What Renie ate...in Dublin!

So, I had promised to visit a good friend of mine in Dublin before I started uni...second year was over and I figured I should stick to what I said and booked myself a 'rail and sail' ticket (basically training to Holyhead and then getting the ferry to Dublin Port...but railing and sailing sounds so much cooler).


I learned a few things on the short journey to Dublin:


1. I am unable to count train carriages and this can have serious consequences e.g. the train separating and you being on the wrong bit


2. I am bad on ferries. By 'bad' I mean I have to sprawl over a whole table and wail to myself in order to stop myself from emptying the contents of my stomach everywhere. 


3. Playing House of the Dead II (which by the way, is totally old skool) does not make my being sea sick any better. It makes things worse. Much worse. 


4. Being out of the city is totally ok. Wales is nice. Sheep are nice. Castles and scary empty bays with real shipwrecks are very cool.

Luckily I got there in one piece and had a fabulous couple of days and even made it back without injuring myself or anyone else, victory pour moi! Anyway, onto the interesting bits...


Burgers at Bobo's 

The interior

Bobo's Cheeseburger and Rosemary Salt Fries

...And now for the close up!

According to Time Out, Bobo's do the best burgers in the whole of Dublin. They tell no lies. They use fresh, locally sourced beef and make them into possibly the yummiest burgers I've ever had (I may be speaking too soon though as I'm going to #Meateasy on Monday, heh!). The rosemary salt fries were pretty excellent too. Now every time I have fries, I want rosemary...Bobo's what have you done to me?! 

Cake and Coffee at Keogh's 

This was the ultimate pick me up after I got into the city! My friend took me to an adorable café near the tourism office (which by the way, is in a super nice building) and after a latte and a huge slab of chocolate cake served with a ginormous cloud of thick, cocoa dusted cream, I was back on my feet and ready to take on the world/crash, sit around and eat even more.

This photo makes me paw hungrily at the screen and want cake

The Farm

We figured that we should have a big, blow out dinner before I left and we were all in the mood for some place nice. The only problem was that we hadn't booked, it was a Friday night and Renie is a little bit picky. I vetoed a couple of places, including Dunne & Crescenzi - (the menu was boring) but then we stumbled across The Farm, which is all cutesy and organic and the menu and reasonable prices = major wins!

Also they had outdoor seats with blankets and little pictures of farm animals tiled on the walls - macabre but also adorable! My initial plan was to go all out and have three courses. I managed two. This either suggests that I have a tiny, pathetic appetite or that the portions were huge. We all know the former isn't true, so here are the photos to prove the latter. 

We had...potato and leek soup, which was delicious and fresh, cottage pie and the real star of the show was the roast organic loin of pork which was marinated in garlic and stuffed with butternut squash, sage and onion. They served it on a mini mountain of creamy herbed mashed potato.  

Crazy good milkshakes at Shakes

I'm kinda familiar with milkshake bars now because they have been EVERYWHERE since forever. That doesn't stop me from getting horrendously excited whenever I see one, especially when a) it's all cutesy inside and b) the proprietor is super nice.

I'm usually a Reece's Pieces kinda girl but then I saw the VIP shakes...I ended up with 'Monkey Business,' which consisted of my fav - Nutella, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, fresh banana which was all topped with whipped cream and a Flake. I'm pretty sure I'd gone over my RDA of fat/sugar but it was definitely worth it. 

 So...that's what I ate, there will be more in part II! :D

Starbucks, I love you but…

Make mine a soya skinny venti hazelnut coffee frapp with cream and an extra shot, please

Like many others, I am in the unfortunate position of being stuck in a bizarre love/hate relationship with Starbucks so I figured it was time to take a deep breath, air our differences and embark on some much needed relationship counselling to sort out our problems.

Ok, so let’s start with the good:

You have brought me so much joy. We hang out together loads, you’re reliable, consistent and you play weird but calming ethnic-y-meets-jazz-meets-blues type music while I’m reading stuff for tutorials. You’re always there with a comforting latte when I’m having a bad day or a double espresso when I am on the verge of an examstressrevisionoverload mental breakdown. You have been tolerant of my incredible neediness and whinging. I have been tolerant of the fact that you are seriously expensive to be in a relationship with and a bit on/off with the quality of your coffee.

You have given me that amazing piece of plastic that is my Starbucks card which entitles me to more of your love and you spoil me ENDLESSLY with free shots, syrup, soya, cream and wifi. In short, you treat me like a total princess and I am pretty sure that if you were a real person, things would be working out GREAT between us (most of the time anyway).

However I am now going to have to focus on the bad because there are some things you do which really get on my (coffee) beans and we need to talk before our relationship goes awry, mister.

1. Why do you have to put those massive jars of waffles and cookies in front of the counter!? You know I have serious hand-eye co-ordination problems and it’s already quite hard for me to swipe my card (which you constantly encourage me to use by giving me rewards) without dislocating my shoulder because of the funny angle at which you place your machines.

Adding extra obstacles in the form of huge-ass glass jars is NOT helping the situation. Also, I end up feeling like an incompetent fool when the kindly barista behind the counter has no choice but to swipe for me. You don’t make this easy for them either –whenever they have to reach around the assault course that is the counter to help me swipe, it reminds me of an octopus tentacle cautiously wending its way around plants on the seabed, afraid of disturbing the little creatures living in the sea foliage. WHY?!

