So what did I get up to this month?

Rolling on from a busy December I packed a lot into January too. We started the year celebrating NYE in Amsterdam. There was a major storm which left us without electricity a few days before we left on our adventures. A friend arrived the day we were to leave as a storm refugee as he had no electricity and no estimated date of when it would return. He ended up housesitting for 2 weeks while he waited for his power to come back! I celebrated my birthday early by visiting friends and family before our big trip to Thailand. I ended up celebrating my actual birthday in a swanky Bangkok cocktail bar over-looking one of my favourite cities in the world known as the ‘Big Mango’. Not too shabby

TRAVEL: 

Returning from Amsterdam: We flew back from Amsterdam on January 3rd and collected the car from a friend in Dublin. Shared a chat over the last slice of Christmas cake and hit the road back to Sligo.

Kilkenny: January 15th I took the train from Sligo to Connolly , then hopped on the Luas and met my parents in St. James Hospital. It was a very relaxed journey and I got some work done on the train. The after a hospital appointment we drove back to Kilkenny where I spent 2 nights hanging out.

Kildare: The next day I caught the train to Sallins to meet up with some friends and celebrate my birthday early. The next day I got a lift to Maynooth station and had a few seconds to spare to catch the Sligo train back home.

Dublin pre-trip: With bags packed we drove to Portrane in Dublin to stay with friends on Jan 28th to stay for the night and park our car in advance of the early flight to Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi: We arrived after a flight with Etihad forgetting our bags were checked through to Bangkok. Bleary eyed we grabbed the free shuttle bus service to the Premier Inn Abu Dhabi. I would highly rate this hotel even though it is a budget hotel it offers fantastic service is only 15 mins from the airport, has a pool and everything you need for a short stopover.

Bangkok:

We landed in Bangkok on my birthday. Immigration at Suvanabumi was much faster than last time and we got some cash from the ATM, a AIS sim card at the airport and grabbed a taxi to our hotel in Sukumvit as the sun was setting on the city. We stayed in the Atlanta hotel a place that is backed full of character and is budget-friendly. After a yummy Thai dinner at the 1950’s vintage restaurant we walked to Lennon’s cocktail bar for some of the best cocktails I have ever consumed.

We ventured over to Fortune town Mall which is packed full of vinyl record stores and camera shops. Stopped off at Fatty’s for some beer & snacks. Then ventured out later to Studio Lam for some beers.

Friends & Family

I squeezed in a few whirlwind days catch up with friends and family before we left from Abu Dhabi.

 Art & Creativity

I didn’t have the opportunity to go to lifedrawing before we left. However, I did work on a commission piece and played with some colour swatches and a few experiments.

Exhibitions I visited/ Cultural stuff

• Namecaps Spaceman – Central Chodlom Mall, Bangkok
• Went to the Sligo Film Society night at the Model

Learning, reading & watching

What I’ve been learning

Havn’t taken any courses or classes this month again – simply no time!

What I’ve been reading

• There are Rivers in the Sky – Elif Shafak (Spotify)
• The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

What I’ve been watching/ listening

• Art Juice podcast
• David McWilliams Podcast
• The Last Dance (Hong Kong Film) (shown at Sligo Film Society at The Model)

Food

Started the year with a takeaway Suriname Roti in Amsterdam on Jan 1st from Arti2. It’s a classic. Then visited a lovely organic fruit farm on the outskirts of Amsterdam, Fruittuin van West. Then didn’t really eat out until we arrived in Abu Dhabi & Bangkok.

Health

Had a few beach walks when it wasn’t storming outside and did some Qi Gong but not much time for anything else really.

Goals & Plans for January

A review of goals I set

Do some form of exercise everyday – definately didn’t manage this one

 Rest and recover from a busy December

Go to a lifedrawing class – no time one the classes was cancelled due to the storm and I wasn’t here for the other dates

 Meetup with parents & friends before I leave if have time

 Plan the trip for Thailand!

Read more books

Goals for February 2025 :

 Get into a routine for work and travel

Contemplate future plans for business and personal life

Sketch & paint

 Try to do some exercise e.g. swimming, walking etc.

Read more books

The post JAN 2025: Sligo>Dublin >Kilkenny> Kildare >Abu Dhabi > Bangkok>the adventure begins first appeared on Words About Travel.

I know there’s been a gap of a few years since my last post here. Since then COVID is somewhat a thing of the past and we moved from Galway and are now happily based in Sligo.

I’m hoping to reignite this blog as a space I can document some sketches, keep track of my travels and adventures locally, as well as note what I’ve read or watched each month. A space outside of the socials. I may incorporate it into my art site vourneen.com but I’m not sure yet.

December 2024 was pretty hectic to say the least. I managed to squeeze in a visit to 5 cities in a month as well as hosting visitors here in Sligo.

I brought my sketchbook with me and managed to get some quick sketches in and I also did a few pages in my travel accordian style sketchbook too.

So what did I get up to this month?

Travel 

This is a roundup for 2024 as I didn’t get one for December. This year has been busy, but in a good way!

I started December in London meeting up with family and going to a Motown show. Then I travelled to Kilkenny for more family visits and an early Christmas before heading back to Sligo and driving to Dublin, then flying to Amsterdam, then borrowing a friends car to drive to Germany for more Christmas celebrations and then driving back to Amsterdam, followed by a day trip by train to Brussels to meet up with an old school friend before celebrating New Years Eve in Amsterdam. That was a whirlwind few weeks.

Friends & Family

All my travel this month was to meet up in person with family. I didn’t get to catchup with many friends this month as I was so busy. However, we did manage to have a friend stay from Amsterdam for a week which was fun.

 Art & Creativity

Again I didn’t do as much as I had hoped as it was a pretty hectic month. Next year I should really remember to plan less for December. However, I got to go to a lifedrawing class in the Model which is always great and I did some sketchbook work too.

Exhibitions I visited/ Cultural stuff

• South-midlands patchwork christmas exhibition in Kilkenny library
• British Museum
• Soul Supper – Motown
• The Welcome Collection
• Tiny Toast gig in The Model, Sligo
• Pop-up record fair in Furey’s pub – Tara B & Various DJ’s
• The Drawing Box Inside Out exhibition Leitrim Sculpture Centre

Learning, reading & watching

What I’ve been learning

Havn’t taken any courses or classes this month – simply no time!

What I’ve been reading

Kindle tells me I read 34 books last year. This seems quite high. I didn’t think I read that much.

I’ve been reading a lot of non-fiction books these days.

• Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
• Deep work by Cal Newport

What I’ve been watching/ listening

I have to admit I was watching The Crown on Netflix for some light braindead entertainment

Work

Not much to report here, kept busy with clients and then slow as I took the last week of work.

Food

Ate way too much over December with all the Christmas celebrations

Health

Didn’t have any time to focus on this. Went on a few long walks but basically had way too much food & drink with all the Christmas celebrations and way too little movement.

Goals & Plans for December

A review of goals I set

(no goals set for December)

Goals for January 2025 :

 Do some form of exercise everyday

 Rest and recover from a busy December

Go to a lifedrawing class

 Meetup with parents & friends before I leave if have time

 Plan the trip for Thailand!

Read more books

The post December 2024: London, Kilkenny, Amsterdam, Germany & Brussels! first appeared on Words About Travel.

