Ken, a question for a fellow traveler: when you walk into one of these exquisite pubs and spy a perfect seat that seems surprisingly free, you must assume (like me) that it’s been claimed, semi-permanently, by someone more deserving. Do you ask its neighbors, or sit elsewhere and observe, or just plop down? These are the rules of the road, and I’m wondering what yours are..
Grec, astute as usual. For me, it’s a mood (yours) and a vibe (the place) and a moment (yours and the place) matter. I (at least think I) make a calculation based on all three. How much do I want to sit down and just see what happens? Or, for umpteen reasons, my read is that maybe better to sit over there, by the window, and absorb, take stock, assess (and possibly return to the “perfect seat” another day, with a better sense of what’s going down locally). Risk abounds, as I hardly need to remind a fellow traveller: that spot might well be meant for you and your afternoon, and be infrequently available; or it might not turn out to be what it’s cracked up to be (cf. the opinionated stool neighbour who bends ear more than any ear deserves to be bent). The final factor is kinda a merge of moment and space: what you want in a spot, which of course can change. Gregarious Grec vs Groggy-dream Grec…. Do you want to meet people, listen and learn, tell people things? Or fade into the scene, watch and learn? And everything in between…
Where to start with this. What a joy. My parents met in Grogan’s and my cousin lives in Stoneybatter. (I grew up far south of the river, spitting distance to Joyce’s tower actually.) Have you read the mirror and the palette? Fontana features in it, a study of the self-portraits of female artists. A transformative read. I haven’t been back to Dublin in a year but feel a pressing need to go see this exhibit - and visit the Long Room, maybe see the day’s page in the Book. Kenneth, I hope you had decent weather in Dublin. I feel sunnier for having read this so I reckon you must have.
Ken, a question for a fellow traveler: when you walk into one of these exquisite pubs and spy a perfect seat that seems surprisingly free, you must assume (like me) that it’s been claimed, semi-permanently, by someone more deserving. Do you ask its neighbors, or sit elsewhere and observe, or just plop down? These are the rules of the road, and I’m wondering what yours are..
Grec, astute as usual. For me, it’s a mood (yours) and a vibe (the place) and a moment (yours and the place) matter. I (at least think I) make a calculation based on all three. How much do I want to sit down and just see what happens? Or, for umpteen reasons, my read is that maybe better to sit over there, by the window, and absorb, take stock, assess (and possibly return to the “perfect seat” another day, with a better sense of what’s going down locally). Risk abounds, as I hardly need to remind a fellow traveller: that spot might well be meant for you and your afternoon, and be infrequently available; or it might not turn out to be what it’s cracked up to be (cf. the opinionated stool neighbour who bends ear more than any ear deserves to be bent). The final factor is kinda a merge of moment and space: what you want in a spot, which of course can change. Gregarious Grec vs Groggy-dream Grec…. Do you want to meet people, listen and learn, tell people things? Or fade into the scene, watch and learn? And everything in between…
Where to start with this. What a joy. My parents met in Grogan’s and my cousin lives in Stoneybatter. (I grew up far south of the river, spitting distance to Joyce’s tower actually.) Have you read the mirror and the palette? Fontana features in it, a study of the self-portraits of female artists. A transformative read. I haven’t been back to Dublin in a year but feel a pressing need to go see this exhibit - and visit the Long Room, maybe see the day’s page in the Book. Kenneth, I hope you had decent weather in Dublin. I feel sunnier for having read this so I reckon you must have.
Thank you so much, including for these leads. Wild. You're an Irish cosmopolitan multi-local...
How I would have wanted to be visiting the Lavinia Fontana exhibit with you! Enjoy your time away. And thanks for the lovely dispatch.
And me with you Helmut. Thank you!