Monday Morning @ Upper Leeson Street

Bank Holiday! Yaaaaaaaaayy!

Ha' Penny We're Here!

Dearest Dad,

I take your suggestion of a Kilkenny on Grafton Street and raise you one...

A Kilkenny at the Ha' Penny Bridge Inn!

The beer in the Guiness glass is in fact a Kilkenny... a tasty beer to say the least! Great pub! As you can see above the punters were more than happy to participate in the photoshoot!

I'VE BEEN ROBBED!!!!!!!!!

EXHIBIT A

This peice of evidence is not even worth sending to trace people! To my absolute suprise only moments ago, I casually went to the fridge to get myself a DC to drink (to be sure the magnitude of what I am about to tell you really rings home - that's a Diet Coke: the one-of-a-kind, copyrighted, patented, trade marked, produced and manufactured by Coca-Cola Company beverage).

Well! Wasn't I shocked and quite frankly, disgusted, to discover on taking my first sip in a blissfully unaware fashion that the drink in question was not DC at all!!!! Exhibit A was in actual fact a premium diet cola produced by another company entirely.

*Great Taste-Real Attitude Really? How about 'Average Taste-Total Scam'

This is an outrage - it is absolutely unnecessary to take advantage of grocery shoppers who don't in fact enjoy grocery shopping and so in turn grab products in haste to make the whole experience just go away faster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*The comments on this blog do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Kate Hedley. The flavour was actually okay and I will drink the 5 remaining cans without ill feeling.

Saturday Morning @ Upper Leeson St

Nick's doing his economic assignment while I read the paper and take straight-to-blog photos.
When Nick finishes his assigment (booooorrrrring! only joking i am very supportive of his studies... had to put that in) we are going to go and have lunch at the Elephant & Castle on the main street of Temple Bar, which funnily enough is called Temple Bar. So, techincally we are going to Temple Bar, Temple Bar. Just like New York, New York but with a lot more Irish people and fewer Americans. As you can see I am reeeaalllly strechting for anything of real substance oh wait!

HOT IN THE CITY just came on the radio!!!!!!!!!!! Will now post photos of Nick doing the Hot in the City shovelling dance I am about to take!!! Hot in the city... hot in the city toooooniiii-iiiight... hot the city toni-i-ght... tonight tonight...

friday night news!

I don't have pics of our Friday night which is a bit annoying but there are two stand-out features:

1. Nick and I touched Bono's front gate (shamlessly tourist? oh of course!)

And much more importantly:

2. We had our first social incounter - a bbq!!!!! Very cool/funny people - and there was an aussie girl there!!! It was in a town called Bray which is next to Dorky (not sure of spelling) which is sooooo beautiful: The Edge, Enya (she's irish you know... little fact for the day and she lives in a castle), Bono (as I mentioned) and Eddie Irvine the formula one dude all live there so it is very nice.

Anyway it is about half an hour out of Dublin city. Was so good to socialise properly again!!!!!!!!! One tires of one-on-one interacition relatively quickly (no offense nick ;-).

A BBQ OF ALL THINGS PEOPLE - IN IRELAND - AND IT WAS A DAMN GOOD BARBY TOO!!!

Sorry about the lack of piccies will do some serious snappng this long weekend (thank the heavens for this gift that is the long weekend).

Announcing THE launch of the RE-LAUNCH of the band!!

When in doubt... Go O!

Now i am not sure if all are aware of the fact to come, but, Nick and I do not at present have readily accessible television viewing (we have a tv of course - but that's just to make it look and feel more homely. I am not sure if it a sign from the anti-tv christ or whether it is just a run of bad luck - but those who have experienced tv nick and kate style at Ravenswood will know that we are not necessarily the first port of call when something interesting may be on tv... that you actually want to SEE. Yes audio has never been a problem, it's just the damn picture! Well it is a similar story here - sound a-o-k. Picture, pathetic.

This brings me to the point at hand: It's not television I am missing, it's the sista of all sistas, Oprah that I am pining for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where is all my wholesome advice, insights into the seasons hottest products, shocking makeovers and charity-giving madness????!!!!! I need a bit of Ope time people!!!!!!!

