Today is a very extra special Monday: it’s the 100th Monday Mash-Uppost! Who woulda thunk that a series started out of sheer desperation to fill my blogging calendar would turn out to have such longevity? Well, hooray all the same :).

I’m writing this post from Doolin, Ireland, sitting on my bed at a quaint B&B with the most wonderful owner, looking out my window at the stretches of green fields and cows in the distance. So often when I travel I feel this pressure to  GO GO GO all the time, make the most out the trip because you never know when you’ll be back to wherever it is that you’re traveling. But right now, all I want to do is sit in the parlor with a cup of tea and a good book, and wait for the storm that’s been threatening to arrive. I’m in love with Ireland, and I think part of it has to do with the rest that I’m finding here. The countryside offers you permission to sit back and do… well, nothing. I love big cities, I love them so much, but there’s something so indescribably wonderful about a small town with little to “do” all day. It’s perfect.

As always, lessons learned/things that transpired over the past week:

• I’ve always cherished a secret ambition to sing the one Irish drinking song I know at an Irish pub. Well, last night? That dream came true. IT WAS AWESOME! All of the pubs here in Doolin have live music at night, and I got up and sang the one song I know to the entire pub. My trip was totally made.
• People in Ireland are so. dang. nice. And chatty! And for someone like me who loves to talk, it’s just the best. My hostess, Maeve, has been such a darling and is up for conversation whenever I see her.
• Whilst in Paris last week, I decided to buy a baguette in Montmartre and sit down to feed the pigeons. And I think I almost killed one of them on accident- I threw a chunk that was a little too big, and I saw one of the pigeons (or “rats with wings,” as my Pawpaw calls them) attempting to choke it down for a full minute before he managed to swallow it. Whoops…
• Speaking of pigeons, I also fed the ones in Venice when I was there with my sweet friend Sarah last week. Two observations: 1) pigeons apparently love Lara Bars, and 2) they’re not afraid to come sit on your outstretched arm if it means getting first dibs on food. I’m fairly certain I’ll develop bird flu or something, but it was really fun!
• Know what’s fun? Shooting film on vacation. Know what’s not fun? Having your entire supply of unexposed film disappear from your bag between Venice and Paris. And know what’s even less fun? Having to buy all new film in Paris, where film is more expensive anyways, AND you’re having to pay in Euros, meaning you pay almost twice what the film is worth back in the US. Ahh, the price of art.
• Apparently I did an ok job of blending in in Paris- I was stopped twice in one day by people looking for directions (in French). I know it’s not a big deal, but I felt proud for not sticking out like most tourists!
• I’m a tea lover, no doubt about it. I’ve never been big on espresso drinks, but after my time in Vicenza, I now realize that the problem wasn’t espresso, it was that I’d never had ITALIAN espresso. Toootally different game! I’ll probably be asking Matt for an espresso machine for Christmas this year!

Here’s a small peek into my adventure last night at the Cliffs of Moher- remember Heather? She was in Ireland with her family visiting their hometown of Cork, and we scheduled a shoot out on the cliffs. It was incredibly beautiful, and the view at sunset took my breath away. I cannot WAIT to get my film back from this shoot!