July was busy,  brisk, and brilliant. We packed in a hell of a lot in 30 days. Including traveling almost 2,000km around Ireland meeting up with tons of family and friends and exploring our new place we call home in Galway. As well as selling our flat in Dublin, completing a course and packing everything we own yet again.

So what did I get up to this month?

Travel 

Art & Creativity

Learning, reading & watching:

• Visual Facilitation  workshop – Thinking visually about your facilitation practice by Eimear McNally
• ISHKAR – evening with George Butler

Goals & Plans for July

A review of goals I set for June

 Buy a car

 Move to Galway

 Watch the sunset over Galway bay ( if we get the weather for it)

 Go on a day trips around Galway

 Spend more time outside

  Get photos & 3d tour of the apartment done for estate agent – didn’t need to not selling through agent

 Get up & go to bed earlier and at a regular time even at weekends! – due to tons of visitors this definitely didn’t happen!

 Visit parents in Kilkenny 

Goals for August:

Settle into our new home

Have visitors stay with us

The post July 2020: first appeared on Words About Travel.

Oranmore horses

I’ve decided to keep going with this monthly journal to document what I get up to during this time. It’s a way for me to personally reflect on the last few weeks and to look ahead at future goals.

This month the restrictions lifted. I have learned that it makes a huge difference even knowing you can travel more than 2km, even if you don’t actually go that far! There is a faint pulse of life back in the city. Restrictions were lifted on 29th for bars & cafés serving food. It was actually exciting to see people sitting at pre-booked tables together. Wild times indeed. There were queues for barbers and a scramble for appointments with hairdressers. The traffic is one thing I am not grateful to see return.

Last month we made the decision to move to somewhere more spacious and close to nature. This month, we found a temporary home in Oranmore with a seaview we will move into on 10th July. It’s an ideal location, walking distance to both train, bus, supermarkets and the sea! We are doing this move in steps, first step move to Galway next step is to figure out what to do with our place in Dublin.

We also decided to buy a car which will pick up on Friday all going well. The insurance cost, well let’s just not go there.

So what did I get up to this month?

Travel 

Oranmore, Galway

We took our first trip outside of Dublin this month!!! We borrowed a car and took a day trip to Oranmore to view the rental property we will move into. It was a glorious day and enjoyed every minute of it.  We got a takeaway pizza from Thomas & Co and sat outside at socially distant picnic tables before viewing the apartment. Maybe the it was the tomatoe sauce that got to me but we decided to take the apartment

Oranmore bench – I hope to sit here and stare out a the sea a lot embracing my inner granny!!

Killiney Hill

On another trip, we borrowed a car again and drove to Killiney and walked up to the summit and to this magnificent view that sweeps the shoreline. As you know I am not the greatest navigator so

The view from Killiney hill, Dublin

Bull island

We rented a Yuko car for a few hours and drove out to bull island to walk along the beach at low tide. We saw the most incredible rainbow before it started to pour down. We say some adventurous swimmers. I am not sure I will ever be able for the freezing Irish sea water.

Dollymount strand at Bull island

Friends & Family

We finally were able to meet up with lots of family this month. It felt really nice to catch up with my aunt, my parents and my sister, brother-in-law, and niece.

Art & Creativity

As usual, I have been doing some sketching with the Dublin Sketchers group.  I also started the 30x30directwatercolor2020 challenge. I got a little way into the month but with everything going on with the move I didn’t continue with the daily pace. However, I did paint way more than usual and I would love to have a daily practice routine when things settle down a bit.

 

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A post shared by Vourneen Taylor | Art & Travel (@vourneent) on Jun 4, 2020 at 2:02pm PDT

 

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A post shared by Vourneen Taylor | Art & Travel (@vourneent) on Jun 13, 2020 at 4:50am PDT

Learning, reading & watching

I havn’t really done much online learning courses this month. Just a few Youtube tutorials here & there about Etsy.

What I’ve been reading

I finished a brilliant travel book Borderlines: A Journey In Thailand And Burma by Charles Nicholl

It is a must-read for anyone who has traveled through Thailand. Nicholl managed to really capture the spirit of Thailand in this journal. It is an easy read but the narrative is rich with insights into the culture and life at the time and the vibe of the place.

Next up: Not sure – I need some suggestions here

What I’ve been watching 

• I rewatched Father Ted just for a few laughs.
• Architectural Sketching – Domestika Course

Work

I’ve been relatively busy with client work the last few weeks. Again this month a surprising amount of prospective project requests came in which is reassuring. I feel the recession hasn’t hit yet and because of all the change going on with Covid people just need extra support right now. Many of my clients are also looking to hire full-time staff members. I think the tech/ software industry is still in a bubble and so far it’s yet to burst thank goodness.

Food

Health

I really, really have to just stop eating my way through this quarantine. I managed to work my way through most of Yoga with Adrienne’s – yoga for weight loss playlist. It did help with strengthening and if I hadn’t eaten the amount I did this month I probably would have lost some weight. However, I am afraid to go near my scales so I have no idea. I also did quite a bit of cycling again this month, to Sandymount, Kimmage and to Phoenix Park.  We also did a lot of walks around town and a longer walk to Rathmines. In total, it added up to 67k steps which is definitely an increase from the 19k I did in April! Also walking more was one of my goals for this month so I’m glad I was able to tick this one off the list.  Lastly, I completed a 5 day Qi Gong challenge with Lee Holden and felt it did me the world of good.

Goals & Plans for June

A review of goals I set for May

 Daily yoga/ Qi Gong /Cycling – I can’t say this was daily but could say most days this month

 Get up & go to bed earlier and at a regular time even at weekends! – This is a disaster, not sleeping well dosn’t help

 Finish Borderlines book

Sign up for 30×30 direct watercolor challenge and see how far I get with painting daily – got about halfway so very proud of this

 Get photos & 3d tour of apartment done for estate agent – decided to postpone this until after we move our stuff out

 Get the plumber booked in – this was a tough one, finally after attempting to book in 3 different plumbers we got one that did the job for us.

 Start painting the apartment – I have done the bathroom & started the hallway cupboard

 Meet up with more people in-person

 Plan a trip for July/ August – Galway? Amsterdam? – well I’ve already been to Galway and planning a move there this month so going to tick the box on this one also

Goals for July:

 Buy a car

 Move to Galway

 Watch the sunset over Galway bay ( if we get the weather for it)

 Go on a day trips around Galway

 Spend more time outside

 Get photos & 3d tour of the apartment done for estate agent

 Get up & go to bed earlier and at a regular time even at weekends!

 Visit parents in Kilkenny

The post June 2020 – Life update, Oranmore trip & direct watercolour challenge first appeared on Words About Travel.

Cycle to Sandymount Strand

Last month I wrote a post about what I got up to during April in Quarantine in Dublin ( which was more than I thought I did). I found it a good way to reflect and document what I actually did during this strange time. Days seem to blur into one another at the moment as time drifts on by. So I thought it would be good to keep the momentum up and write another monthly report to share with others and to keep myself somewhat accountable.

Overall this month was ok. I am finding I am now getting a bit antsy and have itchy feet. However, overall things are fine. Having the restrictions eased also helped a bit to be able to explore more things. More businesses have opened and there is more life in the city. Which is great to see. Although, I could do without the traffic!

