Alchemy Juice Bar @ BT2 Dublin, Ireland

Having been out and about the whole day one Saturday in May 2015 we decided to have dinner at Alchemy Juice Bar located at BT2 on Grafton Street in Dublin, Ireland.

It is located on the first floor of the exclusive and fashion forward department store and still feels fresh and new, it's open now for around 7 months. 

The people behind this concept are Domini and Peaches Kemp. 

They are also responsible for the It's a...outlets.

The interior is modern and understated. 

The cuisine is health conscious and follows the Paleo diet and the raw movement.

We have been at Alchemy a couple of times.

It is self-service and there are a range of salads, soups, desserts, juices and other interesting food items available.

We took our favorite juice "Beet it" with beetroot in the large size, the Paleo Power Salad with a nut cake, the Super Salad with greens, walnuts and blueberries and a Turmeric Cheesecake.

All was very tasty, healthy, wholesome and the Turmeric Cheesecake had an unusual, very bright yellow color, of course it was very enjoyable to eat here again.

Cost was 32 Euro, ca. 34.80 USD.

We will return if we are looking for a healthy meal.

©2015

Re-education

Frieda Noose sighed. Her one and a half year old daughter might looked like her, but she was own-minded. Since Casey had had chocolate cake for the first time ever at her father's birthday party, she demanded to eat cake and nothing else.

Frieda had called her mother, asking her for advice. Rachel had laughed and told her about Frieda's own picky eating phase. She recommended to be patient and to try to involve Casey.

Frieda followed her mother’s advice and created different types of dishes for Casey. Casey’s favorite “cakes” were pancakes filled with fruit compote and lathered with yogurt and slivered almonds or two slices of grilled tofu stuffed with kimchi or Asian carrot salad. Slowly Casey started to eat more balanced again. She also liked strudels in all variations. Sometimes it worked if the adults were having a different meal and told her Casey wouldn’t like it. She reacted very much like her father, who didn’t like it either when he was told he couldn’t do or wouldn’t like something.

Finally shortly before her second birthday Casey was having a balanced diet again.

©2015

Milano Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland

On a weekend in May we were hungry after our visit to Temple Bar which incl. Peachy Dublin at the Temple Bar Gallery and Studios.

Having good experiences with Milano we thought we give the outlet in Temple Bar a try, especially now as it was recently fully renovated with a new look and feel.

The interior was much lighter now and more contemporary in design. The space was still an issue. I had problems squeezing myself in between two tables to reach the bench.

The restaurant was already full. There was a large birthday party and a rather loud German group. It turned remarkable quiet when the Germans left.

We were seated beside an American mother and her adult son. We didn’t know them, but she told us proudly about a special offer. While it's nice to have a special offer, we usually visit a restaurant because we like the food foremost.

The noise levels were very high and it was difficult having a conversation.

Our waitress arrived soon after we had taken our seats to take our orders.

We ordered a small bottle of Acqua Panna, two orange juice, one Leggera Pollo Ad Astra Pizza, one Leggera pasta chicken arrabiata, one broccolini and one Leggera Tortuffo Limoncello (Fior di Latte ice cream with a liquid Limoncello center), which we shared.

The staff was attentive and friendly throughout, even if they were extremely busy.

The quality of the meal was very good and as always reliable.

The ice cream was new for us. We liked the creamy texture and the tangy Limoncello filling.

The cost of the meal was 46.50 Euro or ca. 51.70 USD.

Should we be in Temple Bar and want pizza we will definitely return.

 

©2015

 

Indigo & Cloth Temple Bar (Men's Store and Coffee Shop) Dublin, Ireland

We heard about Indigo & Cloth the first time while staying at The Dean Hotel in Dublin. (See our review)

We had just visited the Temple Bar Gallery & Studios to see Peachy Dublin and another exhibition at the Gallery of Photography and wanted a hot drink to warm up.

Indigo & Cloth is a men's store, selling clothing, accessories, cosmetic and chocolate. They also have a coffee shop.

