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local milk is a journal devoted to home cookery, travel, family, and slow living—to being present & finding sustenance of every kind. It’s about nesting abroad & finding the exotic in the everyday. Most of all it’s about the perfection of imperfections and seeing the beauty of everyday, mundane life.

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A long time ago in a different life (or at least i A long time ago in a different life (or at least it feels that way) I was riding in a car at night with @whereissionnie to meet up with @ruthielindsey and @1924us for bonfires and general cabin shenanigans outside of Nashville. 

I remember the drive so well. It’s a conversation that always stuck with me. We talked about trauma and crisis. And I don’t know much, but I shared the only thing I know, a thing that has served me well through the natural undulations life is bound to bring.

And that is simply sometimes you have to cling to the mast. You aren’t doing anything but surviving but that’s the most important work of all. Because the storm WILL pass. And you‘ll be left standing.

And when it does you can mend the sails. Untangle the ropes. And get on with the business of sailing.

I’ve learned to give myself permission to do nothing but make it through. To sleep a little too late. To dance in front of the mirror and feel myself even when I look ridiculous. To load and unload the dishwasher and allow that to be a great victory. To dress like a cartoon character in nothing but white t-shirts and denim shorts.  To eat mac & cheese from a box and frozen chicken nuggets sometimes. To not respond to text messages. To flail and get back up over and over. To ask for help. A lot.

And also permission to feel it all. Rage. Grief. Joy. Hope and hopelessness. And sometimes all within the span of a few minutes. 

And most of all, whether navigating calm waters or stormy ones, what matters more than anything is the crew you’re doing it with. Surround yourself with solid people.

People that challenge you with compassion. And humor. People whose strengths buttress your weakness. People that don’t judge you. That believe in you even when you think they’re maniacs for doing so.

I know a disproportionate amount of us have had rough seas this year. Cling to the mast in the storm. Choose your crew wisely. No storm ever lasted forever. But there never was a last storm in the world. Accept that they will come and be prepared.

Wander Guide | Ireland Part 1 | Dublin

Wander Guides

06.09.2013

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Both at home abroad and abroad at home, I nest wherever I go, and I wander when I’m at home. It’s all such an adventure, eggs and soldiers and country roads. Without fail, I decide I’m going to move to every place I travel. Ireland was no exception, and I harbor not so secret fantasies of him pursuing his masters in psychology at Trinity while I attend Ballymaloe Cookery School, of weekends getting lost in a labyrinth of stone walls built for stone walls sake, for the sake of too many stones. The way I see it, one day I won’t wake up from one of my dreams. Some are bound to come true. I throw lots of pennies in the well. Maybe Ireland will come true.

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I know for two verdant weeks of the devil beating his wife in May it was. When it rains and shines at the same time that’s what we say, what southerner’s say, that “the devil’s beating his wife”. At least that’s what I heard this one time somewhere, once. I don’t remember really. All I know is that whenever it rains and shines I think “the devil’s beating his wife”. I thought that a lot in Ireland. The weather’s everything they say it is, a year of season’s in a day. It makes the land feel fierce & ruled by hormonal deities, hot and cold and young. Sauvage! the French say. It’s a land of ley lines & neoliths, sea cliffs & faerie rings. But also endless cups of tea, smoked fish, raw cheese, and elderflower cordial. And rainbows and rainbows and double rainbows. Our first day in Dublin the sun shone all day.

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We flew into Dublin though we really had our eye on the west. I hear Shannon has a very nice airport, much overlooked. The locals went on about it, what a shame that it isn’t used, that no one knows. We’ll look into it next time as should anyone aiming for the west of Ireland. But I’m glad we spent a little time in Dublin, not sorry about that at all though it was really only one jet lagged day. Off the plane we hopped a bus to the Cliff Townhouse (opting to pick up our car the next morning to avoid the apparent terror of driving as a foreigner in Dublin), a pretty little B&B with an even prettier restaurant. Lots of oysters, so white. We didn’t have dinner there but rather breakfast. We ate so much breakfast in Ireland that I could recount our trip in breakfasts alone.