We have decided to move from our apartment and move somewhere more spacious, close to nature and has decent public transport and doesn’t cost a complete fortune. I am looking at places like Oranmore in Galway which ticks a lot of boxes except the price! The logistics of putting a place in the market in quarantine is bit mad so we’ll see how we go, step-by-step.

So what did I get up to this month?

Travel 

Although, I didn’t actually travel. We did explore quite a bit this month as the weather has been incredibly good ( for Ireland). The restrictions changed from 2km radius to 5km radius from home which meant I was able to go on mini-adventures around my home town.

I also resubscribed to the Dublin bikes scheme and I am trying to gradually overcome my fear of cycling, with Alex’s help

Sandymount Strand

Our first outing after the lockdown was increased to 5km was to see the sea again and we cycled all the way to the coast. The tide was way out so we had lots of space to social distance on the beach. It was so refreshing to smell the salt air and feel the sea breeze on my skin again. Especially as it was sunny!

Phoenix Park

Social distancing in Phoenix Park

Normally I would NEVER cycle to Phoenix park as the traffic along the Quays by the River Liffey is crazy and the double-decker buses also use the cycle lanes which is just terrifying. However, at the moment due to the Covid restrictions, there is much less traffic making it doable for me to cycle without completely freaking out. As the park is the biggest urban park in Europe it has lots of big green open fields to enjoy. The slow incline from the main gates, however, is NOT fun and had me panting and puffing within seconds. It was also quite busy around this area so we took a quick break to catch my breath and cycled on further plonking ourselves down on a grassy patch and watched the clouds and birds float past.

Friends & Family

It was so good and a bit strange to be able to meet up with people in person once again! We were able to meet up with a Polish friend who will soon be relocating back to Poland to be closer to his family while in Phoenix park. It’s so weird not to be able to hug people.

I also met with my grand aunt who had her 97th birthday. Celebrating with a garden tea party with pear tart. Yum!!

Dymphna is 97!

I also met with an ex-colleague of mine and her baby for a stroll around town. Stopping for a takeaway sandwich and coffee for lunch outside. Unfortunately, the weather was not kind to us that day and we had all the 4 seasons in an afternoon. Wet one minute and sunny the next.

We have also went to a BBQ with friends in Rathmines. The weather was spectacular and sitting outside having a drink on the balcony felt like I could have been somewhere in the Mediterranean, not Dublin.

I have also been catching up with regular weekly Zoom calls and whatsapp’ing with various family & friends. Although the Zoom frequency has reduced somewhat this month.

Art & Creativity

 

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A post shared by Vourneen Taylor | Art & Travel (@vourneent) on May 4, 2020 at 6:47am PDT

As usual, I have been doing some sketching with the Dublin Sketchers group. The themes included for this month’s Sunday sketching was of Howth, public art in Dublin, Front line workers,  Bridges & flowers. I wasn’t able to do them all but really did enjoy the ones I did. Just having a dedicated time for your art makes such a difference.

Molly Malone’s Mask

I also experimented a bit more with digital work by scanning my watercolour and ink drawings and messing around with them in photoshop. I really liked the effect and the freedom it gives you with blending and layering work. I definitely want to do more of this.

 

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A post shared by Vourneen Taylor | Art & Travel (@vourneent) on May 23, 2020 at 6:52am PDT

My resin jewelry kit finally arrived! So I collected wildflowers from Phoenix park and also cut up a watercolour painting (that’s the green one) and dried & pressed the flowers in the microwave. I need to practice more as there were a lot of bubbles with these pieces but not bad for the first attempt!

Resin jewelry

I also finally got my Etsy shop up & running -> etsy.com/ie/shop/ArtbyVourneen  and made 8 sales!! I admit this was mostly to friends and family but I sold some to strangers also. I learned a lot from setting this up. From logistics, customer service, supplier management, etsy SEO etc. It’s really rewarding and I am so grateful to those who bought from me so far. I am hoping to expand my product range soon !!

Learning, reading & watching

I havn’t really done much online learning courses this month. Just a few Youtube tutorials here & there about Etsy.

What I’ve been reading

I finally finished Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland

Anyone who has an interest in Ireland and wants to know more about the troubles in Northern Ireland and the context of the conflict should read this book.

Next up: Borderlines: A Journey In Thailand And Burma

I also finished some audible books

• Around the world in 60 seconds: The Nas Daily Journey – I enjoyed his observations but the over-excitable narration was a little much for me.
• Currently listening to : Rediscovering Travel by Seth Kugel – He has enjoyable anecdotes and I like his exploratory spontaneous travel style. Some of the tips are just tiring rather than entertaining or useful. I wanted to enjoy this New York Times budget travel writers book more than I am.

What I’ve been watching 

I watched some of the Irish series that everyone was going on about ‘Normal People’ which just didn’t really grab me.

On Netflix, I watched a few episodes of ‘The Eddy’ which I really enjoyed. It’s based around a Jazz club in Paris, the acting, plot, and cinematography are great.

Work

I’ve been relatively busy with client work the last few weeks. Again this month a surprising amount of prospective project requests came in which is reassuring. I feel the recession hasn’t hit yet and because of all the change going on with Covid people just need extra support right now. Many of my clients are also looking to hire full-time staff members. I think the tech/ software industry is still in a bubble and so far it’s yet to burst thank goodness.

Food

This month was another bumper month of eating yummy food despite not being able to eat in a restaurant. Not shown below was a sumptuously spicy Malabar chicken curry from Konkan 

and also Chicken Fillet Kebab meal from Café Oasis – don’t knock it until you try this sublime dish!

Food in May

Health

I really, really have to just stop eating my way through this quarantine. I managed to work my way through most of Yoga with Adrienne’s – yoga for weight loss playlist. It did help with strengthening and if I hadn’t eaten the amount I did this month I probably would have lost some weight. However, I am afraid to go near my scales so I have no idea. I also did quite a bit of cycling again this month, to Sandymount, Kimmage and to Phoenix Park.  We also did a lot of walks around town and a longer walk to Rathmines. In total, it added up to 67k steps which is definitely an increase from the 19k I did in April! Also walking more was one of my goals for this month so I’m glad I was able to tick this one off the list.  Lastly, I completed a 5 day Qi Gong challenge with Lee Holden and felt it did me the world of good.

Goals & Plans for June

A review of goals I set for May

Walk more

Picnic

Meet up in person with friends

Make resin jewelry

Finish Etsy & Shopify store ( decided to focus on Etsy first but did get the store up)

Keep up with yoga

Finish Say Nothing Book

Goals for June:

 Daily yoga/ Qi Gong /Cycling

 Get up & go to bed earlier and at a regular time even at weekends!

 Finish Borderlines book

 Sign up for 30×30 direct watercolor challenge and see how far I get with painting daily

 Get photos & 3d tour of apartment done for estate agent

 Get the plumber booked in

 Start painting the apartment

 Meet up with more people in-person

 Plan a trip for July/ August – Galway? Amsterdam?

The post May update: What I got upto in Dublin during Quarantine first appeared on Words About Travel.

