Dublin: Saturday, part 2

[lagilman]

Pictionary was boys vs girls, the topic was "Hugo Nominated Novels" (or, as one player remarked, "Charlie Stross and friends,") and we both embarrassed and exalted ourselves in the name of good, mostly-clean fun. Rather than try and describe it, I will (appropriately enough) give you some photos:




Final score had our team up by one, but since the guys had been up by one at the end of regulation play, we called honors even.

Dinner with Ted and Catie and Juliet and Various Other Folk whose names I was too tired to write down in my Little Blue Book (a failing I had all weekend, so please step forward and prompt me!) was Indian food and quite good, even if the portion sizes were insane. Dublin serves up food like the midwest (or my grandmother).

During the wide-ranging discussions I mentioned that I don't like Guinness. Apparently, I must try the Irish Guinness. So on our return to the hotel (bar) I am presented with a half pint of same.

Yep, different. Thinner (in a good way, not that it's 'thin'), and with a fresher, more definable texture. Bastards are sending us overprocessed crap. So. I still won't drink Guinness back home, but while here....

Left the bar in the company of locals, who contradicted Catie's directions and took me away from my hotel in order to get me more directly to my hotel. My sense of Dublin as being akin to lower Manhattan is thus confirmed. And Dublin Center on a Saturday night in early Spring? Oh dear. Also, oh dear. I haven't seen that many Unfortunate Outfits since, well, 1985. I am also told I encountered that odd tradition known as "hen nights." (the boys were just as bad but more soberly dressed, for the most part.) I mean, I'm all for high heels and short skirts if you can rock 'em, but bright red sequined stiletto half-boots? Really? Silver lame spikes with a leopard print micro-mini? Seriously?

Also, what do Irish men have against their hair? Is it a national decree, that it must be kept to 1/4 inch to prevent some dire curse from befalling them? I'm sure if they let it grow out a little, it would be lovely... (seriously. I've met Marines with more hair, on average).

And onward to Sunday. It's already Monday, I should get to Sunday... um, later. Also, more photos will be uploaded to my flickr account. Soonish...

Comments

[desuvan.livejournal.com]

I blame the different taste of the Guinness over here on pasteurization. The process, at least in my opinion, adds some kind of bitter after-taste.

Also, the best Guinness in the world is at the factory, but that probably goes without saying.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

sending us overprocessed crap

think its more over pasturized crap ..

[lagilman]

Pasturizing is part of the processing.

[stef94.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain re: Unfortunate Outfits. It's like that all over the British & Irish Isles and extends into Aussie and Kiwi lands as well. Thankfully Canadiana has remained uninfected by this mysterious disease ;-)

[lagilman]

I am told that Ireland falls into two camps: OMGAck and cutting-edge fashion. I should say that I saw a number of well- and sharply-dressed women, including a woman who was totally owning black stiletto heels with black lace stockings and a respectably short miniskirt at 3 in the afternoon. The outfit said "I'm dressy and you will respect the dresser" quite clearly (rather than: "I got dressed in a the closet of a blind drag queen.")

[stef94.livejournal.com]

I am told that Ireland falls into two camps: OMGAck and cutting-edge fashion.

Remembering the situation in Aussieland and the UK, I think that goes for most of the territory mentioned above. It's "either or" with a minority living in between ;-)