2. Your food is atrocious. Other than your delectable blueberry cheesecake which is like heaven on earth times a gazillion squared, your food is laughably bad. Well, I’d be laughing if I didn’t spend virtually ALL MY FREE TIME round at your place eating your lame food because I’m too lazy to get it elsewhere. I swear your menu has hardly changed since we first started out other than the occasional, uninspired seasonal add on. Don’t get me wrong, I love cheese and marmite and I love the fact that you have all the desperately boring/standard stuff but seriously, get creative with food and innovate otherwise I’m going to have a filthy, passionate affair with Pret and THEN you’ll be sorry.

3. STOP TRYING SO HARD. Seriously, you’re really cool and I really dig the fact that you’re taking advantage of your global dominance and making an effort to be helpful and stuff but come on now. Stop trying to shove the ‘Fairtrade/Charity/Aren’t I good?’ thing in my face. Yes, it’s nice and great that you have a CSR programme and that you do a lot for charity. It’s also fantastic that you’re all Fairtrade now, but making out you’re saving the world, bean by bean? Shut your face and just give me my latte.

4. You’re so samey. I know you’re a chain and you want to be comfortingly samey same-same everywhere you are but I think it would be cool if you let your customers/baristas have a small say when it comes to interior décor. 

Here’s a suggestion: Instead of using the same blandgraphicminimalistshape crap a bunch of randoms from a creative design team have crafted to hypnotise people into buying more of your crazy coffee beans, how about using some local artwork? I’m not suggesting that you fill your coffee houses with awkward, badly proportioned oil paintings of nekkid ladies and Tabby the cat done by the local WI but there are a LOT of super cool, up and coming artists around in major cities and it wouldn’t hurt to maybe showcase some of their work, would it? Plus if you’re so into the whole ‘using my superpowers for good’ thing (which by the way, I find totally hot) surely you could give it a try? Just sayin’

5. Toffee Nut Latte is for life, not just for Christmas. Only you, Starbs, could be enough of a tease to create one of the most tear-inducingly yummy drinks in the whole entire world and then totally screw me over by making it only available during the seasonal period. I’d be totally cool with that normally but when you let the people across the pond have TNL ALL YEAR ROUND, it’s just not fair. I love slowly licking those little toffee sprinkles off the foamy cream top. Sometimes, it’s the highlight of my day, you hear me?!

On the other hand, you probably can’t deal with the fact that I:

1.       Make picky, headache inducing orders which don’t make sense (soy with cream, skinny with cream…hey I just like cream, ok?!)

2.       Have to order things extra hot and demand that things are stirred for me (I’m a delicate flower and stirring is complicated and dangerous)

3.       Get all angst ridden when you run out of soy (lactose intolerance, blame my ancestry)

4.       Am clumsy and often scald myself/spill stuff everywhere/generally break your shops because I have problems with coffee-in-hand walking/life in general (I’m so sorry, will you still love me? Please?)

I know I’m moany and complain a lot, and you’re not perfect either but we’ve had a pretty good run, stayed totally loyal to one another (that time at Pret was a one off and I swear it was totally physical and meant nothing to me).

I’m pretty sure there are at least a few more years left in our relationship. That’s if you consider my suggestions and start getting your act together. Plus I love you enough to give you a cutesy ole nickname and that’s a sign of HEFTY COMMITMENT, Starbs.

//5 Foodie Places to love - London ♥

If you're out and about in London, I highly recommend paying a visit to one of these places - they're all fantastic and totally worth a nose around in!


1. Monmouth Coffee Company - 27 Monmouth St, London WC2H 9EU

A visit to Monmouth’s flagship shop in Covent Garden is definitely a worthwhile pilgrimage for seasoned coffee lovers. Famous for their carefully sourced beans and the care and preparation lavished on each and every cup of the good stuff, Monmouth shows bog standard coffee chains that it is possible to be ethical and produce something delicious.

2. Beatroot - 92 Berwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 0QD

Beatroot offers yummy vegetarian fare and has been heartily recommended by vegetarians and non veggies alike. With fresh, quick, tasty and very reasonably priced food as well as a wide variety of smoothies on the menu, it makes for a perfect place to eat when you’re after that essential energy boost.

3. Yalla Yalla Beirut Street Food - 1 Greens Court, London, Soho W1F 0HA

Yalla Yalla offers good quality, authentic Lebanese Street food and is open until 11.30pm. It’s a great venue if you’re out and about and want a tasty late night snack. Don’t be put off by the fact that it is always packed, a great vibe and friendly service will make you want to stay all night.

4. Borough Market – 8 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TL

Undoubtedly the best place to food shop in London, there isn’t anywhere quite like it. ‘Fresh’ is the keyword here – you’ll be surrounded by the best local and international produce London has to offer. It’s recommended you visit on a Thursday when it’s quieter, but if you love the crowds, go on a Saturday.

5. Graphic Bar - 4 Golden Square, Soho, London, W1F 9HT

Quirkily furnished bar with knowledgeable, friendly staff and a drinks list that boasts awesome cocktails as well as 60 types of gin, Graphic is the ultimate hang out for those who long for a more sophisticated but still highly enjoyable night out.