I normally write about my travel, but just like you, I wasn’t able to travel this month. Due to the governmental restrictions that have been enforced since March 27th here in Ireland, I have not been able to travel further than 2km from my home. For people over the age of 70, living in Ireland it is even more strict as they cannot leave their homes whatsoever. For many, this has been a very traumatic event.  Many of my own friends and family are really struggling to get through this. It’s a weird time to be alive. However, personally I’ve actually been dealing with the quarantine reasonably well. I was trying to figure out wondering why? I wanted to get my head around it by writing this article. So I thought I would write down and document my experiences of being in Dublin during the Covid19 pandemic and what I’ve been getting up to while stuck indoors.

For many, even if they haven’t become sick or lost their jobs, their normal working days and routines have been turned upside down. I am fortunate that I run my own business, work from home and I don’t have kids I need to look after. I know for many its a struggle to find the balance of working from home and being a good parent.  All my clients are international so I normally meet them online via Zoom, Microsoft teams, WhatsApp or Skype anyway. In fact, I haven’t actually met any of my current clients in person. I run a consultancy so I am not reliant on any shipments or orders of stock to arrive. I just need the internet and a computer to keep operational.

As I don’t own a car and live in central Dublin. I don’t really travel more than 2km that often to be honest. I walk to the shops to get my groceries and any supplies. Again nothing much changed here except the queues and social distancing. Take a look at Alex’s video below of cycling through Dublin during the pandemic and you’ll see how ghostly quiet it actually is at the moment.

I think a major reason why I can deal with this so well is that we have gone through a lot in the past few years. Last year we also did a type of forced self-quarantine when Alex was recovering from his knee injury and he couldn’t walk without crutches or without the aid of a wheelchair. For several months we only saw the length of Francis Street. When I first walked to Grafton street ( 15 mins walk further) a few months later I was amazed to see all the shops, cafés and bars had changed since we had been away in Amsterdam. I am adaptable as most travelers and backpackers are. I have moved house dozens of times in the last 3 years as well as moving country,  so readjusting to new routines is somewhat normal for me.

So what did I get up to this month?

Travel 

My travel stats in 2020

Well as I did quite a bit of travel already this year. To Amsterdam for New Years, Greenwich, to meet up with my crazy cousins,  Las Palmas for my 40th Birthday and a weekend in Wexford, Ireland to celebrate my dad’s Birthday. Then right before the lockdown, I went to Riga, Latvia for my friends 40th. So I was actually ok to stay still for a bit and not travel during the month of April even though we had planned to be in Amsterdam.

Travel stats for March

Friends & Family

My friends and family are scattered around the country and the world. So I normally catch up via WhatsApp anyway. In normal times, once every few weeks, I meet with my mates who live outside the city and catch up over dinner & drinks in-person or I meet for a lazy lunch in town with some mates living in town. This seems like such a privilege right now to be able to meet friends and go out for lunch! How bizarre?? I’m also very lucky to live with Alex and I am very grateful to have a partner to go through this with. I know if I lived by myself I would probably struggle a lot more.

As we’ve lived abroad many times in Amsterdam, Melbourne and we’ve even traveled for over 2 years around Asia. I have experienced what it’s like to be away from friends and family for extended periods of time. It’s still not a great feeling but I know how to manage it.

Now to stay connected we have weekly family Zoom on Friday nights and a friend catch up on Saturday nights. In between, I use Whatsapp mainly to stay connected with folks around the globe. I’ve been hearing first hand how they are tackling things right now in Madrid, Singapore, Dubai, Auckland, Amsterdam and London. All surprisingly different which is both interesting and alarming in some cases.

Art & creativity

I am a member of the Dublin Sketchers group and we continue to meet up every Sunday. Although virtually instead of in-person safe from the comfort of our own homes. So far we’ve sketched the Dublin Zoo via live webcams, Aras an Uachtaráin (the presidents gaff in Phoenix park) though imagery, The GPO through Google Streetview and Dublin Airport via videos. Great fun for any Urban Sketcher.

 

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A post shared by Vourneen Taylor | Art & Travel (@vourneent) on Apr 12, 2020 at 1:17pm PDT

I’ve also attended several online life drawing classes. It’s been a few decades since I last attended a life drawing class via Zoom. I find it’s so relaxing and fully absorbing that you don’t notice the time flying by. It’s not the same as attending in person but I have a big screen which helps to see the model clearly.

Dublin Airport Aer Lingus Illustration created at Dublin Sketchers Group virtual meetup

It’s been a month of birthdays so I’ve enjoyed creating lots of cards and bookmarks for people. Sometimes it’s easier to find the time to create with someone else in mind that for yourself! I’ve also experimented with different illustration techniques and mixing digitally collage and ink line drawing techniques.

Handmade watercolour bookmark that I sent as a gift

Irish coastal watercolour painting

Messed around with acrylic inks and had some fun just explored techniques without any end result in mind. Intuitive painting is so freeing and it’s very interesting to see what comes out onto the paper.

 

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A post shared by Vourneen Taylor | Art & Travel (@vourneent) on Apr 18, 2020 at 12:47pm PDT

I love live music. Although I’ve been able to see some great performances live on social media. It can never really capture the same atmosphere and vibes as dancing together to the rythym of the same beat. I will never take that for granted, ever again. Hollie Cook is doing Sunday sessions live on Instagram and it is definitely worth checking out. She has such a sweet soulful voice with tropical tunes. If anyone else has heard or knows of other great performances coming up let me know in the comments section below.

 

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A post shared by Hollie Cook (@holliecookie) on Sep 10, 2019 at 5:40am PDT

I am also using this time to explore different opportunities and to learn about eCommerce by setting up a Shopify store and reopening my Etsy store with some of my own work.  If I can manage to get some sales I am hoping to donate any proceeds to charity! NB. If anyone has any experience with selling on Etsy, Shopify or dropshipping let me know!!

>>Click the above to go to my Art by Vourneen Shopify store!

>> Click the above image to go to my Art by Vourneen Etsy Shop

Learning, reading & watching

It’s good to keep the juices flowing. So I signed up for Creative Live an online learning platform and completed a course by Illustrator Lisa Congdon on productivity as a creative and another by Standford professors Dave Evans and Bill Burnett on how to apply design thinking to your life.

I also completed illustrator Cat Coquillette’s new class on growing your creative business through Instagram which gave me some good inspiration and motivation to share more of my work.

• Cat Coquilette on Skillshare 
• Courses on Creativelive

What I’ve been reading

I love any travel or adventure related books. So I thoroughly enjoyed The Spice Islands Voyage by Tim Severin. I picked up a copy before the lockdown in a gem of a local second-hand book store called Marrowbone books. Not sure when they will open their doors again but if they do, please support them. I’m also currently halfway through a gifted book called  ‘Say Nothing’. It’s about the troubles in Northern Ireland and it is intense and a real eye-opener for me. Ashamedly, I didn’t appreciate the context of a lot of the events that happened in the North before reading this book. It’s written like a gripping thriller but it’s non-fiction.

• The Spice Islands Voyage: The Quest for the Man who shared Darwin’s Discovery of Evolution by Tim Severin
• Currently reading – Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland

What I’ve been watching 

The people we meet youtube channel is AMAZING. I have been binge-watching episodes. It’s done in a really immersive documentary style with a great human story angle.

