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!
