Day two of Trails of Ireland saw me waking up in my own bed for the first time! I have to say it is really strange looking at my city from a totally different point of view, but it is a great experience and one I enjoyed nevertheless!
I hopped on the Luas and got myself a beautiful breakfast in Lemon Jelly, at the Millennium Walkway. Lemon Jelly is known for its beautiful crepes, tasty drinks and succulent brunch and this time was no exception! It is always great to see a place such as this so busy at any time, but at midday on a Sunday, it was packed and the atmosphere was fantastic!
I must say that the staff were absolutely fantastic while I was there as they all had smiles on their faces and put smiles on everyone else’s! I had the breakfast crepe which was incredibly tasty and went with the chai latte (being a non-coffee drinker) and I have to say that this was possibly the best one I have ever had. Ever.
A quick walk over to Dublin Castle as my next stop was the Worldwide Instameet with a host of Dublin’s Instagrammers! I’m passionate about photography and Instagram is one of my favourite social networks, so put two and two together and what do you have? Well a great time is what! I spent time meeting a lot of people I’d only met online and taking lots of pictures!
The grounds of Dublin Castle turned out to be the perfect place for this as the gardens are so extensive and beautiful with ample room for thousands of people (there were only thirty of us!) If you are in Dublin, check out the Chester Beatty Library beside the garden as it is a lovely place for quiet contemplation.
Next stop on the trail was the Rock and Roll tour that takes place in the Button Factory and in Apollo Studios in Temple Bar. I’ve been to the Button Factory a number of times and it is a great or even gritty venue with a hardcore edge to it. The tour begins at the doors but then takes you underneath the venue, where the walls are lined with album plaques and amazing memorabilia (including Michael Jackson’s pyjamas!)
The tour brings you into the greed room and even gives you a chance to act out your own fantasies as you perform in your very own band and take to the famed Button Factory stage!
You are then brought through an impressive collection of U2 memorabilia and finally across the street to Apollo studios where you can check out Phil Lynott’s old school card and even record your own music video!
Staying in Temple Bar, I paid a visit to vintage store, Tola Vintage just past Crow Street. One of the things I love about Dublin is how many young people here have the courage to take the plunge in setting up their own businesses especially when they are untested models for success! For couple Ayuba and Aoife, it was a no brainer!
Tola is a very cool space in the heart of Temple Bar; as you shop here, you are surrounded by effortlessly cool people casually doing their shopping. They specialise in vintage clothing and also rework old clothes into new styles and trends.
While I was here, there was someone down in the basement doing just that and I thought that was a lovely touch. I spent some time chatting to Ayuba and Aoife and don’t be surprised if you see a Tola Vintage near you in the future!
Dinner time was spent in arguably my favourite place at the moment, the fantastic Bread & Bones in Millennium Walkway! Self-described as Dublin’s answer to bao, banh-mi and bone broths, Bread & Bones offers something that no one else in Dublin does, really good food and fast! I recommend the tantanmen soup with a few drops of chilli sauce!
What actually endeared me to Bread & Bones is their grounding in the creative field. Owner manager, Jack is actually obsessed with street artists as am I and all around the restaurant is pieces of art from some of my favourite artists! There’s a wall highlighting artist of the week which is a great touch if you ask me (and if you’re not, I’m telling you).
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That brings this edition of Trails of Ireland to a close! See you guys soon!
~ Timi