Work

I am very grateful that my income hasn’t really changed much. In fact, I took on new clients in the last month. If anything our business has grown ever so slightly. It’s been a good month and we even managed to hit our quarterly goal so I’m very happy with that. I really enjoy working with clients all over the world. Most of them are based in North America right now. However, I am also helping Masters students from the Digital Marketing Institute who are living in diverse places such as Namibia and Jamaica. It’s wonderful to hear their stories and gain insights into their lives and how business operates in those regions. However, things are very unstable right now with the economy and things can change fast.

Food

A collection of food eaten in April during the quarantine

So as you can see in the above collage we didn’t starve.  We mostly cooked from scratch. However, we did cave once and ordered a takeaway from Cafe Oasis, YUM! We also found a few places still open that I thoroughly enjoyed supporting.

• Stone oven baked pizza slice from Dollard & Co
• A Turkish Borek & Pide from Ayla.ie
• Fumbally café has opened as an amazing shop on Friday’s & Saturdays selling loads of fresh Irish ingredients

Health

As I am basically eating my way through the quarantine I decided it might be a good idea to do a bit of exercise. Attempting “Yoga with Adrienne’s” free 30 days challenge for April. To be honest I didn’t do it every day. However, I did stick to it most days and completed about 25 days in total over the month. Which I am very happy with. It is very good for my standards anyway.

I also did some Qi Gong with Lee Holden which I find amazing and if you’ve never done it before it’s like a moving meditation. Helping you basically keep sane during these crazy times.

We went on a few walks in our 2km radius and really enjoyed strolling through St. Patrick’s Park and Merrion Square park when it opened again. It’s the only bit of green patch we have access to right now. But thankful we at least have the opportunity of leaving the house as many do not right now.

• Yoga with Adrienne
• Qi Gong with Lee Holden

Goals & Plans for May

So what are my goals and plans for the month of May in Quarantine?

My aim to walk more in the coming month, especially as the weather is getting a bit better and there is a stretch in the evenings. We  heard today that restrictions will be lifted slightly from Tuesday. So we can go up to 5km from our house for exercise.  This means we can take a walk in Phoenix park and also visit Sandymount strand to see the sea again and smell the salty air! From May 18th we can meet up with people outside again in small groups. So I might go for a walk or picnic if the weather is good with some of my mates that live within 5km.

I also bought a resin jewelry starter kit online and it should arrive sometime in the next 2 weeks. So looking forward to playing with that and seeing what I can do with it. A friend inspired me with some of the wonderful creations that she made with dried flowers. If I can get good enough I met even but a few up on my Etsy shop for you to purchase.

The plan is also to finish up the Etsy and Shopify online stores and maybe link to it from here?  I should have a good idea of what works by the end of the month so I can report back then.

I’m definitely going to try and keep the yoga up as much as possible. I figured out that if I do it first thing in the morning before I have coffee and not awake yet I have a far greater chance of getting it done!

Finishing the Say Nothing book is on the list of things I want to do. There are a couple of books I have yet to read in the house so I will get stuck into the next one in the stack.

Let’s see what May brings. You never know what this crazy world will bring us next.

The post What I got up to in Dublin in April during Quarantine first appeared on Words About Travel.

What to do in Greenwich, London at the weekend?

Greenwich is located on the banks of the Thames river in East London. It seems quite laid back for London and it has lots of open green spaces to wander around. The Maritime Greenwich is on the UNESCO world heritage list as well as loads of other cultural, historical and artistic attractions to visit. It makes a great place to explore over a weekend. In fact, the next time I visit London I will probably stay here as you can get everywhere in London quite easily with great access to the DLR, train, tube, bus and Thames ferry services.

Aer Lingus Dublin Airport with blue skies

One of my crazy cousins suggested a family trip to London for the weekend to catch up. I signed up and booked the flights. Somewhere along the way they also decided to book tickets to see Mamma Mia the party in the 02. Now, I am not an ABBA fan by a long shot, I have never seen Mamma Mia and I had no idea what I was getting myself in for. They said it would be fun, they said my 40th was coming up and they all seemed very persuasive, so I said yes.  Months later, trying to explain to friends that I was going to London to watch an ABBA show in the O2 Arena was met with howls of laughter! So I flew with Ryanair from Dublin to London Gatwick to start my cultural adventure in Greenwich!

It was an easy 1-hour journey from Gatwick to Ibis hotel in Greenwich via train. I just topped up my Oyster card (Transport card) and I was good to go. I met the others in Mitre pub before checking into the hotel. It was a typical cosy British pub serving up frothy pints of beer, wine, pub grub and also offers accommodation.

STAY AT the IBIS Hotel Greenwich

Our rooms were great value coming in at around €80euro/70stg per night for a twin en-suite room. They were small and basic but sparkling clean and were designed well with funky modern lamps and fittings. I would definitely choose to stay here again if I was going to London. You can signup to become a member for extra discounts. Also booking ahead will give you much better rates. The girls greeted me with a bottle of bubbly and even decorated my room with banners for my 40th! Which wasn’t for another 10 days. But who’s counting…

Click here for more information on IBIS Hotel Greenwich

GO FOR A FAMILY DINNER IN LIMEHOUSE

Having fun at La Figa Restaurant Limehouse

We met our uncle in his apartment in Limehouse a few stops down on the DLR. We met his nephew and his girlfriend who had arrived earlier in the day from Boston. Hungry at this stage we walked across the road to a lovely Italian restaurant called La Figa. I would recommend not trying to Google translate the name of the restaurant halfway through the meal. You will end up giggling your way through your pasta. The menu was immense and catered to everyone. We shared starters of focaccia and bruschetta san danielle. For mains, I ate a lovely vegetarian cannelloni oven dish while others had the lamb shank, pizza’s, a seafood dish and fresh homemade ravioli.

HAVE A WEEKEND BRUNCH IN GREENWICH

Bill’s

Upstairs in Bill’s Greenwich Restaurant

Bill’s was packed on Saturday morning but we didn’t have long to wait for a table upstairs. I loved the decor in the cafe, in particular, they had a wonderful selection of black and white prints by the stairs. The services was attentive and the food options for brunch were great. However, it was VERY expensive. Our bill came to 65 pounds for 3 people including service charge. We had 1 main, a coffee & a juice each.

decor in Bill’s Greenwich Restaurant

Gallery Café Bar at the Greenwich Picturehouse

I had the Omelette with spinach, feta and spring onion which was delicious. The others choose pancakes and bacon sandwiches. The coffee was excellent and the service was good but a little slow. It was a quieter and much more spacious than bills with lots of room for our luggage which was very handy.

STROLL AROUND THE OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE

 

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On a trip to London last weekend to see Mamma Mia the party in the 02. We took a stroll around the old naval college in Greenwich before the show and soaked up some decadent culture. We walked through underground passageways, past classy indoor bowling halls and spotted a spiral staircase made from stone. Walking up it we found this impressive chapel. The sunlight flooded through the windows intact with original glass and filled the ornately decorated neoclassical interior. It’s completely free to walk around and aparently music students from the campus perform a lunchtime classical recital on Mondays & Fridays which would be amazing in such beautiful space. Maybe next time! @oldroyalnavalcollege @trinitylaban #visitgreenwich #familyweekend #musicrecital #visitlondon #weekendgetaway #greenwich #chapel #neoclassical #oldroyalnavalcollege #navalcollege #thingstodoforfree #thames #02London

A post shared by Vourneen Taylor | Art & Travel (@vourneent) on Jan 21, 2020 at 10:26am PST

We took a stroll around the old naval college in Greenwich before the show and soaked up some decadent culture.
We walked through underground passageways, past classy indoor bowling halls and spotted a spiral staircase made from stone. Walking up it we found this impressive chapel.

