blog neglect

I have been neglecting my blog lately as I'm getting really busy with my summer project. It is a group project and I have the best group ever! We're doing an online interactive magazine. So a magazine that lets you watch video, look at pictures and other cool interaction elements. Will totally post when I'm finished.

Our subject matter is purely a creative magazine. So subject matter will consist of photography, interior design, art, graphic design, video, animation, etc. etc. I'm currently working on a story about the New York wedding photographer Angelica Glass at the moment.

Richy met Angelica after knocking her down (Richy and his crazy dance moves...lol) in a NYC night club and they remained friends ever since!

Angelica was over shooting a wedding in Scotland earlier this summer and she came over to Dublin for a few days to catch up! She brought her friend Joel who is a cinematographer in California. We had a blast showing them around and watching them in their creative element! Check out their blogs to see their work! Truly amazing!

http://angelicaglass.bigfolioblog.com/

http://joelserratofilms.bigfolioblog.com/

and wow...I just checked Joel's blog and there are pics of Richy and I on there! They turned out great! Very impressed! We had fun getting our photos taken...we took Angelica and Joel to see some cliffs outside of Dublin and before we knew it they were snapping away at us...probably cause there was nothing else to see since a big fog had come in! Enjoy!

When it is time to go home!

we started our day with a picnic breakfast in the park! I miss the food!
love the trees! kinda like an Italian staple, I had to see the trees, much like people visiting Ireland have to see the sheep! :)


Well usually there comes a point in a trip when you actually won't be terribly sad to leave...maybe it is your homesick, maybe it is certain events.... On our last day in Rome we had a few experiences that made it officially okay to head back to Dublin. Don't get me wrong....we had a great day, but there were a few signs. Like having a seagull fly at us with a pigeon in it's mouth, getting lost in the ghetto by the train station, wandering for nearly 2 hours looking for the best resturant ever...

On our last day we headed out to the country side to see the catacombs, or where loads of dead people were buried and some still are...after spending some time under ground we headed back into the city. Oh and also that day we went into a place where the decor was the bones of 4000 dead monks. I'm talking the creepiest thing I've ever seen. Think chandeliers over your head made of femurs........and full on skeletons everywhere you look. I'm scared Richy Mc Cusker! haha!

I would 100% recommend a trip to Rome for anyone! We actually found the prices to be quite reasonable, was a bit spoiled though cause a flight from Dublin was only 2 hours, so I got the experience without the jet lag!

Rome Wedding!

Pictures from the main event in Rome! Joan, Richy's long time friend got hitched in one of my new favorite cities ever! You may remember that Cristin and I attended the Hen Party this spring! Joan looked stunning and those Jimmy Choo shoes sure didn't do any wrong! :) Thanks Joan and Ronan for a fabulous day!

Irish weddings are usually a whole day affair as I've learned from previous ones and Richy got it in his head this one in Rome started at 5pm. After receiving a text from Joan (Richy did a reading) to see if he printed off his prayer, Richy responded, "yep have it Joan see you at 5" After the text Richy left me in the room while he went to find a place to buy a phone charger.

He left his phone and a few seconds after he was gone, a text came back on his phone from Joan. For some reason I just thought I should have a look and the text said, "wedding is at 4 not 5"

Anyway to make a long story short I was able to get Richy before he went wandering the streets of Rome for a charger and we did make it to the wedding, but I have to say never knew I had it in me to get ready for a wedding in 20 minutes! ha!

end of Rome Day Three!

So I left off on day three! here are some more pics if you can stand anymore! :)

On to a wine bar after dinner! The area is called Trastevere. (the girl who sold me my boots told us that is where she would go) Go there if you are in Rome, the next time we go we will stay there too! It was just such a cool area and a liter of wine cost us 9 euros!!!! We loved the area so much we took a cab back the next night!  

the best of our trip! we finally found the area where the locals live.  was so cool to see Italians singing along with Italians.  This place was packed and people were still coming in when we were for dinner at 9:30 and 10pm.  The reason we knew we were out of the tourist spots which are at their peak at 7pm!
a bird and i
cool pic taken by Richy in yet another bar he had on the agenda!
I love kitty's, but for some reason decided not to pet these little ones....
The ruins with all the cats.....
a cool 1950's bar in Rome we loved!

