The Gift of Gab

“Baloney is the unvarnished lie laid on so thick you hate it. Blarney is flattery laid on so thin you love it.”

- Fulton J. Sheen


Our first tour was to the Blarney Castle. Which is actually a large swathe of land with many different installations; the castle making up only a small part of it.

In the dungeon of the castle.

Up on the second level of the castle.

Outside the castle was a poison garden where they cultivate the deadliest plant known to man: Marijuana.

Gaby and Jeanna heading into a recessed garden area.

The Blarney house. Unfortunately it was closed by the time we found it.

We spent the day exploring the grounds. And all of us got to kiss the blarney stone. Then we promptly got penicillin after realizing how many people's mucous membranes contact that rock.

Lunch at Fishy Fishy in Kinsale.

Hello Ireland!

Ethan's time in New York has come to an end. It was time to head to Kinsale, Ireland. Kinsale is a lovely port community on the south eastern coast of Ireland. The flight went smooth, and came with 4 empty seats!

With 4 empty seats next to me, I had more space than first class.

Some friends who welcomed us to the house

We used Air BnB for the first time to find accommodations. And we could not have been more happy. Our host was a local DJ and theater performer, as well as a gracious guy who was very accommodating and helpful to the Americans who don't know their way around.

The beach right outside our place. One of the smallest beaches I've ever seen.

Handing out on the beach

The view from a hill by our house.

New York's Finest

The rest of Ethan's stay in New York was packed full of fun.

• A showing of A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder.
• A NY Giants game (during Derek Jeter's final season)
• Meeting with an old friend not seen in five years, who introduced me to the famous Wafels & Dinges food truck
• An up close introduction to the Statue of Liberty
• A visit to the 9/11 memorial and tribute center
• Brunch on the beach in Sag Harbor

The Bill outside the theater

Field level seats in the Giants' Stadium!

View from the platform of the Statue of Liberty

The Stature of Liberty

In America, we believe in the freedom to take selfies

The famous food truck logo

The food truck itself

My last meal in NYC: pizza!

Ethan Heads Out

And we're off! Ethan heads out from California on the redeye to NYC. After arriving, Ethan and his grandmother went to the Whitney Museum which had a Jeff Koons exhibit going on.

Jeff Koons, Jim Beam—J. B. Turner Train, 1986.

Jeff Koons, Rabbit, 1986. Stainless steel

After going through the entire exhibit with an audio tour, it was time for a nap before having dinner.