Food, Films and Festivals

As with every new house, there are bound to be problems.

Although Rob, Lisa and I have encountered more than our fair share of little ‘bumps,’ I can safely say our house is slowly turning into a home.

On the weekend we did throw a housewarming party to celebrate all of us finally moving in, and it went off without a hitch…. For the most part. Monday was mostly dissertation work and it’s finally hitting me how close I am to having to submit my thesis. I have no idea where this summer has gone and I’m scared how quick August is going to move along.

On Tuesday I went to see Finding Dory and it didn’t disappoint! Pixar delivered another winner, and the sequal lived up to all the hype around it. Plus the short shown in front of the film was cute and entertaining as always, it may even move into my top five Pixar shorts. I may have even enjoyed Finding Dory more than Finding Nemo… but you can’t have Dory without Nemo.

Wednesday jump-started my want to cook and bake more so I made shepherd’s pie for Rob, Cormac and Joey- Lisa is back in Germany for the week. It wasn’t my best but the boys were happy and had no complaints. It was a simple, no-fuss recipe: the base was made of vegetarian mince, onions, carrot, spinach, peppers, peas, mushrooms, and then topped with homemade gravy, potatoes and a little bit of cheese.

Thursday was another movie night and then Friday was pizza night! We went and bought ingredients and even made our own crust. Deliciousness all around.

Saturday my friend Leo and I went into city centre for the Dublin Rock n’ Roll festival. We saw a fashion show and then stayed for some live music by the Louisiana Six- there was such a sexy red double bass, I think I drooled a little. It's been a while since I listened to live music and the rock band was solid. 

Good weather, good company, and just an all around fantastic day.

A few friends stayed round Saturday night and then we made a feast of pancakes the next morning. I mean we all had seven or eight each, I was more than a little comatose for the next couple hours.

And here we are now. So much research and writing over the next three weeks and more than a few breakdowns.

xxkim

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Lots of Koala Kontrol this week.

My favourite has been Wander | A Chill Mix

Time Flies

In the past week I finished up the last of my assignments, realised I graduated one year ago, and, because of those two things, have had a huge nostalgia bomb blow up in my face.

For the last couple of days I have stalked through my old pictures and my friend's old pictures from our graduation. It's not that I have regrets or would even like to travel back and relive that time, it's more that I cannot believe how far my friends and I have come and the sentiment I miss of being together. 

Attempting to study in the back garden

One year later, half my friends are living in different countries all over the world, some are publishing books, others have become entrepreneurs and started their own companies, and some have even started a new life with their loved one. I handed in my last assignment for my Master's course, and now I have three months to write a dissertation before I have my degree. We have all gone in separate directions and I'm trying to wrap my head around it.

Luckily technology is a godsend to make it easier to keep in touch. I relish the occasional messages I get, and the Skype sessions that I've had so far. 

Anyway enough of the soppy stuff and down to business!

Since I was completing assignments I didn't do much for the sake of adventuring. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous lately so I've just been spending any minutes I can spare in the sunshine. I also realised how strong the Irish sun can be and proceeded to get a sunburn just from an hour and a half of exposure. God, I love aloe vera.

When the weather started to warm up back home, my mother would always go into overdrive cooking and cleaning... and I'm learning I'm the same way. I've made so many different summer salads over the past days, plus I baked banana bread, and I still have the urge to keep cooking. Below I have pictured a Mediterranean couscous salad, a Vietnamese Vermicelli salad, and a banana nut loaf. You can find out more about the recipes on my Instagram page.

   

This past Saturday was Eurovision, hence I'm posting this on Tuesday. For those of you that don't know, Eurovision is a song contest in which countries send one act to compete and hopefully take home the main prize. This was my first time not seeing the acts beforehand, but I'm glad I put my faith in Australia- yes they are one of the few countries outside of Europe that compete.

My roommates were off in Romania so I had the house to myself and I volunteered to host the viewing party. Lisa and I decided to make it into a cocktail night so we bought a few ingredients and snacks, and I generally and a good time. It was a small crowd and this year's Eurovision was definitely my favourite so far.

Until next time!

xx kim

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I don't have a song of the week, but I have been listening to a lot of 

Benny Goodman and Postmodern Jukebox

  

A Dublin Pub Crawl

In lieu of exams and final assignments finally being turned in, my break has officially begun and I can have a life once again!

I’ve decided to highlight some of the pubs and clubs I’ve been to in Dublin since arriving in September. Mom, Dad, I swear I didn’t go to all these places in one night. I was tempted to join in the 12 pubs of Christmas Irish tradition but I saved my money for England instead. I’ve only selected places that are within walking distance of each other, so anyone who wants to take this list and create their own pub crawl feel free!

THE PUBS

Against the Grain

 This had to be my number one recommendation as it has become my second home- or so all my friends tell me.  The staff are friendly, and there are all kinda of craft beers on tap- there are also some craft ciders that are great here as well! Some of my favorites here are McIvor’s Medium Cider, Of Foam and Fury double IPA, and Buried at Sea stout. Upstairs there is a pool table and a kitchen that has some of the best chunky chips I’ve had.