So as you can see from the image above - if you can't join them *become them.

*Startlingly realistic image trickery courtesy of Joseph Pole.

Eeeeeeeeeh Guiseppe!

Karls, Son and Becstar: Finally, Guiseppe is publicly acknowledged - in Central Park, NY of all places. Well, I would say Guiseppe deserves no less!

Ps. T???? How's the stocktake at Spotlight? Everything better be adding up on that balance sheet toiieeee!

Say Hello to Kate's Latest Purchase

Direct from Brown Thomas (very good department store - stocks ALL the goodies I can't possibly afford). In fact, on the department store note - Dublin goes from absolutely fabulous to utterly atrocious in the depo stakes - there is just no inbetween people! In fact it rather suits the Hedley girls personality - full stop or go.

Now, keep in mind the suedo terracotta and white-goods backdrop doesn't nearly afford these precious darlings the shining they deserve... As I have not yet had the chance to wear them in an appropriate social setting (they were purchased Sunday afternoon and am much too short too wear flats to work) I will be sure to post pics that highlight their wonderful leather and equally wonderful shape in a more flattering environment... perhaps the cobblestone-lined streets of temple bar on a sunny dublin saturday. Or if we want to get a little more realistic, some dingy bar where drunk sweaty people are likely to stomp all over them. Absolute rubbish. I would be sure to never let that happen!

Saurday-days and surprise shots!

Blast from the family past!

Friday Afternoon at the Leeson Lounge

FOOTBALL'S FOR GIRLS

This girl in particular

As I am sure Nick has said on his blog we are backing Arsenal in the English Premier league and I think we could be back winners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you can see I have traslated my support to the lappy. Now when I am in cafe's working and looking intellectual, I will also look a bit tougher and more sports-minded. The perfect combination don't you think?

DISASTER REPORT

The Vegemite Report

Table of Contents:

1. Summary

2. Subject Analysis

3. Recommendations

4. Saving Grace

5. Personal Feelings

5. Conclusion


Report Summary:

Vegemite travel tube that crossed hemispheres with us is almost gone. Now at point of cutting end of tube of and scrapping mite out - A similar method is often practiced with a toothpaste tube when one is too lazy to simply go to the shop and purchase more.

Subject Analysis:

1. Noticed tube was getting lighter and mite was consistently squeezing out of tube at a slower rate.
1.1 As days went on transfer effort of mite to toast became increasingly trenuous.
1.2 Idle comments about the tube running low have become more frequent with voices also becoming more strained when comments vocalised.

Recommendations:

After close subject inspection testing and the use of basic common sense, it is recommended that more Vegemite is needed.

Saving Grace:

1. Brenz is sending package with primary purpose being I forgot my pin number and subsequently have to have new card sent across the world - yes one day I just meandered up to the ATM as usual and there was nothing there - the pin had gone FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am always so good with my timing - THERE IS POSSIBLY NO WORSE TIME TO RANDOMLY FORGET VITAL INFORMATION LIKE THIS. Regardless, I have soldiered on and will never ever forget pin again. Ever.

1.2 Point of 1. is that vegemite will be in package - if Brenze lives up to her promises.

1.3 In reference to 1. and 1.2 however, one must never be complacent and think that the next vegemite supply will last for ever. IT JUST SIMPLY WON'T! And here marks the never ending pursuit of vegemite in a country where people nor want, care or know about it. Perhaps there should be a recommendation in the report to open Vegemite stockist in Dubsy. That's a whole other report.

Personal Feelings:

1. A little anxious
1.2 Excited about prospect of new vegemite supply

Conclusion:

Bread is useless as a product without vegemite

Lazy Blog Day!

Hello to all my *faithful blog followers...

*faithful blog followers continue to stay faithful through the thick and thin... or a lazy blog entry.

I am at the moment unable to blog as I have work to do!!!!! For all information and updates from the past couple of road tripping days (including places visited and special attractions and features, please refer to Nick's blog). On his blog you will read that we clocked up about 800 k's - not bad considering I was chief navigator - or perhaps that why we did clock up so many k's. Hmmmm...