The sunlight flooded through the windows intact with original glass and filled the ornately decorated neoclassical interior.It’s completely free to walk around and apparently music students from the campus perform a lunchtime classical recital on Mondays & Fridays which would be amazing in such beautiful space. Maybe next time!

BROWSE THROUGH THE GREENWICH MARKETS

Reggae records at a stall in Greenwich market

POP INTO A BROCANTE POP-UP MARKET

Pop-up Brocanté market at Ben Oakley Gallery

Dog-friendly Pop-up Brocanté at Ben Oakley Gallery

We stumbled upon this tiny gem of a gallery down a lane just off the main market square. Once through the door, we were greeted with a glass of rosé and a platter of cheese. We were invited to have a look at the jewellery, ceramics and artwork on display. The gallery owner had a lovely dog that was ‘helping’ and visitors also brought in their own pooches. The work was eclectic, modern and vibrant. I bought a lovely vintage necklace and hooped earrings to match for only 5stg. Upstairs there were lots more paintings. I particularly loved the portrait drawings on scraps of paper and the ‘dial god’ piece.

Portrait drawing at Ben Oakley Gallery

Dial God – Ben Oakley Gallery

GO TO A SHOW IN THE O2 Arena – MAMMA MIA – The party 

Mamma Mia The party at the O2 Venue in London

4-course dinner at Mamma Mia – the Party with the cousins!

Mamma Mia the party was a hell of an experience. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect not being an ABBA fan or not having ever seen the movie nor the musical. It certainly left an impression.

As you walk through the entrance into the hallway, everything is decorated as if you were in Nikos Taverna in Greece. It was just like walking into the movie set.  They even turned up the heating so you feel like you are actually there. You are greeted with a free drink on arrival and then shown to your table.

The food was far better than expected. In fact, if I had a meal that good in a restaurant I would be very happy. The dishes are unlimited and you can order as much as you want. Soon the table was filled with a selection of yummy bread and dips, a plate of tomatoes in olive oil and herbs, olives, octopus (urgh) and other nibbles. We struggled to find space on the table as more dishes arrived.

Between courses, the actors and musicians would perform between the tables or sometimes even climb a ladder to the balcony upstairs to serenade.  Some of the serving staff doubled as actors and there was so much going on you didn’t know where to look sometimes.

Then the mains came with a selection of delicious beef and lamb and a vegetarian oven dish with mushrooms covered in a cheesy sauce. The meat was cooked to perfection and the vegetarian dish was so good we ordered another portion. The orange cake for dessert and baklava was absolutely divine. We washed this all down with bottles of excellent red wine ( the wine costs extra!).

There was a circus performance with acrobatics spinning from the ceiling. I glanced at the bar and the bar staff was suddenly doing a contortionist act right on the counter. Projections of sunlight and night scenes with shooting stars were projected behind the ‘bar’.  Giant flames shot up from the ‘fountain’ in the centre. There was some audience participation but we didn’t get ‘picked on’ to my relief. As the wine flowed, everyone started joining in with singing and dancing. Then the tables in the middle were rearranged and a stage put in its place for the audience to dance on. This was pure entertainment in itself, just watching everyone drunkenly gyrate to ABBA tunes I was in hysterics. I have to say it was an excellent production and a great show. Not something I would normally choose but I had a great time to the extent I was sore from laughing the next day!

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Girly Weekend Getaway in Belfast

Every couple of years a group of my friends go on a girly weekend getaway together. Last time it was Berlin this time we decided on a city trip to Belfast. I caught an early flight with Easyjet from Amsterdam and the others traveled from various parts of Ireland by train & car to meet up.

Girly weekend getaway in Belfast with my besties

Easyjet plane from Amsterdam to Belfast

Arriving at Belfast International Airport

Ashamedly, I didn’t realise that Belfast had 2 airports until the night before my flight. One is named after a famous footballer George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) the other Belfast International Airport (BFS) is the one I flew into. On arrival, in the baggage hall I took out some Sterling from the ATM. Which was needed as the Translink bus from the airport only takes cash. If you don’t have Sterling you can purchase a ticket by bank card in the arrivals hall from the friendly tourist information stand. The journey cost £8gpb and the bus leaves every 15 minutes to Europa Bus Centre, in the middle of Belfast city. The journey took about 40 minutes in total as we dropped off some passengers on the way.

Oxfam Books Botanic Ave. Belfast

Funky Botanic Avenue, Belfast

As I was a little earlier to check in to my Airbnb. I took my time to stroll along the funky Botanic avenue checking out some of the secondhand book shops and charity shops along the way. I also passed some interesting street art, bustling cafés and restaurants en route.

Tyred Of Your Culture paste up poster Belfast

Our Belfast Airbnb

I checked into the Airbnb (it wasn’t behind the above door with the streetart don’t worry) I was greeted with a warm welcome. The 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment was equipped with everything you needed for a great weekend. Including a bottle of prosecco in the fridge, snacks, bottles of water, tea and coffee. It’s the little touches that make all the difference. The living room had floor to ceiling windows on two sides with an L-shaped balcony. In the distance, on one side you could see Stormont Castle in the distance, the home to the Northern Ireland Executive that governs the region.

Belfast Airbnb near Botanic Ave.

Brunching in Belfast

After a quick nap, I met the girls and we went for brunch. As Town Square restaurant had a half an hour wait with hungry bellies we walked on to the hipster joint ‘The Other Place’ filled with hungover bodies. I ordered a greasy fry and my veggie friend ordered an omelet. The “mini fry” came with Sausage, bacon, egg, potato, soda bread, a hash brown, and mushrooms. Not for the faint-hearted. I washed it all down with an Americano coffee to get my caffeine kicks.

Belfast City Hall

Fueled up we sauntered into town. Passing groups on peddling bars, street artists dressed for Halloween and buskers singing tunes to the passing shoppers. We popped into funky shops, saw quirky murals, admired the impressive architecture of Belfast City Hall and just enjoyed the sunshine and atmosphere.

The Great Room Restaurant at the Merchant Hotel Belfast

Cocktails in Bert’s Jazz Bar

We decided to seek out a cocktail place that was recommended to us. The Merchant is an ornate hotel that is a class above. We walked up to the “Great Room Restaurant” wow did it live up to its name. The centerpiece is a domed glass ceiling that frames an ornate chandelier that hangs above the five-star diners. The decor mixes art deco with a speakeasy vibe. Friendly staff informed us that there was a wait for a table and suggested “Bert’s” downstairs.

Cocktails Berts Jazz Bar Belfast

A little bewildered we could hear the jazz but couldn’t find the bar. A helpful doorman opened a series of doors and led us through several passageways into the stylish jazz bar. Having survived the labyrinth entrance, as any classy group of girls would do, we propped ourselves at the bar and proceeded to order fancy cocktails. The mixologists were experienced at not only creating the well-shaken beverages but serving them with a suave demeanor.