Food, Architecture, History, Wine.. Rome I love you!

Well on Monday Richy and I got back from a fantastic trip to Rome!  We had a good four days there and got to see and do so much!  We went for Joan and Ronan's wedding and had a great time at the wedding as well!  Sadly I forgot to take my American to European adapter so my camera battery was dead for the wedding (will hopefully snag a few pics off some of the wedding guests)  We did find an adapter between the wedding and the reception so all was not lost! :) That was an interesting experience by the way.  Picture Irish guy and American girl arguing with three Italian men about what was the right adapter! haha a funny experience! 

Here are a few of my favorite pics from the trip!

I actually have worn myself out uploading pics so I'll add more tomorrow...day three got cut off! :)

Day Three
Easily entertained
Sort of embarrassed about this picture...busted for eating like my 10th gelato! Such focus!

I love love love the food in Italy! I could never live there or I'd take up like 3 plane seats!
My little Italian treat to myself! :)
When in Rome....buy Italian leather boots!!! 
shopping is clearly on my mind by day 3
A hotel Richy wanted to check out...not your typical hotel.  It was like you had to ring a bell and then you were let in by a butler.  We had no shame and asked to look around. Made our way to the roof top bar! Very cool...I'm learning through Richy that it pays to be BOLD

Day Two

A pic of a pic of us and the bride and groom at the wedding!  Another post from the wedding will follow!
At the Vatican in front of St. Peter's basilica...Truly amazing..The Mother of all Cathedrals in my opinion.
A view from the top!
So worth the line and the euros to climb to the top of the dome! My knees were a little wobbly though!
Proof that my mom is right and that I do need to stand up straight! :) note shoulders and knees must be covered in the Vatican!
from a distance I thought this dude was playing the Guitar! LOL

Day One
outside our tourist trap restaurant!  Very good though, but I felt like I was in the USA as everyone was from there! Day three we found where the locals hang out and eat!

Gelato in front of the Colosseum 
over 2000 men killed here....be like going to bud walton to see men fight lions...not so much!
The "Wedding Cake" Building.  Behind me the tomb of the unknown solider and men with machine guns guarding it.  Not a fan very intimidating those guns....
another tourist trap..the gear is a "roman soldiers" who then wanted 10 euros for the pictures.  we chucked 3 at him and walked on our way with him following us for a while.  not cool!  Day one we were overcome with excitement that we forgot ourselves and fell into major tourist traps. 8 Euro Gelato, Roman Solider pictures, being drawn into a restaurant cause we were complimented by the door man.  Finally we got our "cop on" (heads back) and avoided spending unnecessary money!  Living in Dublin has certainly given us a radar for these sorts of things! :)

Mandy and Eric

Also this weekend back home in Arkansas my good friend Mandy got married to long time boyfriend Eric!  I was so sad I couldn't make the wedding but I hear a few dance moves were done in my honor.  Here is a pic of Mandy and Eric and another of our close group of college girl friends with Mandy before the wedding!  I miss you all! After a honeymoon this couple will be moving to California!  Couldn't be more excited for them both and hopefully a trip to the west coast will be in the works for us soon! 

Sunny and HOT Ireland! :)

Gotta love my weird looking knees...?  Get those legs some sun!

Well the sun has finally arrived!  I couldn't be happier!  We had a hot weekend and I loved it! Friday Richy and I showed our new friends from New York and Santa Barbra around (next post)! Saturday while Richy was at work Naomi, Lucy, and I had a picnic at Lucy's!  We're talking lovely cheeses, meats, breads, dips, fruit, and wine!  Out on a blanket in her yard, we manage to eat and chat for an entire afternoon!  Then Sunday Richy and I copied our picnic from the day before at St. Stephens green and the Phoenix park! I should mention I did get dragged home in between for a football match! ha! Today is so nice and I'd love to go out, but I'm actually sunburned, so I'll wait til the sun goes down a bit! LOVE THE WEATHER!  

I hate to say this, but I honestly believe I am a happier girl when the weather is nice and the sun is shinning!  There is just something about being outside! :)