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After dropping our heavy bags (and I could have sworn I packed light) we wandered Stephen’s Green and Dawson Street, took coffees with some of the most beautiful latté art (that’s what we call it right?) I’ve seen (the trash talk I’d heard about Irish coffee proved to be unfounded) and ogled the pastries at Walter Mitty’s before heading to Trinity to behold the library & ancient Book of Kells. You do feel something chilly & old and think strange things about the human mind when you look at it. We humans do such things. We couldn’t not see it. He especially couldn’t not, being forever in the company of books. One of the deepest expressions of affection he ever bestowed on me was telling me that if it were me or his books, he’d burn the books.  So you see, we really couldn’t not. He was, as they say, in heaven. I wished I could give him the whole damn thing. “Happy Birthday, love…here’s the old Trinity College library!” I like to think he could live there, grow a long gray beard, and haunt it like a dead poet. But he’s very much an alive poet & he can’t bear to go more than a day or two at most without shaving. But I still like the idea of Patrick the Beared Poet Ghost of the Long Hall. He’d be in good company, as I’m pretty sure there are already some formidable poet ghosts in that hall.

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For our first proper meal in Ireland, we went to a little bookstore come restaurant called (after the Yeats poem) The Winding Stair for what proved to be an excellent introduction to the food of Ireland. Which is remarkable. Really truly cannot speak highly enough of the food. Tuscany, Provence, the Basque country. Food destinations, right? Ireland, in our experience at least (we did have the benefit of some excellent advice from Imen of the blog Farmette), was right up there with them all. I wasn’t able to eat enough. Local food, that things I’m always on about, is thriving there, it seemed. Salmon from the burren, cheeses from Cork, mollosks from Kilcolgan. As one of our hosts at the breathtaking Ballyvolane House (which I’ll tell you all about in the next installment) put it “everyone in Ireland is at most only once removed from the farm”.

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So I digress. The Winding Stair, a gezellig little gem right on the liffy. We had smoked fish paté with a panko fried soft boiled egg & black pudding fritters, crispy chicken with plums & hake piled high with pickled shrimp and rocket. Afterwards we had more lacy, intricate coffees, chocolate mousse with pistachio & cream, and little biscuits. Patrick’s enjoyment of food pales in comparison to my own. Sometimes I joke that we’re Jack Spratt & his wife of Mother Goose fame. But he was just as enthusiastic about The Winding Stair as I was, which is saying something given his natural indifference to food (opposites attract & all that).

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The next morning we picked up our tiny blue car as I repeated in my head “left, left, left” & quickly overcame my mortal terror at driving on the opposite side of the road and we headed southwest to our next destination, Ballyvolane House. The weather was manic that day & the hills rolled like so many lawns & nonchalant castles crumbled alongside the freeway. We were already in awe, even as I struggled to not list the tiny blue car into the hedges… next installment all about Ballyvolane & Ballymaloe! But before that will be a little bit of Honeysuckle Syrup & a bit about all this MasterChef business!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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tags: Dublin, Ireland, Library, Long Hall, The Winding Stair, Trinity College, Walter MItty

53 thoughts on “Wander Guide | Ireland Part 1 | Dublin”

  1. Ariyele Ressler says:
    June 9, 2013 at 5:00 pm

    “being forever in the company of books” describes my (southern) partner to a t. several of these haunts were places he visited on his trip to dublin. thank you for sharing. so beautiful.

    Reply
  2. Anonymous says:
    June 9, 2013 at 5:05 pm

    So wonderful. I love your work.

    Reply
    1. Linda says:
      June 13, 2013 at 2:27 am

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Reply
  3. Fuchs says:
    June 9, 2013 at 5:07 pm

    You have captured dublin so beautifully. I hope you’ve enjoyed our little country 🙂

    Reply
  4. Rebecca says:
    June 9, 2013 at 5:12 pm

    absolutely stunning photos!

    Rebecca @ tr[i]b[e]cca

    Reply
  5. Rachel says:
    June 9, 2013 at 6:02 pm

    Beautiful photographs and words, now I want to go to Ireland even more!

    Reply
  6. Shanna Mallon says:
    June 9, 2013 at 6:30 pm

    Stop it right now with these photos. TOO GOOD. I feel like I’m flipping through Kinfolk or staring at a picture book.

    Reply
  7. thecitygourmand says:
    June 9, 2013 at 6:41 pm

    Wow, you’ve captured the atmosphere magnificently. Totally wishing I was there now haha

    Reply
  8. Meg @ Beard and Bonnet says:
    June 9, 2013 at 6:50 pm

    These pictures and this post are stunning! So glad that you were able to visit there and share a piece of your trip with us.

    Reply
  9. Kelly says:
    June 9, 2013 at 8:51 pm

    I’m so happy to have stumbled upon your blog! Especially when you’re visiting Ireland! I worked at Trinity College in Dublin two summer’s ago and instantly fell in love with the city and entire country. Your photos are beautiful! If your still in Ireland and happen to be in Cork you must visit the English Market- it’s incredible.