It is well known in the blog world that a tremendously interesting and insightful blog ALWAYS emerges in the wake of a lazy blog. With that in mind, stay tuned.

K xoxo

A Few Random Accounts for Pondering... Or not!

1. l have mine wrapped in plastic please:

As I am sure a few have read, on mine and Nick's country road tripping experience, we went to

a town called Wicklow... I subsequently also had a rather forgettable experience with a toasted sandwich that was, as you can see by the image above, wrapped in plastic and cooked within a near inch of it's sandwich life. For anyone in the Wicklow area, I strongly suggest you steer clear of this fancy al acarte.

2. Tmbo: Some Irish Mooooooooooooooos

3. The ever allusive, perfect (afore-blog mentioned) Diet Coke at Moma, NY. Plus, Nick and I when we heard the C and DC was running low...

4. Let's Get Ghetto... Dublin's answer to the Bronx

Special Announcement

Due to a very humerous comment, it has been republished as a blog entry (ie. copied and pasted) as it is clearly worthy of it's own posting space.

Tutty Comments:

In the spirit of the Logies I would like to announce the upcoming Blogies - a celebration of excellence in Blogging.

I am pleased to announce the following Nominations:

Best Blog - Kate, Nicko, Jane

Best Blog (comedy & musical) - Kate, Jane, Nicko

Best Foreign Blog - Nicko, Kate

Best Short Blog - Jane, Kate

Best Animated Blog -Jane, Nick kate

Best Doco Blog - Kate, Jane, Nicko

Best Supporting Comment (Male)- Tim Hedley, DanO, JP,

Best Supporting Comment (Female) - Mummo, Jane, Brenz,

Best One-off Comment - Tim Hedley, gayle, Karen, Jorge Brown, Dan the Man

Best Anonymous Comment - Anonymous

Local Talent Blog - Jane

Best Pic - Jane, Kate, Nicko

Good luck to those who are nominated. I can imagine the butterflys have already started in the tum tum. But no matter what happens its important to remember that you're all already winners.

See you on the red carpert on Sunday peeps. Wilko will be starting interviews at 4pm.

Images of La Abode...

Note the delightful name-embroidered Australian sprung beer coolers given lovingly by Nicko and Lozz. Also note the Fosters - and Patrick - clealry this was a totally staged photoshoot... except we actually do use the coolers just not usually with Fosters in them... although it is pretty much the cheapest pint here so maybe be will be drinking more of it in the coming months!!!

Just finished first day of work!

Hello to all... As the posting title alludes, I have just finished my first day of work! I am temping (full-time hours) as the Corporate Communications Assistant at Bord Bia (The Irish Food Board). My recruitment company clearly had a flukey call the afternoon of the same day of my interview and as a result very unexpectedly started work the next day (ie. today!).
So although a temp position, I am working in the Media department, reporting to the Corporate Communications Manager. Total staff numbers however are around 80 - 90 so I am enjoying the luxuries of a nice interior building with many processes and other things that have not been available at past work places! You can have a look at http://www.bordbia.ie/ to get a proper idea of the company. Great people, all ages, great place to start, even if for a couple of weeks! It is also a 10 minute walk from our place so thank you again Ballsbridge (our suburb), for your excellent city-central location.

Nick and I are renting a car for the easter weekend and will be hooning (parental translation: driving sensibly) around the southern island exploring and what not over the public holiday period. We now also have internet -thank god! - the world wide communication channel is officially constantly available at 10 Upper Leeson Street!!!!!

Once again love to all, K xoxo

ps. thank you to all regular (& for that matter one-off) blog commentators, there's nothing like a blog comment to feel connected! :-)

Hair Crisis Overted!

New hair - but for 150 Euro they certainly won't be getting my business again! Note to self: always check prices before committ to the chair. Second note to self: try and get a hairdresser that speaks more than broken English so as to have the ability to talk about wants and needs in the hair grooming process - hairdresser was very Polish. All good though emerged from salon with hair in tact!

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Some job interviews lined up for this week - must earn some bloody Euros soon! Aussie dollar exchange is just not working for me or my wallet. That damn blody Aussie dollar.

