Ireland 2016

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

How's the weather? Whatcha eatin'?

[Drunk Monk]

I remembered part of my rant at breakfast. Why the heck does American food suck so much? I've now had two meals (unless you count the airplane food, which was good especially for airline food) and the food has been lovely. Great tip on the brown bread, btw. So hearty & satisfying, especially with Irish butter. The dairy is sweet and rich. Must be all the green green grass and the fatty cows insulated for the cold. The cheese is exceeding my expectations and I generally eat Irish cheese at home. Last night's salmon plate was to die for - and the serving was inexpensive and plentiful. First time I can remember having to struggle to finish a plate of salmon - usually I'm in want of more.

And of course, there's the Guinness. My life blood at so many festivals. I have a rep at fests for Guinness breakfasts. Here, that's not weird at all. While some cities are fueled by gasoline, grease, caffeine or cocaine, here it's Guinness and that's exactly what my personal engine runs most efficiently on. If it wasn't so damn wet and cold, I could see living here based on the eats and drink.

[Greg]

So, what did you do today? See anything interesting? Did you meet anybody? You can tell us. We're your friends.

Food has been getting better in Ireland, not so much 30 years ago, unless you liked everything boiled to mush. I hope you get the potatoes overload experience at some meal, that is always a treat.

Damn, I want to be there.

[Drunk Monk]

That was epic. The sheer scale of this production is mind boggling. 

Madeline remembered me. Daniel did too, of course (see his comment on my Instagram yesterday). Ally faintly seemed to recognize me. Emily, not at all.   We should have chatted up Orla at the premiere, Greg. She is Irish and quite charming. 

I did learn lots of show spoilers but nothing so burning that they would be hard to keep secret. 

The imdb guy took point on the interviews as he's from London and said his flight was shorter than his usual commute. The other two were from the US and we were all lagging. But still, it was an awesome experience.

[Greg]

Did you take to the sets or to locations? I'm curious where they were filming in Ireland besides the aforementioned Giant's Causeway, not mentioned by you but I saw some production reports on line.

How many of the cast remembered me, besides none of them.

Jet lag is your friend. Did you clock the imdb guy for being a braggart?

Next stop Guinness Storehouse?

[Drunk Monk]

dang what is it with Ireland? Pissed again. AMC bought us a lovely dinner and then plied us with drinks long into the night. We closed the restaurant, then the hotel bar, then the hotel lobby. I drank a lot of whiskey - teelings (?) and Jameson. Easily over a half dozen glasses as the comicbook.com reporter was brilliant and a whisky enabler. Chatted tv & film with him, IMDb,collider, den of geek, comic book.com, moviepilot, wrap & AMC reps and was seriously outgunned in terms of the latest stuff and trivia. But I could chime in with the occasional oblique Asian factoid to stay in the conversation. 

We went to sets - fight set & drama set. Drama set is this huge resort that was never completed because they ran out of money so AMC got it for a cool $7m. Huge. Stores all the departments - wardrobe, set design, etc. Guinness prolly Sunday was we are staying at an airbnb that's right across the street from it. The imdb guy was great. Really interesting stories. All the reporters had great tales. That's what we do. Not just movies and tv - some did insane work like war correspondents, political whistleblowers, global business - like I said, I was way outgunned.

My family is somewhere flying over the USA now. I'm going to crash hard, hope al this Irish whisky doesn't cost me a hangover, and then hike in full pack to our hotel tomorrow afternoon across Dublin to our cheaper hotel. 

Don't know when I'll have wifi again or the chance to post. until that time...

[Drunk Monk]

I had breakfast with the reporters headed out today for more nerd oneupmanship (I thought I had the win with Shin Gojira but then one gal rolled up her sleeve to reveal a tasteful Godzilla tat - she went to ucsc too). Bought a cheap umbrella for my 2km hike across Dublin and instantly wished I bought a sturdier model. Not raining too hard but might be gusty. Now I have a few hours to kill before checkout.

[Drunk Monk]

Weak wifi. It costs to upgrade. But I'm right across from christschurch so who cares? The hike was an adventure. Strayed way off the path.

[Greg]

You're in the Jury's near Christ Church? I know that hotel. You are much closer to St. Patrick's, Guiness Storehouse, Kilmainham and the Fish and Chip's place.

[Drunk Monk]

We r here 4 2 nites. S&T arrived minutes after my crosstown hike. Both had a wash & s went rite 2 sleep. T&I walked temple bar 4 hot choco & grilled cheese toasties, then grafton 2 window shop. Now in lobby so t can do homework & s can nap more.

We'll b across the street from Guinness at the airbnb over the weekend so we will do that then. Passed st pats otw. Will prolly check that out tomorrow w/Christchurch & castle. 

WHERE IS THAT FISH & CHIPS PLACE AGAIN? Maybe my dindin.

---

Never mind. Found Leo Burdocks on my iPhone. Right around the corner! I'm on it. Many thanks!!!

Ain't tech great?

[Greg]

Great bookstore just across the Liffey on O'Connell street called Eason's. It is pretty close to the General Post Office which was one of the iconic spots for the 1916 uprising. Lot's of things to see on O'Connell st.

Look for Swift's tomb in St. Pat's. Beware the hordes of French School kids. If you are looking for depressing plaques there is one hidden on the wall right across the street from Burdock's, I think.

[Drunk Monk]

Best fish & chips I've ever had in my whole life. Nothing I've had before even compares. Not even close. 

Thanks again for that tip, Greg. U da irishMAN!

[Greg]

After that I'm out. 

Unless you want to go for some Italian Food near Stephen's Green, go to a place  called Dunne and Creszenci on Frederick St. Had a great lunch there.

There is also a good place for Thai food called Saba near the Gaitey Theater. Another one is the Drury Building (The name of the restaurant is "Drury Building") in the same area.

After that it's the hot food rack at the Centra.

[Drunk Monk]

Pissed but not in the Irish way, in the U.S. way. Pissed because we can't escape Trump. There's talk in the cafes, protest bills in the streets, even our Dublin castle tour guide made mention. Pissed because all these years I've been thinking I've been enjoying fish & chips in the U.S. butter it's like thinking Taco Bell is like Mexican food. Pissed because U.S. but is closer to crisco than real butter.

Turns out I was no where near adjusted to Irish time. I listened to the Christ church bells toll from 10pm to 2am last night. Got up to write note in the bathroom so my family could remain in the dark. I got maybe 5 articles for Into the Badlands - just got to work through 2-3 hours of interview recordings.

We slept in until noon and with our 4 hours of daylight toured Christ church, st Patrick's, and Dublin castle. Very interesting. Also had some lovely Irish tea and scones, plus Guinness and toasties at ,Fallon pub, allegedly one of the oldest and most superior Guinness pours (twas fyne indeed).

Last night, heard some Irish pub musician's take on Paul Simon, who plays here this week:
"Nygh-na-nygh
Nygh-na-nyghnygh, Nygh-na-nygh
Nygh-na-nygh"

Lots of music shops and bookstores. Weather has been chilly with a few sprinkles.

[Greg]

Mmmm, Kerrygold! Now available at Trader Joe's.

If you want, I can direct you to some really terrible places so you can recenter yourself.

Have fun storming the castle. (Never actually toured Dublin Castle, only walked the grounds. I hope they took you to the Garden behind the castle with the cool geometric pathways)