Don’t come here for a Guinness though, you’ll just be disappointed.

The Bleeding Horse

 

I’ve been here a few times and I absolutely love the atmosphere, there are even big projection screens that come out when there is a football match on. The upstairs can get a little toasty, but there is plenty of space if you want to get together with a few friends. You can also get some tasty pub grub here- the sweet potato fries are excellent!

Camden Exchange

This can be a little pricey depending on what you order, but this pub offers a wide variety of craft beer and cider. It is also one of the only places I know that has a vehicle mounted on the inside wall. There are all kinds of knick knacks incorporated into the décor giving it a quirky character. 

If you or your friends smoke, there is a pretty big indoor smoking lounge that you can enjoy. The Pilgrim’s Red Ale is delicious, and overall this is a good place to have some chats with friends.

P.Mac’s

This little pub is deceptively large and is always seemingly full of a mixture of people. If you get there early enough you might be able to snag one of the booths. Now this isn’t a typical ‘booth’- at least not what I am used too- these are like separate cubicles that you can be almost completely isolated from the rest of the pub. It can get noisy towards the end of the night but by then you'll be having a grand old time.

Cassidy’s

Although this one is a little further away than the other’s listed above- this is right off D’Olier Street- Cassidy's is a great place to start a pub crawl. There is room to sit both upstairs and downstairs and there is even a couple board games and jenga games you can play. The mixture of chairs, tables, and sofas give the place a living room like feeling- and I don’t mind it at all. Be wary though, some of the chairs have a way of eating you alive.

Some bars that I didn’t mention but are worth a visit are: The Gin Palace, The Hairy Lemon, The Mercantile, and Anseo.

A great thing about Dublin is that you can literally turn any corner and there will be a new pub to explore. I’ve been to quite a few in Dublin City Centre- go to The Autobahn if you’re near Glasnevin in the North!- however there are still so many to visit, and there seems to be new ones that pop up every month. 

Can’t wait to explore more this session.

So sláinte and drink on!

Xx kim

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• If you’re wondering about prices, there is quite a range. I would say that the standard pint is around 5 euros, but you can get beer for as low as 4 and cider as high as 7. 
• One thing to consider is that a pint here is 500ml, in America it’s around 470 but the glasses are often under-poured and there is no law where it has to be this amount. Back in the states, bars can serve you in whatever glasses they have, but here the pints are often over-flowing.
• Remember that the beer in Ireland is often stronger than back home- especially if you’re drinking craft as it can get over 8%. A few of these and you'll be well on your way to merry.
• If you are not a beer expert, don’t be afraid to ask the bartenders for a recommendation although make sure the place isn’t too busy. Have an idea of what kind of brew you might like and they'll point you in a direction to find your right beer.
• Pubs in Dublin- or seemingly the entirety of Ireland- are more like community living rooms so don’t be afraid to talk to strangers and make some new friends.

A Vegetarian Takes Dublin

While my parents might have the impression that my diet consists of pints and good times, over the past 4 months I have had the chance to explore some of the fine cuisine that Dublin has to offer.

As a vegetarian going on 9 years, there was little chance I was going to break my lifestyle when I moved. The last time I visited Ireland, I remember my very first dinner consisting of lamb, so sadly I ate potatoes and everyone’s leftover brussel sprouts. Appetising, I know. However, I knew that this time around would be far more promising.

Whilst I don’t really approve so many people suddenly deciding to go on the vegetarian or vegan ‘diet’ because they want to try out the 'fad,' I am loving the benefits of this big trend. Pretty much every restaurant now serves some type of vegetarian or vegan options, and there are quite a few that are vegan only.

Here is a list of some of my favourite spots so far:

Cornucopia

Cornucopia is one of the best places for a quick vegan meal. The food is served a la carte- I definitely recommend the soup- and everything is made fresh with a constantly rotating menu. The friendly service is also a bonus.

Wok In/Boojum

If you want a cheap meal I would suggest Wok In or Boojum. Both of these are conveniently located right next to each other and have great student deals for Thai cuisine and Mexican.

Boojum is like Ireland’s version of Chipotle, but if you’re vegetarian no worries. 

The guac DOES NOT cost extra. 

Better get there early though, the queues get pretty long.

Staple Foods

If you want to spoil yourself with farm friendly dishes made with local, organic, ingredients Staple Foods is definitely the place for you. I had the superfood salad and was craving it everyday for the next week. Everything is just so delicious.

Firepit

Firepit in Dublin’s Village District is a newly opened barbecue restaurant serving delicious grilled meats with spicy sauces, but don't let that fool you. Vegetarians are warmly welcomed here.

This place can be summed up in three words: Affordable. Halal. Delectable.

Be warned though! This is not a restaurant for a large party!

A few honourable mentions are Brother Hubbard, Pablo Picante, and then Against the Grain and The Bleeding Horse for some great pub grub.

The longer I live here the more I’ll explore the food available. Now all this talk of food is making me hungry, so I’m off to make dinner!

Until next time.

Xx kim

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Queen of Tarts

Also I have to make a shout to Queen of Tarts for satisfying my cravings for sweets every once in a while! I definitely recommend the scone and apple crumble.