We decided to stop there for two hot chocolates.

The coffee shop is small with a table seating four.

It was self-service, but the person behind the counter was very friendly and agreed with his colleague that it was a good day for hot chocolate.

There were also cakes and pastries to choose from.

Coffee is provided by Clement & Pekoe.

We took a seat at the communal table and waited until he had made the hot beverages.

It was made with Aine Hot Chocolate Sticks. Having had similar ones at Clodagh’s Kitchen (See also review.) I was a bit worried the hot chocolate would be too sweet. Thank Goodness the cocoa content seemed to be higher here, so we liked it.

Cost for two hot chocolates was 6 Euro (ca. 6.70 USD).

There was reading material provided including Root and Bone, Fantastic Man and Cereal, inspirational food, fashion and travel magazines.

After our hot chocolates we had a quick browse and found chocolate tablets we liked. The company’s name is Bean & Goose and is based in County Wexford. The tablets are made on marble slabs and in small batches.

There are only two versions available (milk or dark chocolate) with sea salt and cocoa nibs.

The results are amazing.

The texture is on the one hand very smooth and on the other rough due to the sea salt and cocoa nibs. I personally agree with the employee in the store, who recommended the dark chocolate. I think it works better together with the salt, but I would take all two again. He doesn’t have any preference.

One bar costs 5.50 Euro or ca. 6.15 USD.

We liked also clothing by Sandquvist, Sunspel and Saturdays NYC, plus Norge Projects.

We will be back for more.

©2015

Pizza Hut & Upper Crust @ The International Terminal Oslo Gardermoen Airport, Norway

While we waited for our flight from Oslo Gardermoen to Berlin Tegel with SAS we stopped at Pizza Hut and Upper Crust for a small meal and drink.

Pizza Hut and Upper Crust were located at the International Terminal and is based on self-service.
It was busy and some pizzas were already gone in the early afternoon.

Originally we wanted two slices of Deep Pan BBQ and one Jamaican pizza, but there was only one left of the BBQ, so we changed it to two slices of Jamaican and one BBQ.

Our cold beverages came from Upper Crust and included three bottles of water for the flight and a bottle of Tropicana orange juice.

We found a space easily at the busy Food Court's seating area which was clean and inviting.

The pizza was tasty.

We paid 144 NOK (ca. 17.20 Euro or ca. 19.50 USD) at Pizza Hut. 

Should we be at Gardermoen Airport again, we will re-visit Pizza Hut and Upper Crust again.

©2015

Sanguine Brasserie @ The Oslo Opera House, Norway

After having completed our guided tour of the Oslo Opera House (See also review.) We went to Sanguine Brasserie at the Opera House, where we had reserved a table.

The design of the restaurant was understated with stunning views over floating artwork "She lies" and the Oslo Fjord.

Materials used were steel and glass.

The color scheme was white, while the orange flowers on each table added a nice contrast in red vases.

The Maître d' greeted us warmly and brought us to our table directly at the largest glass curtain in Scandinavia.

The cuisine served is modern, experimental and Norwegian. It changes with the seasons.

Checking with our waitress we found out the house Champagne is Taittinger. We took two glasses. Beside Champagne we ordered two small bottles of Acqua Panna, two Cappuccinos and two three course meals.

There are also a la carte and up to five course meal options available.

Our starters were Arctic Char with yellow cherry tomatoes and avocado mousse.

The char was very tender and the plate colorful.

Our next courses were different. He had the beef brisket with beetroot and Jerusalem Artichoke, while I had the baked hake with dill butter, potato mash and cabbage.

The beef brisket was melt in the mouth and was a perfect match with the beetroot and artichoke.

The fish was moist. I liked the combination of the soft mash and crunchy cabbage.

Our dessert was strawberry soup with cardamom ice cream, goats milk pudding and jelly.

It hit the right spot between tangy, spicy and sweet.

Everything was delicious, high quality and the correct portion size.