    Reply
  10. Sarah says:
    June 9, 2013 at 9:10 pm

    I’ve read this post several times now…the story and the photos together are like a wonderfully romantic/adventurous movie that I didn’t want to end. You make Ireland sound so magical, I can’t help but want to go there next.

    I am beyond thrilled that I found your blog…I love every post. 🙂

    Sarah

    Reply
  11. sarah says:
    June 9, 2013 at 9:29 pm

    This makes me so happy. I lived in Dublin in 1998 for 6 months, and adore it still. It’s in my blood and in my soul. Back then, people didn’t see the Dublin I did–the one of tremendous potential, of hidden gems and bakeries with buns and brioche full of rich irish butter. But it thrills me to see people traveling there, indulging, writing about and in your case, beautifully capturing the magic of that city. Every photo is just stunning.

    Reply
  12. vanilla bean blog says:
    June 9, 2013 at 10:07 pm

    So beautiful! I’m trying terribly hard not to be jealous of all your exciting adventures right now. But I am also terribly happy for you. 🙂 Can’t wait to see your next installment. xo

    Reply
  13. Liren says:
    June 10, 2013 at 1:19 am

    You have convinced me to pack my bags this very second for a long stay in Dublin. Perhaps if I leave tonight, I’ll make it by breakfast. Sigh, how I wish!

    Reply
  14. Lana {lanalou style} says:
    June 10, 2013 at 5:08 am

    Wow, this makes me want to jump on a plane to Ireland asap!! Such amazing photos. Just to let you know that I featured your blog on my blog today!

    Reply
  15. anne says:
    June 10, 2013 at 5:09 am

    I ♥ the way you shoot !

    Reply
  16. Imen says:
    June 10, 2013 at 8:16 am

    Lovely post Beth. Ireland is tremendous in many winding ways…..food being most providential. Thanks for the mention as well, happy to oblige. x

    Reply
    1. Beth Kirby | {local milk} says:
      June 10, 2013 at 2:47 pm

      I forgot to include a linky in that mention!! But I fixed it : ) Thanks again for all your help, and I fully expect to see you here in TN!

      Reply
  17. thelittleloaf says:
    June 10, 2013 at 8:28 am

    I’m exactly the same, every time I go on holiday I want to live in the place I visit. You’ve captured Ireland so beautiful – incredibly gorgeous photos!

    Reply
  18. kittyfondue says:
    June 10, 2013 at 8:33 am

    Really beautiful pictures!

    Reply
  19. OneNiceFashionBlogger says:
    June 10, 2013 at 9:38 am

    It’s a perfect blog you have!

    Reply
  20. Jana @ 333 Days of Hand Lettering says:
    June 10, 2013 at 9:50 am

    Pinning to my travel board right now!!
    Jana

    Reply
  21. Megan says:
    June 10, 2013 at 10:22 am

    Sort of can’t even get over the beauty in these images. Your photos truly tell a story, can’t wait to see the rest of your trip.
    And now I would also like to move to Ireland. !

    Reply
  22. Sarah Dee says:
    June 10, 2013 at 10:24 am

    I’m so happy this is the first part. I can’t wait to read the rest.
    The way you describe your man sounds like the embodiment of mine. Forever in the company of books.

    x dotti dee

    Reply
  23. Rona Roberts says:
    June 10, 2013 at 10:58 am

    Your post makes me want, for the first time ever, to visit Ireland.

    Reply
  24. Todd @ HonestlyYUM says:
    June 10, 2013 at 12:51 pm

    Stunning…I was just there last autumn and you’re making me miss it soooo bad. Making a cup of tea right now!!

    Reply
  25. Sanda says:
    June 10, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    So beautiful, I want to go there immediately!!

    Reply
  26. rockrosewine says:
    June 10, 2013 at 6:41 pm

    Amazing photos. So so lovely.

    Reply
  27. london bakes says:
    June 11, 2013 at 9:33 am

    Magical.

    Reply
  28. Maëlia says:
    June 11, 2013 at 9:59 am

    Gorgeous photos. Stunning.

    Reply
  29. Alison Dulaney says:
    June 11, 2013 at 1:19 pm

    Stunning photos!

    Reply
  30. Ciara says:
    June 12, 2013 at 11:35 am

    So lovely to see Ireland through your eyes! It reminds me of the wealth of treasures that we have here at our finger tips…I will definitely have to appreciate it more! Looking forward to seeing part two!

