Finally going home today just as Boston finally warms up. Late three-hour lunch yesterday with John and Linda Toomey at Demainos in Revere. Great Italian food, gimlets, three bottles of wine, and lots of reminiscing and laughing. Had fun in frigid Boston but it will be good to get home five days late.

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Weiler Cousins Day in Boston: reunion with Patrick Weiler & Anne Marie Harrington Weiler and Mark Weiler and partner Sharon. Planned at McCormick & Schmidt – burst pipe, closed – so we switched to Union Oyster House. Good company, good food, good history, good fun, good drinks. Cold, cold, cold!

Well, the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray . . . .

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From Aer Lingus Shannon to Boston

Beautiful Boston Day on Arrival – from Our Room at the Logan Hilton Wednesday Night

We had known about the big storm in Boston on Thursday while still in Ireland, so we had, we thought, done the smart thing by calling AA and changing our flight from Boston to Phoenix to Friday.  Right idea, wrong execution.  I should have realized that Friday flights might be cancelled too as there would be no planes in Boston for Friday flights.  Indeed, on Thursday while at the Logan Hilton I got the notification that our Friday flight was cancelled.  I immediately called and the first available seats were on Sunday with plane changes in St. Louis and San Francisco.  Not enticing.  Instead, we opted for a non-stop on Monday.  I also checked Jet Blue’s one daily flight BOS-PHX.  First availability there was on Sunday as well at a high cost.  Normal cost seats were available Monday.  So we stuck with our AA seats.  We have joined AA’s Admiral’s Club, so we will enjoy nice facilities at the Airport on Monday while waiting for the plane.

Thursday Morning from the Room – Skyline Not Visible

The Logan Hilton has been very accommodating to our troubles.  Originally we were staying one night.  From Ireland, I extended it to two nights.  Once we found out we couldn’t fly out until Monday, we extended to Monday.  We are in an executive level suite with club privileges, and the Hilton could have soaked me for the extension.  They did not.  The rate for the three day extension was only $160/night, an extreme bargain by Boston standards.  The room is very comfortable, and the executive club serves a nice complementary breakfast as well as hors d’oeuvres in the evening.  Free newspaper, free soft drinks, and a great view.  Unfortunately, the Hilton’s restaurant is over priced and not that good.

On Thursday afternoon we walked over to the airport during the roaring blizzard going on outside – the Hilton can be reached by enclosed (and heated) walkways from terminals A and E.  The terminals themselves are all linked by walkways as well except for a 10 yard stretch between terminals C and E.  (There is no terminal D.)  We did the complete circuit of an almost deserted airport.  Most of the eating establishments are after security so not accessible unless you are flying and clear security.  They would have all been closed anyway.  Pre security there are limited choices, many of which were closed.  Dunkin’ Donuts stands were open in all terminals.  Nothing else in terminals A and B.  In terminal C we found three fast food stands and Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar and Grill open. We had burgers and beer at Jerry’s (who was a Red Sox second baseman and long time announcer).

Thursday’s Airport Walk

Friday dawned clear and frigidly cold.  The airport started to wake up.  Many flights were, of course, still cancelled, but planes started coming in mid morning.  We have a great view from our corner room.  We had breakfast in the club and then lunch at Logan Airport’s best pre-security restaurant, the Legal C Bar and Restaurant, part of the Legal Seafood chain.  We shared delicious calamari before Elaine’s fish sandwich and my swordfish/shrimp combo plate.  Very good!  At night we watched the Celtics beat the Minnesota Timber Wolves.

The Airport on Friday – Coming to Life

It’s bitterly cold on Saturday morning, but we have arranged to meet Elaine’s cousins and spouses, who live in the suburbs, downtown at Faneuil Hall Marketplace for lunch at McCormick & Schmidts.  It’s an easy commute via the MBTA Blue Line from Logan Airport to State Street Station by Faneuil Hall.  But it sure will be COLD.  Record breaking cold.  Frigid.  Nose freezing.  Fortunately we only have brief stints outside on our sojourn.  Pictures tomorrow.