Special mention goes to the coffee cups. They have a groove on top of the handle and the coffee floods in. We thought it might not work, but the grip was extremely comfortable and we didn't burn ourselves.

All the staff was attentive and friendly.

The bill came in at 1438 NOK (ca. 170.32 Euro or ca. 190 USD).

When we are back in Oslo we would love to make a stop at the Sanguine Brasserie again.


©2015

Oslo Opera House, Norway

Having heard/read so many good things about the Opera House in Oslo and being interested in architecture and classical music, a visit was a must. We investigated further and found out there were also behind the scene tours in English available. Before we had only heard about being able to walk up/on the roof of the building. We decided not only to explore the Opera from the outside, but also from the inside. We bought tickets online and also booked a table for two at the Opera's Sanguine Brasserie. Review to follow for this.

Tickets cost 100 NOK per person (ca. 11.85 Euro or 13.20 USD).

On our way to the Opera House we passed the Havnelageret, the head quarters of Dagligsbladet. It's a massive pink concrete building.
We could see the Opera House from the Havnelageret. It seemed to emerge from the sea and people walking on it looked like ants from afar.

The structure is made from Italian marble and white granite. The architect was Snøhetta. The Opera House opened in 2008.

The views over the Oslofjord and the city were marvellous.
 Walking up the roof might not be suitable if you have vertigo and I wouldn't try to climb it, when it's wet or icy. The marble could be slippery.

We had luck with the sunny weather and beside people watching, found a model, who enjoyed being photographed. It was a not very shy seagull.

As the architect intended we were curious what the structure looked like from the inside.

The entrance is small compared to the size and height of the building.

There is a stunning atrium and as we learned later during the tour over 3000 oak pieces were used to clad the walls and also that the huge glass panelling facing the fjord is the largest in Scandinavia.

The oak panelling is very important for the sound as is the oval chandellier in the auditorium. It cotains over 5000 hand made crystals.

The meeting point for all tours was at the ticket office.

Tours in Norwegian are daily available.

Tours in English are on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays at 13.00 hours.

We were picked up at the requested time by our guide and were a small group of around 10.

Our tour guide Berit, a former opera singer, told us about the background of the building and the artwork in and around it.

There is a wall designed by Olafur Eliasson. It depicts an ice berg and flowing water underneath and changes color.

"She lies" is a sculpture by Monica Bonvicini. It is designed like a sailing ship, floats on the fjord and looks different, depending on wind, tide and how the sun light falls on it. "She lies" is clearly visible from Sanguine Brasserie too.

We were then advised we would go behind the scenes and from now on photography wasn't allowed.

There are 1100 rooms.

The main auditorium seats 1364. There are two other performance spaces, which are much smaller, seating 200 and 400 respectively.

The employees come from 23 different countries.

We walked through the costume making department, where we could catch a glimpse of what the ballerinas are going to wear for the production of Manon, which is going to premier on 19th of September 2015.

Next were the production team, who are responsible for building the sets.

We ended up behind the main auditorium, where preparations were made for the premier of La Traviata and the stage sets for the previous performance were dismantled and put into storage.

Afterwards we caught glimpses of ballet dancers training and the employees garden. Originally it should have been a Japanese garden, but the climate didn't allow for the plants to grow, so it has been slightly altered.
It isn't accessible for the public.

Our last stop was the auditorium, where we arrived just in time for rehearsals of La Traviata, which premiered in April 2015.

We were on the highest balcony. A warning here: It's really steep
 and open, so if you have vertigo it could be problematic.

You might prefer to stand at the side.

The rehearsal was interesting to follow. The director gave constructive instructions how to make it look more pleasing for the audience. We could listen in and watch for about twenty minutes. It was the highlight, because it's very unusual to "let into" the rehearsal process.

Afterwards we were accomponied back to the foyer.

The tour was an eye opener. It shows how much work goes into a production and how labyrinthine the building is. It's very interesting and highly recommended for opera and architecture lovers.

We will at some stage take another tour for more insights of magnificent structure overlooking Oslofjord.

©2015