Roast Chicken

Well I survived the hen….Despite my best efforts I ended up wearing a veil, and pink fluffy handcuffs but all in all it was a discreet enough even.t We had a fabulous meal in Fallon and Byrnes (anyone visiting Ireland, put it on the list!) and then hit Dakota and Renards. Then best part of the night was boogieing away in Renards with my cousin who was absolutely brilliant, and my best friend who pulled out all the stops to make it a good evening. Low lights included trying to herd the bewildered and unwilling into Renards in the first place, but every night out tends to include a mad woman who is surprised to find that city centre pubs are busy and that (shock, horror) she may have to stand.

So that’s it, stag and hen over with, and now we have three weeks from today. Mr BB and myself have reached the idiotic grinning stages now. The Bridesmaids had their first fitting last week and it was emotional – cameras were produced and general unashamed girliness ensued. I don’t get women who cry over their place settings but I can admit to big mushy emotions when I see the girls (aged 7-42) arrayed in their finery and grinning back at me.

Final dress fitting for me on Tuesday 25th and bridesmaids on the 26th – but prior to that we have a few good things to look forward to -

Sunday 16th (this is Saint Patrick’s Weekend here in Ireland and the 17th is Paddy’s Day, our national holiday) we are going to the RitzCarlton in Powerscourt Estate one of the loveliest spots in Ireland. All of County Wicklow is considered “The Garden of Ireland” and Powerscourt is the Show Garden of Wicklow. The house is being lovingly restored and should be visited, if only for the restored Ballroom (I was caught waltzing around it on my last visit) and the gardens are legendary. Part of our trip to the Ritz is the Gordon Ramsey Dining Experience and as we’re both huge GR fans we’re going to really enjoy this. Mr BB has booked in for a Swedish massage in the Ritz Spa and I plan on spending a ridiculous amount of time pampering myself. This is our “remind ourselves what the wedding is all about ie US” weekend!

And on Wednesday 19th I’m meeting my best friend and a great old school friend of ours for a pre-wedding chat in our school-friend’s restaurant Jaipur (another for the must visit list, the Jaipur restaurants are incredible, modern Indian cuisine and a firm favourite with Irish people, especially Dubliners) and then Wednesday 26th – Tom Crean, Antartic Explorer (Adrian Dooley) at the Olympia. I first saw this in the Andrew LaneTheatre. It wasn’t so much a one man show as a séance – Adrian Dooley channels Tom Crean, he literally interprets the man on stage in front of the audience. Andrew’s Lane is a tiny space in comparison to the Olympia, so I got tickets early and closer to the stage than I normally would, to compensate. Mr BB has never seen it and as he is madly interested in Antartic and Artic exploration I thought it would be perfect for him. Really looking forward to seeing it again.

So that’s the update stroke schedule of upcoming events! Hope everyone is having as good a March as I am, and just think, three weeks left and ye need never hear another word out of me about weddings!

Chicken about the Hen

I am chicken, a big fat chicken, about the hen and the hen is tonight. Now it’s not a hen as you know it, dear reader, there will be nary a nylon veil or a L sign in sight and the most exciting thing about it all is the outfit I picked up for half nothing in the sales. We’re going to dinner in the wonderful Fallon and Byrne’s on Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 and then hopefully onto (via a few pubs) to Renards, or similar ancient haunts (part of me wants to hit the Gaiety for old time’s sake but really don’t think it’s a good idea.)

 But whenever people have to be in one place at one time, problems arise. My sister has opted out of any organisation for the Hen, and insists that far from ringing ahead we should just take pot luck; she thinks it’s all a bit ridiculous (her own hen was planned with the kind of military precision that would make Poland nervous.) Two cousins and an old schoolfriend have opted out. Another friend is narked because I’m not having it two days before the wedding, when she’s be home from Australia. I’m stuck in work, my Best Friend and Mother are the only sane people as far as I can see and  I feel faintly embarrassed that my Future Sisters in law will be looking at about four people who consider themselves friends.

I hate in equal measure events that are organized around me, and having to organize them. Am I the only bride in the world who is organizing her own hen? Best Friend would have done so, but she has a hellish month in work and two dotey little girls to look after and she’s done her best. Mother is 76 and only coming for the meal. Sister, aka chief bridesmaid, couldn’t be arsed and I am a sad, sad person to be worrying about silly stuff like this. But I really wish Mr BB could be at my hen, instead of cooking dinner for the men in the family in our house.

So apart from feeling wibbly about the hen, our church musician emailed to say she didn’t really read our list properly and has not got the sheet music for the Handel Allegro Maestro from the Water Music and can I send it to her. I managed to reply without saying eff off and do something for the money we’re paying you as up til now she’s seemed lovely and today may be an aberration. But really, for the money I’d have thought she would have found the damn thing for us. And I did make it oh so clear, underlined, drew attention to and put in bold “Allegro Maestro”!

Well my wedding dress fits, the Bridesmaids will be done on Wednesday, the suits are ordered and most things are under control. Organizing the wedding is not as bad as organising a blooming hen lol.

The Kindness of Strangers…

Near where I work in the city centre of Dublin is a wonderful hat shop called Mad Hatter’s, on Lower Stephen Street. The girl who designs the hats (and owns it I think) is lovely as are every one of the ladies in there, I have been in and out to all of them at one time or another. They have just the most incredible range of hats and fascinators and with the wedding coming up I had to bring the aged mother in for a hat! She was in hog heaven and nothing could match the kindness and attention that was shown to her. I’m the first to complain about bad service but equally exceptionally good service deserves a rave, so here it is. I officially rave about the Mad Hatters, Milliners on Lwr Stephen Street, Dublin. When people show true kindness and attention and patience with an elderly lady and show genuine excitement and interest in a wedding and in other people, they deserve to do extremely well in business. It’s a dying courtesy!