As sad I am that our time in Dublin has nearly run out, I’m beyond grateful for the memories and friendships I’ve created here. For my blog post this week I wanted to reminisce on a few of my favorite moments since the second I walked into apartment thirteen on June 1st.
Night One: My new roommates and I were all sitting around the table eating our first homecooked meal as an apartment. Everyone was laughing, choking down their near inedible meals, and preparing for our first night on the town. When I finally went to my room to get ready, I noticed my face hurt. I hadn’t stopped smiling since I walked into apartment thirteen earlier that day. As cheesy as it might sound, it’s the truth.
Our lovely dinners from that evening
Weekend One: At the end of our first week, the girls and I decided to treat ourselves to a nice meal. Nicole found a great spot with a beautiful rooftop bar called Ryleigh’s; we booked reserations for 7PM. Even though we’d eaten dinner together every single night that week, this meal felt different. We got to sit back, relax and hangout with one another while eating delicious food. The next morning we left for the Mets vs. Phillies game in London. There, we bonded further as we experienced some of the funniest, most absurd moment of the entire trip.
Memories from Ryleigh’s (pictured in top row) and our trip to London (bottom row)
The West Coast: From the crimson shade of the sheets at SleepZone to the blues of the water at the edge of the Cliffs of Moher, we saw it all that weekend. Galway took years off of my life but I would go back in a heartbeat. During the day, we hiked and explored and saw some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever laid eyes on. I could’ve done with a little less time on the bus but that’s beside the point. I wrote an entire blog dedicated to the weekend we spent there so this may be overkill but oh well.
Amazing biking skills from dynamic duo Bella and Braden!!
The Art of Coffee: This one might seem random but I don’t think I’ve mentioned it yet in any of my blogs. This restaurant is my all time favorite establishment in all of Dublin and I go nearly every single day for lunch. Not only is it right next to my work but they have the most amazing chicken curry I have ever tasted. At this point, they know my order when I walk in. It doesn’t hurt that the restaurant itself is beautiful, too.
Patio and indoor seating areas at The Art of Coffee
June 29th: This was the first day I walked into the kitchen and saw Nicole sipping milk from a wine glass. I was, and still am, utterly horrified by her addiction. There’s not much else I have to say about that honestly I just think it’s absurd that she finishes a gallon of milk in a matter of days.
Nicole sipping
Cat’s Birthday: Much like our trip to Ryleigh’s earlier in June, Cat’s birthday gave us a perfect opportunity to get dressed up and justify spending absurd amount of money. The entire night was so much fun. We had dinner at a small Italian restaurant Cat picked out earlier in the day and then quickly headed out in pursuit of live music after we finished eating. Luckily, we found some and they even sang Happy Birthday to Cat! Dean Kepner and Ariana’s mom met up with us shortly after that and we continued our evening in the city.
Views from before Cat’s birthday dinner and after!
July 6th: I’m not sure what exactly made it so great but I have looked back on photos and videos from this day ever since it ended. Early on Saturday morning John and Cat came into my room to wake me up for our 9 AM tour of the Guinness Storehouse with their guests: Cat’s teammate, Corbin, and John’s mom, Joanne, and her best friend, Kara. Going through the storehouse a second time was great because I was able to stop and read all the plaques and check our more exhibits. After Guinness, we all made our way to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: Clare vs. Kilkenny. The game was so much fun and we all really got into it. Then, we were off to Foley’s to meet up with everyone else. I had so much fun hanging out with Lily this night; we were doing tricks outside and running between Foley’s and Spar for water and snacks.
Guinness, the Championship, and Foley’s
There is not a second that goes by here that I don’t cherish and these memories are just some of the ones I’ll hold close to my heart forever. Dublin has given me so much more than I could have ever asked for or expected.