Edinburgh

Yes, we had heard wonderful things about Edinburgh--but to experience it first hand was amazing. Edinburgh Castle, Old Calton Burial Ground, The Royal Mile Tavern, and Deacon Brodies Tavern were some of the highlights. The cab drivers in Europe are awesome, regardless of the city. And, I love the electric tea kettles in the hotel rooms.

Belfast

Belfast was so rich with recent history. Our time there was too short. The people were friendly and open in sharing their history and ongoing struggles. Thank you Belfast for sourcing local, farm-fresh ingredients! The food was delicious. We indulged in fish-n-chips, salmon, lamb, potato pancakes, fry-ups, pulled pork, bread pudding, best butter, and more. Thoroughly enjoyed our bike tour, black cab tour, St. George's Market, and 21 Social.

Dublin

Our first trip to Dublin, Ireland, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We hit all of the must-see sites such as Trinity College, Dublin Castle, Saint Stephen's Green, Guinness Storehouse, and Old Jameson Distillery. The food was delicious--especially all of the grass-fed, organic, and locally sourced MEAT. The free-range eggs were amazing too. Below are some sample shots from Bull and Castle, Harvest Market, and Yogism.


















For full reviews of some of our visits in Dublin, go to TripAdvisor. 

Happy Mother's Day!

We went on the Georgetown Garden Tour with mom. There are some amazing homes with incredible outdoor spaces. Wow. Who knew that there were so many pools in the neighborhood? There were hot tubs disguised as fountains, classic and modern sculptures, and multi-level landscapes. One garden had a wall clock from a church tower in Provence dating around 1800. Half way through the tour, we stopped for lunch at Ri Ra Irish Pub. We enjoyed the chopped chicken salad, Ri Ra salad with smoked salmon, and two orders of Pub Benedict. Can't wait to go to Ireland on Monday (and Mom at the end of June!). We are so blessed to have mom live close. I'm reminded of how precious it is to create memories together. Love you mom!

Favorite sculpture and pond

Back with the Cousins

Julia reconnected with her beloved cousins last night as we celebrated Ethan's 13th birthday! Yay! She also spent precious time with Meme before the festivities (maneuvering rush hour traffic). Lisa and Tony made the most delicious pork chops. Julia especially enjoyed the mashed potatoes and mango salsa combination with her salad. It was nice to catch up with everyone and to honor Ethan as he begins his 13th year.

Moving Out--Back in DC for the Summer

YAY--tribe reunited! Saturday morning we had to manuver around the Columbus half-marathon; there were a lot of runners and live music on Lane Avenue. I wish I would have ran the race; it is always a great way to see the city. It took almost two hours to pack up the car. Julia had done a lot of packing before we arrived. Unfortunately, the car was only so big. Steven was looking up flights for Julia and me. However, after donating a lot and tossing some, we were able to squeeze into the car. (Big thanks and apologies to Stephanie and her parents, who took home the lamps and bed spread!) We made good time coming home. It is so nice to have her back in the hood.