me. Forteen years later, and a move to New Jersey, I decided to share my love of Pilates with other people looking for some way to move their bodies. Pilates has also been a way for me to keep me strong and flexible to continue many activities. My family loves to be active, and I often find when we are all together (mostly vacations) our days consist of activity and movement such as hiking, kayaking, or skiing(more on this later). As I have gotten older I find it even more imperative now that I keep my body strong. Recently I was in a skiing accident that left me with many knee injuries and ultimately having to go into surgery. I found being able to do light Pilates a few weeks after surgery kept me sane and ultimately helped with recovery time. Pilates has not only helped me be able to keep up with my children, but has also provided me with a body that is able to function at peak performance. My approach to Pilates can be described in one, simple word: movement. Movement can help you, both physically and mentally. Movement, and Pilates, is ultimately about self care. Having a built in time to focus on your body and movement can help relieve yourself of feeling tired, anxious, and stressed. Movement awakens you. Even after one session you can leave feeling calmer and energized.
Enjoyment of life through movement is a vital part of Kathy’s philosophy. When not in the studio she leads an active lifestyle trail running, cycling, skiing and hiking. She also loves connecting with people while traveling with family and friends. One of her favorite cycling trips was riding along the coast of northern California. Learning new things and sharing knowledge is also important to Kathy. She has a passion for food, likes to cook for her family and experiment with new recipes. She is currently trying to achieve the perfect pizza. She is also an avid reader of historical fiction and biographies. Her latest endeavor is learning to play golf.
Carol M. Crincoli, owner Pure Pilates studio, has been in the fitness industry since 1990, with experience in corporate and commercial fitness, recreational programming and teaching as an adjunct professor. She began practicing Pilates in 2003 and received Pilates training through the PhysicalMind Institute in New York, NY. She holds certifications from the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a group exercise instructor, personal trainer and lifestyle and weight management consultant. She was also accepted into the IDEA-PFT Recognition System as an Elite Level Personal Fitness Trainer. She is the only trainer in the NY-metro area for Trent McEntire’s Arcus equipment. Carol graduated from the Boston Conservatory of Music with a BFA in musical theater and a minor in dance. Opening Pure Pilates is the culmination of a lifetime dream, and her mission to "inspire life from the core" is a holistic approach to health and wellness—from exercise and nutrition, to stress management and self-care. Carol is also the inventor of 8th Avenue Rail, an organizing solution for Tower springs.