Getting Home Update: On Tuesday drove to Ennis, Co. Kerry, for a night and dinner at the Old Ground Hotel. Gale winds and heavy rains during the night. Flight from Shannon to Boston on Wednesday was uneventful. Aware of the snow warnings in Boston, we called American Airlines while still in Ennis and changed our flight to PHX from Thursday to Friday, extended our stay at the Logan Hilton to a second night, and changed our car pickup at PHX for the new flight. Had great dinner at Legal Seafood at Long Wharf Wednesday night with Ed Kaplan and Meryl Kaplan. Snow didn’t start until 8 AM Thursday but all AA flights had already been cancelled, so we were wise to make the changes. We will be tucked in at the Hilton all day. Heavy snow scheduled to end by 7 PM and flurries over by 11 PM.

Pictures of Boston Skyline and Mystic Tobin Bridge from our Hotel Wednesday Night

And the Same View of the Skyline at 8 AM Thursday Morning

Last full day in Dingle.  Some clouds but lots of sun as well.  After breakfast at  home (emptying the fridge), we took a late morning walk, and we saw a bunch of revelers that we met in the Dingle Pub last night.  The walk was invigorating – nice sun but strong wind – and you had to be careful to avoid the numerous vomit piles from last night. We had ice cream cones at Murphy’s, Dingle’s own ice cream maker.

Spent the afternoon packing, then lit a final fire in our fireplace for cocktails and appetizers.  At dinner we drove into Dingle (in case of rain) to Jim McCarthy’s Chart House for our final Dingle meal.  As usual, it was extraordinary.  Then it was sad goodbyes at the Dingle Pub and O’Flaherty’s.  But we will be back!

Tomorrow morning we will depart Dingle around 10:00 AM on the way back toward Shannon Airport.  Our exact route will depend on the weather.  We could stop in Doolin for lunch or perhaps at the Cliffs of Moher (Boy, it will be cold there with the wind!).  We’ll spend the night in Ennis at the Old Ground Hotel with dinner in their Town Hall Bistro.

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Around And About in Dingle Town

Read about Dingle’s Harry Clark Windows here.

We had lunch at Sheehy’s Anchor Down Restaurant on the recommendation of our landlord, Grainne.  It’s a new spot run by a family of fishermen.  They catch and sell their own fish, both at the restaurant, at a retail stand, and wholesale to other restaurants.  It was lovely.  We talked to the owner.  The family lived for several years in the Bronx, and their two sons, both working now in the restaurant, were born in the USA.

After lunch we sat at home in front of a roaring fire.  I took a nap.  Elaine read.  We had appetizers and cocktails by the fire.  At 5:30 we headed to the Dingle Pub with the expectation of beating the crowd.  We did.  We had some quiet moments with Tom and his daughter Suzy and son David (five time World Champion Irish dancer).  Then the music started.  Then the crowds descended.

We stuck it out until 9:30 when we headed back to Water’s Edge House to watch the fireworks over Dingle Harbor.  It was the perfect view point to watch!  We skipped going back into the town for the midnight countdown where, by all accounts, it is total madness.  It’s been a great trip!  One more day in Dingle, then on to Ennis for a night, and the flight home on Wednesday.  Another post or two perhaps.  Stay tuned.

HAPPY  NEW YEAR TO ALL!!

Quick post today.  Off and on rain.  Did walks between the raindrops.  Had a great dinner at James G Ashe’s Seafood Restaurant and Bar.  (James Ashe, long dead, was a wealthy man – he owned the Guinness distributorship for all of County Kerry.  The family still does, and Guinness controls distributing rights to Carlsburg Beer and Budweiser as well).  After dinner it was music at O’Flaherty’s (Ui Fhlaithbheartaigh in Irish).

Ashe’s first served beer in 1849.  In 1926 when the bar was passed on to John Kennedy’s eldest daughter, Hannah & her husband James Gregory Ashe, the bar’s name changed to ‘James G. Ashe’, as it remains to this day.  Over the years Ashes has seen many famous faces pass through its doors. Indeed, Gregory Peck, a cousin whose grandmother was an Ashe from Dingle, visited a number of times, and his family continue to drop in when in Ireland. During the filming of David Leans’ “Ryan’s Daughter” in the early 70s’, Ashes became a hot-spot for both cast and crew, many of whom became quite partial to Kates’ Irish stew. More recently the cast and crew of “Far and away”, including Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, based themselves here.

I met Kate on my first visit back in 2000 and she regaled me with the history of the bar.  She recently passed away after a long illness.  The bar & restaurant is now run by her daughter-in-law, Sinead, who is always behind the bar.

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Dick Mack’s Bootery and Bar

Dinner at James G Ashe’s Restaurant

Music at O’Flaherty’s