Wild Lights of Christmas

After quite the definition of Friday the 13th kinda day, exactly what the doctor ordered with a treatment of laughter administered by voice of reason and the main man himself Dara O Briain in Vicar street, alongside great company Niamh and Paddy. Almost 4 month after his birthday, Paddy finally got to enjoy his birthday present, tickets to see Micky Flanagan in a packed 3 Arena, with his comedy show An Another Fing and Micky sure didn't disappoint either Paddy or me. For me was an added bonus, as the wait for his birthday present was thankfully worth the wait.

Enjoying a well earned pint, after that week before WWE Smackdown in the 3 Arena, as part of their European tour, which was a great way to start my week off from work. The first half of Smackdown Live started off by getting the crowds attention with performances from Rusev, The New Day, The Usos amongst others. After intermission, the entertaining 3 on 4 women handicap match which Becky, Charlotte and Naomi beat Lana, Natalya, Tamina and Carmela which I thoroughly enjoyed and was hoarse after screaming so loud. The United States championship between Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin and Sin Cara was an interesting one but the main event between AJ Styles and Jinder Mahal and the Singh brothers was phenomenal especially when the phenomenal one himself AJ Styles won. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday evening out.

That Saturday night which was only 2 days later, Niamh, Paddy and me made our way towards Phoenix park and the Zoo for the inaugural Wild Lights event within the zoo itself. The Wild Lights event is a Chinese Lantern Festival where intricate handmade lanterns have been artfully rendered inspired by wildlife and placed around the zoo, including a pride of lions, orang-utans, tigers, giraffes, monkeys amongst others. Amog the most impressive lanterns on shows were a 16-metre high porcelain elephant tower and a Chinese dragon that's as long as a Boeing 737-800. Providing entertainment were a host of Chinese performers doing their level best to impress and entertain us over by the Sea Lion Cove. The three of us, met up too with Paddy family, including his niece, nephew and cousins Rob and Lou at the entrance of the zoo. Then with the big gang of us together, we walked around the zoo enjoying the extravagant Wild Lights event, which we all enjoyed despite the freezing cold temperatures getting a group photo before we all parted ways home.

The following weekend, Paddy and me got the Dublin coach down to Clare to spend the weekend with my parents which was a nice mini break home. As part of the trip down in Clare, we visited Bunratty Castle & Folk Park where we got to enjoy the folk park which is a window into the past with a living reconstruction of the homes and environment of Ireland over a century ago and of course the main reason for our visit the castle itself. After this visit, my mother dropped us off at the bus stop for our journey back up to Dublin which was a nice end to the weekend. Later that week, Niamh and me went to the 3 Arena, so we could relive our youth with some good old fashioned nostalgic retro 90's music, beginning with the opening act, the dutch eurodance music group, Vengaboys arriving by Vengabus of course. As soon as the dance group, appeared onto the stage at the venue, the whole crowd were bopping and singing at full volume within minutes to all their big hits such as Boom Boom Boom Boom!, We are going to Ibiza, Ho Ho Vengaboys! and going with out saying their biggest hit We like to party. Niamh and me were still skipping and singing away as we waited for the real reason we were there Steps.

The group consisting of Claire, Lee, Lisa, Faye and H reformed in celebration of their 20th anniversary in the music industry with the tour Party on the Dancefloor, that even now their music still has such a 90's dance-pop sound. While we danced and sang along to all their big hits such as 5,6,7,8 , Better the Devil You Know, Heartbeat, One for Sorrow and with their encore being of course Tragedy, I might have over done it with the photos and videos, which I couldn't help myself as I enjoyed myself so much. As we walked home still singing the words and tune to Tragedy, it got me thinking and remembering the last time, Niamh and me saw Steps in concert in the same venue, which was then called The Point, and both of us agreed that the group were better this time around and was helped too that we knew that they were singing live this time.

It's that time of year, where it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas with the turning on of the lights on Grafton and Henry Streets and the tree on O'Connell St. by the spire which signals the 5 shopping weeks to Christmas Eve. The following Thursday evening, we decided despite the cold and rain, we go and enjoy the Smithfield Lights event in the square with the Snowman movie been shown on the big screen for everyone, music provided by the local Stanhope Street Girls Choir, Red Empire and the Riptide Moment. After a few false starts the Christmas tree was eventually turned on, with Santa Claus keeping us entertained with a singalong during the glitch with the Christmas grinch and the tree.

The first Saturday in December, as both Niamh and me were both off work, we hopped on the bus towards the Castleknock Gate of Phoenix Park, from there into the Farmleigh estate for the Victorian Christmas at Farmleigh event, were I enjoyed a mulled wine with a shot of Jameson whiskey and Niamh really enjoyed her Belgian hot chocolate while exploring the Christmas market. Like the previous few days and weeks, the weather was quite mixed with cold and rain but despite this and travel distance getting to Farmleigh, we both enjoyed our first time experiencing the Victorian Christmas event at Farmleigh especially the Christmas Carol signing with the St. Mary's Pro Cathedral Girls Choir in the main ballroom and the Festive Barbershop Melodies with the Mellow Chords at the Food Market. Only a few days later, about midweek I went along to the Liberties Newmarket Christmas Tree event at the Teeling whiskey distillery, who had laid on such a fabulous spread for everyone present with hot chocolate, s'more bar by Delish Melish, Mince pies which were purely beyond luxurious and their own special blended concoction of Hot whiskey which helped to ward off the cold weather as we gathered out for the tree lighting event itself, which I of course had to indulge on several occasions as the hot whiskey itself was so tasty and kept me nice and warm. The carol service was supplied by the Trinitones and an added bonus, as I was leaving a staff member gave me a goodie bag from Teeling whiskey themselves which was nice. The event was such a laid back fun event that I really enjoyed myself and the whiskey too of course which really got me into the Christmas spirit. The following week with the turning on of the local Christmas tree in the nearby green, just 10 nights before Christmas, it was really the finally countdown to Christmas which would be different this year, spending Christmas Day with Paddy's family for it which was fun. On the whole Christmas and New Years was quiet and laid back exactly what was needed after unreal busy period in work, and such a tough difficult year as a whole.

After Christmas and New year was over and the dust began to settle on the start of 2018, it was time for the first show or musical of the year, with tickets that Niamh and me had bought before Christmas, Beautiful, the Carole King Musical no better way to spend a cold wet January Wednesday evening. The musical tells the story of the early life and carer of Carole King, using songs that she wrote, such Some Kind of Wonderful, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, The Locomotion, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, and the song which I hummed for days afterwards Up on the Roof.

The song from the musical which left a positive outcome within, was Happy Days Are Here Again, a philosophy to live by, that Happy Days will always shine through, even if in the darkest of times, you mightn't see it or think its possible but Happy Days will come Again! My quiet place where I always go when I can, as I find inner peace, calm and relaxation is my visits to the zoo, always helps too, I try go during the weekdays when it's quieter and much more peaceful too.