Slightly buzzed from the cocktails we sauntered back to the apartment to chill for a bit before our other friend arrived from Donegal. She arrived complete with a bottle of poitín she had ‘acquired’ locally as a present. It smelled dangerous yet botanical. I had the sense to keep the cork on that bottle and open the prosecco instead.

Prosecco in the Airbnb apartment

Nepalese Food in Belfast

With bubbles inside us, we headed for some food at a Nepalese & Indian Restaurant called the Kathmandu Kitchen located closeby. The neon open sign did nothing to lead me inside but the aromatic smells sure as hell did. A friendly waiter greeted us and led us to a lovely table by the window. Starving at that stage we filled our bellies with a selection of dahl, naan bread, aromatic curries, and biryani. All washed down with a complimentary shot of sambuca. Oh, dear, we’ll never learn!

Kathmandu Kitchen Nepalese Belfast

Flaming sambuca at the Kathmandu Kitchen Belfast

Hangover cure at Grannie Annies Kitchen

The next morning to ward off the hangover, we ventured out to find a spot to eat and get some much-needed caffeine. We ended up in Grannie Annies Kitchen. Serving up plates of comfort food in an eclectic casual setting. It’s kinda trippy. You have all sorts of chairs, tables pots and pans stuck upside down on the ceiling. I felt like Alice in Wonderland after going down the rabbit hole!

Grannie Annies Kitchen Belfast

The next stop was the colorful St. Georges Market. I loved the vibe in this place. There were musicians performing in the centre surrounded by people chilling at tables and chairs easting food bought from the surrounding stalls. The was a mixture of yummy food, clothing, arts, flowers, crafts, and fresh produce. You could buy everything from fresh fish, photography or a pair of socks and everything in between.

St. Georges Market Belfast

We wandered around the town aimlessly enjoying buskers and buzz of the Saturday afternoon shoppers. Stopping in the odd place that caught our eye. Eventually, we came across the impressive Victoria Square Shopping Centre. On the ground floor, it had a pumpkin festival for kids where they could decorate their very own pumpkin.  Which were proudly on display for parents.

Victoria Square pumpkin decoration Belfast

We ventured up to the domed glass roof that had amazing 360 views of the city skyline. In the distance, you can see Cave hill, Harland & Wolff Cranes shipping cranes where they build the titanic as well as buildings old and new. Apparently, they even have yoga here once a month! However, we definitely weren’t energetic enough for that.

It was a beautiful way to finish the day and end our girly weekend in Belfast.

Viewing dome Victoria Square

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO BELFAST BEFORE? WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS OR FAVOURITE PLACES TO VISIT? LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW ….

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On a whim, we decided to spend 2 days in Dungarvan, Co Waterford while visiting the parents in Kilkenny. The weather was fantastic, especially for Irish standards. We took full advantage with a nice little family road trip to Dungarvan complete with “Dúbh” the dog included.

CLONEA BEACH

Clonea Beach Walk with Dúbh the Dog (Shot by Alex Mampieri https://500px.com/alexmampieri)

Our first stop was Clonea Beach to give the dog a run. Located about 5km outside Dungarvan. It is a blue flag beach and is safe for swimming for dogs & humans alike, weather permitting. It is even patrolled by a lifeguard in the summer months. Beside the car park there are a few picnic tables if you are so inclined. The long wide crescent-shaped strand is picturesque and makes an ideal spot for a brisk walk, run, kitesurf or lazy DIY picnic lunch.

The closed Clonee Strand hotel is now home to Syrian Refugees who have been relocated here. I would strongly encourage everyone who meets with the residents to make them feel as welcome as possible and extend every courtesy.

DOG FRIENDLY SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION

The Park hotel Dungarvan self catering

After our stroll along the strand, and the dog’s swim. We checked into The Park Hotel Self-Catering Holiday Homes hotel in Dungarvan. (We booked through Airbnb which proved to be much cheaper than booking direct). We had full access to the leisure facilities and it was a short walk to the main hotel bar and restaurant. The accomodation was spacious and the kitchen well equipped. The dog-friendly holiday home came complete with walled-in back garden for the dog to run around in.

THE ANCHOR BAR

Dungarvan Harbour Waterford at night (Shot by Alex Mampieri https://500px.com/alexmampieri)

We left doggy at home to relax and we headed into town for a pint. Dungarvan is home to craft brewery by the same name. We sat outside the Anchor Bar enjoying the harbour view and sampling the Copper Coast Red Ale and Greenway Pale Ales. Both were delicious and flavorful although the pale ale was my favourite.

INDIAN OCEAN

Dungarvan Pier Waterford (Shot by Alex Mampieri https://500px.com/alexmampieri)

For dinner, we opted for an Indian Restaurant that was recommended by one of the locals in the bar. It was located only a few steps away from the bar further up the harbour. The staff were attentive and the portions were gargantuan. Hungry after our beach walk we ordered way too much food. Our eyes were much bigger than our bellies. There is no need to order starters here. We ordered a selection of vegetarian and meat starters, sizzling platters of prawns and fish, rich chicken and lamb curries, naan breads and rice. Everything was very tasty although the prawns looked slightly overcooked.

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS DRIVE & SHEEP ON THE ROAD

Sheep at Comeragh Mountains, Waterford Ireland (Shot by Alex Mampieri https://500px.com/alexmampieri)

After lunch the next day we headed for the hills. The stunning vistas along the Comeragh Mountains swooped past us as we drove. The rustic browns and a multitude of green hues illuminated the curving peaks and valleys.

Of course, no Irish road trip would be complete without sheep on the road. Soon enough we came to a stop until the flock eventually decided off roading was a better option.

BALLYMACARBRY GROTTO

Ballymacarbry Grotto Waterford

We stopped by the Ballymacarbry Grotto to have a look. It was a lovely setting by a babbling brook with overhanging foliage, religious statues and ornaments. We explored the river, hopping across stepping stones and admiring the scene. If you believe in them this is a perfect spot for fairies!

MAHON FALLS

Family Walk Mahon Falls Waterford (Shot by Alex Mampieri https://500px.com/alexmampieri)

The highlight of the whole drive for me was the Mahon Falls. An 80-meter collection of waterfalls near Lemybrien, Co. Waterford. Even the short walk up towards the falls is spectacular. Like a scene from Lord of the Rings. There are multiple tiers to the waterfall with natural plunge pools big enough for a dip in warmer weather. The cliffs encompass the waterfalls on 3 sides and tower over majestically. I could have easily spent half a day here exploring all the rocks and levels of the waterfall and rambling around scrambling up rocks.

DINNER AT THE TANNERY

Sunset Dungarvan Harbour Waterford (Shot by Alex Mampieri https://500px.com/alexmampieri)

The Tannery is TV famous fine dining Restaurant, Guesthouse and Cooking school combined run by chef Paul Flynn. I chose the evening set menu at €35 which offered excellent value. I ordered the tasting plate for starters, followed by the braised lamb fettuccine, olives & dukkah and gingerbread crumble for dessert. Every dish was carefully created with great attention to detail and presented beautifully. Even though this is a fine dining restaurant the decor had a hint of humour and colourful artwork gave it a homely feel. The waiter was friendly and casual and offered excellent service. He made you feel right at home and eased you into the experience.

