1st Trip to Trinity College, Grafton Street and St. Stephen's Green

St. Stephen's Green

 The Very Famous Grafton Street

 (No, that's not Norah, that girl is 4.) (I kinda thought it was her) The picture is of the street performer dressed as a statue in the background. (not a great shot, I know, but I didn't want to get close enough to get a good picture because then I'd feel guilty and feel I needed to give him some change...) ha!

 He had actual pigeons on him the entire time. He was really phenomenal though (not like those silver-painted guys...)

Brown Thomas: A very fancy department store. To put this in perspective: Brown Thomas makes Nordstrom look like JCPenney. It even put Saks 5th Avenue to shame. The spectacle of it was incredible. I made the mistake of going in to look at sheets for our guest bedroom - oh...a single sheet is 250 EURO. Where's the exit? (I then proceeded to the proletariat mall down the road where I found Dunnes and bought a sheet SET for 25 EURO. Thaaatt's better)

 Ohhh-kayyy.... Marilyn Monroe, A fiddle, and Obama.

 We found a Tim Horton's! (Granted it's in a SPAR, which is like a 7-11 but still) For Seattle-ites who aren't familiar, Tim Horton's is like Starbuck's for Canada but times ten. Some people in St. Thomas (Wayne's home town) literally go 3 or 4 times a DAY. Wayne's friends and family have joked that there are rumors that Tim Horton's puts nicotine in their coffee to keep everyone addicted. Some say crack.  

 Doorway to Trinity. (Students are ACTUALLY walking through this door with their backpacks on, as if it's completely normal that they just "attend" Trinity College in Dublin. We can only hope it's not lost on them)

What you see as you come through the gate. This is Trinity's "quad". Very similar to the one at the University of Washington but European and therefore, better. 

 Looking back the other way from the gate. This large building is a branch of Bank of Ireland. An actual working branch.

 We had hoped to go in and see this but we arrived at 1:10 and the sign on the door said "Today we are closed from 1 - 4 pm. Sorry for the inconvenience". Another day.

 Me, looking like a Doofus. (yes, yes those are my boots for hiking in Russia. It's really cold here...)

 Norah helping Mom to make Colcannon (mashed potatoes and cabbage with lots of butter and salt/pepper) We might as well eat like the Irish right?

 THIS..this my friends, is Avoka. AVOKA! To give another Seattle comparison, Avoka makes Metropolitan Market look like a Chevron Snack Shop. It's all local organic produce, all breads and cakes are made on-site, there's a cafe, yogurt is handmade at a farm close-by and comes in individual tiny glass jars, employees where white chef's coats. There's an actual butcher in the back. It. Is. Magical. It's a 'foodie's' heaven.

My happy place. Of course, we cannot afford to shop here but we can pop in and buy a muffin every week.