    Reply
  31. CB says:
    June 12, 2013 at 3:14 pm

    I sigh (happily) over your blog! If you’re interested there’s a poetry competition sponsored by Ballymaloe – find out details through the Moth Magazine’s website themothmagazine.com
    It might be a nice reminder of your trip to Ireland for your poetic other half?

    Reply
  32. Cait says:
    June 12, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    Gorgeous photos as always. And I’m right there with you – I fall in love with the intricacies of every single place I visit and undoubtedly want to move there within the first few moments of exploring.

    Reply
  33. Shawna says:
    June 12, 2013 at 10:08 pm

    Lovely images!!! My husband and I have Ireland on our wish list. Can’t wait to visit someday. And speaking of the phrase “the devil’s beating his wife”, you might like these maps! 🙂 http://www.businessinsider.com/22-maps-that-show-the-deepest-linguistic-conflicts-in-america-2013-6?op=1

    Reply
  34. Ms Lemon of Make Mine Lemon says:
    June 13, 2013 at 8:28 am

    Thanks for the virtual tour. I smiled as I saw the photo of all the books, never far away. So he would really burn his books for you? What a sweetheart. I was loving the food until you got to the fritters, not sure I am that brave. You are very adventurous – left, left, left. 🙂

    Reply
  35. Vickie says:
    June 13, 2013 at 8:42 am

    totally gorgeous

    Reply
  36. Valentina Duracinsky says:
    June 17, 2013 at 10:49 am

    How lovely…

    Valentina
    Valentina Duracinsky Blog

    Reply
  37. Pink Patisserie says:
    June 17, 2013 at 12:36 pm

    So lovely, peaceful.. Such beauty and beautiful words. Can’t wait for your next installment.

    Reply
  38. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says:
    June 17, 2013 at 5:28 pm

    If Dublin was a city I wanted to visit, now that craving has gone through the roof with your pics!

    Reply
  39. Anonymous says:
    June 20, 2013 at 8:02 am

    Get thee to 3FE, Vice, Pekhoe and Clement, Roasted Brown for some great coffee in Dublin….

    Reply
  40. em says:
    June 21, 2013 at 5:26 am

    beautiful! You have a way with words, I am salivating!

    Reply
  41. AML says:
    June 21, 2013 at 5:49 am

    Beautiful photographs, and a lovely place to visit.

    Reply
  42. Milita says:
    June 21, 2013 at 6:37 am

    Beautifull photos, it´d be posible to share some of them??? Thanks, kissses from Spain 🙂

    Reply
  43. Love Love ♥ says:
    June 23, 2013 at 7:44 am

    GADD your photos are wonderful! <3

    Reply
  44. Trisha @ Vignette says:
    June 26, 2013 at 2:28 pm

    Breakfast and books in the countryside. Sounds enchanting!

    Reply
  45. k@te says:
    July 2, 2013 at 1:39 pm

    ravie de decouvrir ton univers….grace a ma page pinterest!
    petit post sur mon blog..
    bises a tres vite
    k@te

    Reply
  46. jyoti kumari says:
    July 5, 2013 at 4:15 am

    Thanks for sharing the post! Really such a nice and decent information shared here with awesome stuff…
    I also provide this service.please visit my site. Suits Ireland Generally I don’t learn post on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me to take a look at and do it! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thank you, very great article.

    Reply
  47. John says:
    September 27, 2013 at 4:44 pm

    I loved to read books with a cup of coffee & your photos are very nice.
    niagara falls

    Reply
  48. Aisling says:
    January 9, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    I’ve just stumbled upon your two Ireland posts, and I am loving them to bits. I was born in Ireland, but grew up in Canada. I’ve always felt home when there though. The intimate detail you describe makes me feel right at home; the scenery, the food, the sayings. All my family being there has given me a sense of belonging, but there is just something about Ireland that makes me feel at home- it’s where I’ve come from. I’ve visited many times since 5 years of age, and I am going this April for a month to explore places I’ve never been. I can hardly wait. I’ve jotted down a couple notes from your blog, but do you have any other cafes, restaurants or places you recommend to go?

    Reply
  49. Pingback: A Bolt of Blue | Cool blog – Local Milk
  50. figbat oswald says:
    May 21, 2015 at 11:47 pm

    greetings from tasmania…….google figbat oswald and see if you can work it out.

    Reply
  51. figbat oswald says:
    May 22, 2015 at 12:05 am

    greetings from tasmania………google figbat oswald and see if you can work it out.

    Reply

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