BLAA AT MERRY’S BAR & RESTAURANT

Merry’s Bar Dungarvan Waterford (Shot by Alex Mampieri https://500px.com/alexmampieri)

On our last afternoon, we ate at Merry’s Gastro Pub. We all sat by a table at the window and were served by really friendly staff. The bar has the original features with vintage mirrors, snugs and open fires. I had the Grilled Irish chicken, buffalo mozzarella, tomato in a blaa with pesto mayo. A blaa is fluffy white bread bun that is unique to Waterford. Apparently, it is even protected by the European Commission.

BUNMAHON BEACH

Dog Running on Bunmahon Beach Waterford (Shot by Alex Mampieri https://500px.com/alexmampieri)

We stopped off at Bunmahon beach on the way back. As we missed the turnoff for Clonea. A happy mishap as it turned out to be a stunning spot. Cliffs on one side of the strand and caves and rock pools on the other. On a steep walk across the headland, there is access to a “secret beach”. I just didn’t have time to explore it. We will just have to visit again

HAVE YOU VISITED WATERFORD OR IRELAND? What was your favourite place? Let me know in the comments below

The post Dog-Friendly Family Road trip to Dungarvan, Waterford first appeared on Words About Travel.

11 Best Things to do in Kilkenny on a short break

Kilkenny is often overlooked on the tourist trail. Many blast their way past. Some skip it entirely by heading straight to Connemara. However, there are tons of things to do in Kilkenny. I hadn’t visited in ages (as we are temporarily living in Amsterdam ). So we decided to reconnect with the city and play at being a tourist while catching up with my parents who live there.

The population of this medieval “city” has a population of just under 30,000. For its size, it punches well above its weight. It oozes culture, exudes atmosphere and is exceedingly quaint. It is difficult to visit without some festival or conference going on such as The Cat Laughs Comedy Festival, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Kilkenomics or Rhythm & Roots adding to the buzz. The bar and restaurant selection are excellent and quite varied. You will find lots of things to do and it is perfect for a short break while in Ireland.

1. Go for a walk on the grounds of Kilkenny Castle for free

Kilkenny Castle Round Tower

There is no entrance fee to walk around the grounds and it is well worth taking the time to stroll around the outside of this 12th century Castle. There is quite a bit to explore in the park and it is great for families as it has a playground. If it’s a bit cold or you need your caffeine kick there is often a stall by the castle selling teas & coffee’s to warm you up if needed.

Kilkenny castle mother and daughter selfie complete with finger!!

It you walk past the castle towards the River Nore you will see a doorway you can walk through in the wall that leads you to a lovely walk along the canal.

For more information about visiting and events at Kilkenny Castle check out kilkennycastle.ie

Kilkenny castle park grounds

2. Visit the Butler Gallery in Kilkenny Castle for free

Butler Gallery Kilkenny Castle

If you don’t really feel like paying out money to do a tour of the castle. You can enter for free by immediately turning to the right towards the cafe and visit the Butler Art Gallery exhibition. A contemporary multimedia exhibition called “I Smelled a Raw Recruit: The World War Films” by New York artists Mary Reid Kelley and Patrick Kelley was on display. It combined spoken word, animation, performance and painting in a stylistic manner that reminded me of a Betty Boop cartoon. I got talking to the exhibition assistant who was manning the desk outside.  As a performer he was really able to bring the exhibition to life for us in a very informative way.

Butler Gallery Kilkenny Castle I Smelled a Raw Recruit

3. Visit Butler House gardens & enjoy lunch

Butler House Gardens Pond

If you are visiting the castle yard at Kilkenny Design Centre you can continue walking through and there is an entrance to Butler House Gardens. The old stone blocks surrounding the pond come from Nelsons Pillar that used to stand on O’Connell Street in Dublin before it was damaged by explosives in 1966 by Irish republicans.

Butler House is open for afternoon tea and they also have a yummy lunch menu they serve from 12-4pm. Book in advance and ask for the window table! While there take a look around the reception and hallway area. The collection of artwork displayed on the walls is seriously impressive. There are pieces from notable Irish artists such as Louis Le Brocquy for example.

Lunch at Butler House Kilkenny in March 2018 with the parents

4. Visit the Exhibitions at Kilkenny Design

The National Design & Craft gallery is one of my favorite experiences in Kilkenny. I have yet to go to an exhibition in this space that I didn’t enjoy. The staff are always really friendly and informative. Feel free to ask them questions to learn more about the artwork and the artists. Behind the exhibition space it the old castle yard where the former stables are now design workshops with crafts such as silver and metal work, textile, ceramics and woodwork being produced. If you continue walking through you will reach the entrance way to the Butler House Gardens ( see above)

National Design and Craft gallery OBJ

5. Enjoy the Jazz on Sundays

Every Sunday afternoon in the Left Bank in Kilkenny there is an amazing life Jazz band “Hot 4 Jazz Quartet” . Often Jazz and swing dancers join in to add to the atmosphere. Marie Glynn on vocals is a heart-meltingly beautiful singer and the band are fantastic. You can tell they are a close-knit group and work well together to perforce Jazz and swing classics. From the likes of Duke Ellington and Count Basie

Sunday afternoon jazz in left bank kilkenny

6. Sample a pint of Guinness or craft beer in a Kilkenny Pub

Sullivans Brewery Kilkenny

There are many great Kilkenny pubs to choose from. However, here are a few of our favourites in no particular order:

• Hole in the Wall
• O’Riada’s
• Ryan’s
• Left Bank
• Nore bar
• Sullivans
• Dylan’s Whisky Bar
• Lenehans
• Bridies Bar & General Store

7. Go for a walk along the river

Kilkenny River Nore Walk

As you walk along the Nore river banks there there a wonderful view of the Castle in the distance. Which makes a great spot for some photo opportunities. For those looking for a slightly longer walk or run. There is a 5km Nore Linear Park Walk that you can also do.

8. Go and see a performance in the theatre

There are two Theatre’s in Kilkenny The Watergate and The Set. The latter is part of the Langton’s House hotel.  It is well worth checking what plays or what shows are on during your visit. For example The Watergate Theatre has staged both national and international performances from plays to all types of music, opera, comedy, dance and musicals.

9. Check out a Festival

There are all types of festivals that run throughout the year. Some I would particularly recommend are the

• Kikenny Roots festival (May)
• The Kilkenny Arts Festival (August)
• Cat Laughs Festival (June)

10. Enjoy a great meal in a top restaurant

These are some of my foodie favourites in Kilkenny

• Rinuccini’s – Italian Fine Dining
• Truffles – It won best casual dining in Leinster for 2018 – (worth checking out the early bird menu)
• Rive Gauche – For Lunch or Brunch with cocktails!
• Algarve Grill – For cheap eats

11. Visit the Medieval Mile Museum

Medieval Mile Museum Kilkenny

The museum is located in a 13th-century church and graveyard. The exhibits artfully displayed tell stories of the wealthy merchants of the city. On display are also ornate high crosses carved stone tombs side by side multimedia displays.

For more information about visiting go to  medievalmilemuseum.ie

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The post 11 best things to do in Kilkenny on a short break first appeared on Words About Travel.