Walk 5: The Best of Dublin

The Irish Times Magazine ran a "best of Dublin" series this weekend.

The opening article, "On Capturing the Spirit of Dublin" by Daniel Grey is a nice introduction to the week's Magazine.

Here are my favorite lines from the article* (bold, mine):

"When did we get so discerning? Gourmet coffee has colonised the city. Bars that are cheeky enough to stock anything other than craft beers are being abandoned. Out-of-town avant-garde arts’ spaces have enough money to pay their rent. It’s all starting to look very European.
A recent trip to Copenhagen reiterated the effortlessness with which Scandos adopt and discard trends. The Dublin spin on cosmopolitanism is a Bambi-footed canter, the lope of a teenager just starting to grow into its new body.

The old foundation, though, is rock solid. That polychromatic blur Dublin turns into as you cycle through it; the spirit that seeps out of its Georgian brickwork and those phantom smells that linger on certain streets are the imprints of the millions of people who have called it home."

The Magazine offers a two-page spread: "Dublin mapped out: a perfect Saturday" which I will include as one of my "Nine Walks of Dublin" followed by a one page spread "... and the best way to spend your Sunday."

I will highlight my favorites of the two days; places we've seen and places we plan to see.

Start with a good "cuppa" at Alto Vetro tower's Art of Coffee on Grand Canal Quay. Then head to the Science Gallery on Pearse Street (or in the really far corner of Trinity College). They've got a great current (but small) exhibit on chance and risk. Head over to St. Stephen's Green to check out The Little Museum of Dublin. Note that we are coming up the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's visit and the Museum promises great tidbits on the event.** Stop by Hatch & Son's for a snack afterwards. End up at Against the Grain on Wexford Street.*** 

Here's the article's quote about Against the Grain: "Pack it up: You've got to work tomorrow. Okay, okay. One more pint. Do a lucky dip from Wexford Street's Against the grain selection. Then to bed with you."

Note our new favorite reference: the "lucky dip."

At some point on the Sunday list they recommend a bagel place. 

We haven't tried it and I will just to do a bit of research for my ex ante review: Avoid it if you are from anywhere on the East Coast in the U.S. or, really, anywhere in the U.S. Yes. I am a bagel snob. Dublin's just got other stuff to offer. Enjoy it while you are here. Get bagels at home. If home is here, learn to make them correctly (Irish friends, email me and I'll send you a good recipe).

*I'd love to be a travel writer and just came across my absolute favorite travel writing piece.  It was in the New York Times by Christopher Solomon titled "A Case for Getting Far, Far Away." I certainly am biased toward that sort of travel... The sort that is off the beaten path. But also his writing grabs me. A mix of Franzen and Wallace plus a touch of Bill Bryson to make you smile: "The air was wintry but the day was bright, and I rode with the windows down, not minding the cold and dust as Gõtterdämmerung clouds swept shadows across endless sage. A herd of antelope raced us, the old VW and me, through the grass — “their mouths open,” as Gretel Ehrlich wrote in “The Solace of Open Spaces,” “as if drinking in the space.” Then the road suddenly ended at a sea in the desert — Flaming Gorge Reservoir — where buttes floated like steamships, and those operatic clouds pushed offstage toward Wyoming. The desert light slanted down, the wind plucked at the water. Standing there — alone, not to be found for days if the car had broken down — I don’t think I’d ever been happier" 

**Here is a Youtube video of his speech at his ancestor's home in New Ross and Wexford.

***At some point I will post a "best of microbrews" for your perusal. Ireland has much more than Guinness to offer as of late.