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Am embarking on a mini detox starting today - too much red wine makes for a very shabby next day interview and willl do all in my power to NEVER have to encounter that whilst on job hunt. No one likes to hire a wino. Not even in bloody Dublin I am sure!

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Jane I want to publicly announce that YOUR BLOG ROCKS! It's so good to see all the pics of everyone :-) Does make me miss everyone though lots and lots!

Okay going to go pick some stuff up for the apartment now. Updates coming soon as always...

Kate xoxoxo

Our new pad!

(Sorry about the bluryness of the pic - and the spelling of bluryness if that is totally incorrect... haven't worked for a while see... the brain goes a wee tad funny after the first week or so of unemployment)

The blue door is ours! That is our entrance door anyway. One landlord owns the whole building and our apartment is at the front on level 1 (not ground by the way Mum, if you are concerned about our safety - perfectly safe!). We are 10 minutes walk from St Stephens Green (the central landmark of the city, a gorgeous amazing park with little canals and all that nice parky stuff... Stephens Green leads straight onto Graffton Street - the shopping mecca; cafes, bars, restaurants... It is absolutely beautiful and packed with soooo much stuff... cobble-stone streets are so damn pretty!

We moved in yesterday and are finishing unpacking and the set-up today. I am getting my hair done a a hairdresser across the street tomorrow morning - can i just say I AM SOOOOOOOO EXCITED TO GET MY HAIR DONE FINALLY! Travelling to date has left absolutely no chance for hair up-keep and I freely and readily admit that it has turned into somewhat of a shambles - A HAIR EMERGENCY NOW PEOPLE - IT IS A HAIR EMERGENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any way can't wait to take lots of pics of the apartment and neighbourhood to show everyone. For big bad Brenz... please don't be concerned about the size of the apartment it is great! Love to all and more updates soon. We are organsing our internet for the apartment on Monday so blogging will be easy as pie. xoxo

BIG NEWS! Well, actually, it's probably more acurate to call it 'big-small' news:

Today we signed the lease on our new apartment! Grand! (Frequently said by Irish people when, obviously, something good has happened) It's in the best area/suburb of Dublin (Ballsbridge, Dublin 4) - but of course to be in the prime locale we, if indeed ever wanted, could literally not swing a cat in this little pearler!!!!!!! No bother (frequently said by the Irish folk for 'no worries') We like it though and as said, the location is the best you can get here - for any family member making the trek here: I REPEAT IT IS SMALL. DO NOT BE SHOCKED/ALARMED BY IT'S MODEST SIZE!

Side note:

Joe Walshe (who we are currently staying with) associates/is with friends with the following people. At the risk of name dropping:

1. Bono (I ate toast while reading the irish times at Joe's brekky table in the very seat Bono sat many times for a lazy chat - or possibly something more important and possibly coversed in more intelligent subject matter)
2. Andrew Lloyd Webber
3. Bill Clinton (GET OUT OF TOWN!)

And there's more but as I said, nobody likes to name drop. crazy!

will upload pics of apartment soon.

k xx

Dubs to Date...

Hello peeps! Hope all is well. Irleand so far is great - although we have been spending most of our time looking for an apartment. Going to see a few today. Looks like Dublin South (of the Liffey) is the place to be so thats where we are headed!!

We are staying in a gorgeous house in a town about 30 minutes north of Dublin at the moment. It's called Balbriggen and it is pretty cool (in a quirky small Irish town way ;-) House faces onto the Irish Ocean - there is also a beach nearby. It's no Noosa and I don't think anyone has EVER swam in it without being oiled up to the nines with a wetsuit on.

We have lowered one or two pint since being in Dubs County of course... so far I am yet to find a light beer on tap. Something tells me I won't.

Also on the lookout for jobs - we're going to hook up with some recruitment agencies and do the normal job hunting things.

Weather here not nearly as depressing and grey as legend would have it. Yesterday it was sunshine all the way and a very pleasant 11 degrees thank you very much.

Also found a place that helps you open bank accounts easily so should have the ol' Bank of Ireland key card running by the end of today.

Some NY pics to start you off...

Some NY pics to start you off...








Some NY pics to start you off...