A band I discovered in Ireland – The Last Shadow Puppets – awesome! Check them out. An interesting collection of rock and I-don’t-know-what. But I can’t stop listening to them. And the album cover! Jeez. I bought the darn thing just because I thought that picture was cool. Good thing the music was, too.
There’s a saying about Ireland to the effect that everyone leaves it, but it never leaves them. A few days after my sojourn onto the green isle, I’m having withdrawal. It would be trite to call Ireland a “magical” place; haunting might be more accurate. Colleagues have asked me what I loved most about it. [...]
Where are all the posts from the past? Why did this thing go down for a day and a half?
Well, the sad version of the story is that my blogging software melted down. I have a stable solution, but it may take a few days to get everything back online. Thanks for your patience.
The hot conditions and shifting winds spurred the Sierra Madre fire Sunday morning. By noon, we could see the flames cresting the west side of the hills. Helicopters pass over the house at an increasing rate, dropping retardant on the blaze then circling back into the pattern. Evacuations were ordered for homes to the west [...]
I made it safely back to Los Angeles from Dublin yesterday. I returned home to a giant plume of smoke. The Sierra Madre wildfire is raging in the hills just behind our house, less than a mile away. About 200 homes have been evacuated. Helicopters and water planes began hitting the fire hard again at [...]
It is nearly 6pm and I have found a seat at a long marble bar in the center of Bailey, a fashionable watering hole just off Grafton Street in Dublin. All the middle management Dubliners journey in, usually in pairs and trios. They place their orders with the bar and engage in good craick, [...]
I sit in a beautiful, open atrium overlooking a garden with tall trees lined with ivy. Inside, the walls are bedecked in mint green draperies and subtle colors that accentuate the view. Perrott’s restaurant, inside the Hayfield Manor Hotel, is a dreamy and delicious way to end a long day.
Sitting across from me is [...]
The view from my hotel window
I slept soundly Sunday night. All the time spent traveling and working my way up to a Dublin arrival took a toll and I crashed hard. But I’ve learned my lesson from past international travels, and kept myself up to the normal hour when I go to bed. Without [...]
After 16 hours of flight time, including a four hour layover in Frankfurt, I have finally arrived. Dublin has met me with a cold, wet, gray embrace, and I love every minute of it. What a city!
Getting here was a mostly uneventful experience, although I surprised myself at my own excitement level. I travel [...]
Today’s the day. I’m off to Ireland to start my novel and explore my heritage. As much as I travel, I’m actually surprised at how excited I am about this trip. Stay tune for postings.
Monthly Archives: April 2008