Today started out with the best of intentions. I ran a 5k (keeping it metric), worked out and did some yoga. Put on my usual whiskey drinking hooligan outfit and set out to wander around the city. What is a whiskey drinking hooligan outfit? I shop at surf and skate stores, I’m really too old to dress like this, but I don’t care and looking responsible is hard work. God bless you ladies that put together those OOTD’s.

My first trip to Ireland was filled with potatoes. I was a hardcore tourist and went to any restaurant that claimed to serve Irish food. DON’T DO THAT!! Let me help you out. Dylan McGrath is a brilliant food god and he has a few restaurants here in the city. So for lunch I went to Rustic Stone. Look at this brilliance!!

It is sexy and amazing and delicious. Who knew beets didn’t have to taste like dirt? And at this point in the day I’m giving my liver a break, that’s passion fruit, ginger, mint and soda water. Straight up nectar of the gods. I leave my amazing lunch and take the long route back to the hotel. I have my earbuds in listening to Adagio in D minor when, what’s that? Is it raining? No, I’ve been accosted by an angry Irish pigeon with sniper precision all over my cream hoodie. But it’s not just on my hoodie, it somehow misses my hair completely (and I have a lot) and gets inside my hoodie. Frantically I take off the soiled apparel and proceed to the hotel. I walk into my room and immediately a fire alarm goes off. I grab my passport and electronics and take the stairs down to the ground floor, I’m second from the top. Woohoo! I made it out of our possibly burning building and after a few minutes of standing there I pull out my laptop and continue to work on my girlfriends math homework. Yes, I’m that exciting, Adagio in D minor and doing my girlfriends college stats work. I’m honestly surprised no one offered me money thinking I was a struggling college student. Turns out it was a false alarm and we are all told it’s safe to go back inside. Time for the third shower of the day.

All of this is made better by touring Teeling Distillery. The whiskey history of Dublin is an incredible journey and one you are rooting for the entire time you are listening. By the end of the tour you feel like picking up the coat of arms and proudly carrying it forward vowing that whiskey will never be taken from Dublin again. Even if you don’t like whiskey I suggest you tour the distillery’s. I’m not a big fan of Teeling (sorry), but I do love the story and the history.

For dinner I wanted sushi 🍣, Irish sushi makes sense right? I passed a place right next to Rustic Stone that looked like it deserved a chance so I returned for dinner and sat at the bar. I don’t know what I did to this bartender in a past life but it must have been bad. I ordered my sushi and omg the pretty colors! What sorcery is this?!

At this point I don’t care that the bartender hates me. The sushi is simple, but delicious and when you have good ingredients you don’t need to overcomplicate a dish. What’s next? I see Jameson and tarts in my future. Wish me luck!