irish soda bread

(picture courtesy of Ina Garten)

This is a wonderful recipe for Irish Soda bread from Ina Garten's cookbook "Barefoot Contessa at Home." Although this is not a traditional recipe for soda bread, it is delicious and even my husband approves! You can look at the recipe here on food network. I love the combination of the orange zest and currants. I'll definitely be making this soon. I hope you'll give it a try too.

pottery

(photo courtesy of Nicholas Mosse Pottery)

If you ever get a chance to visit Ireland you should definitely pick up some Nicholas Mosse pottery. I love all of the bright colors and patterns, they simply make me happy! He describes his designs as "Inspired by the rural surroundings, our patterns capture the charm of Irish country-living and bring it straight to your home." Now, who wouldn't love to bring a little Irish charm into their homes? Check out his website to see more of his work.

shopping

(photo courtesy of Avoca)

My favorite store in Ireland, hands down, is Avoca. It has fabulous home furnishings like the beautiful blanket above, gourmet foods packaged to perfection, toys for kids, oil cloth and so much more. It sort of reminds me of Anthropologie here in the States. The original Avoca store is in Wicklow and is well worth the trip. The drive just to get there is beautiful and worth the effort. I have also been to the newer store in Rathcoole on the Naas Road in Dublin. I can spend hours just walking around looking at all of the amazing displays. And, the best part, when you have finished your shopping you can go upstairs and enjoy delicious gourmet food or simply have a cup of tea. There is only one Avoca in the United States located in Annapolis, Maryland. If you are lucky enough to live anywhere near there I suggest you make the trip. I am confident you won't be disappointed.

tea time

(photo courtesy of the Shelbourne Dublin)
If you have ever been to someones house in Ireland I am confident that you were offered a cup of tea. And, even if you said no, they would have told you "oh go on" until you politely obliged. Tea is a major part of the Irish culture. The kettle is always on and Irish people definitely have a favorite type. My husband will only drink Barry's, preferably from the red box. Whenever I am in Dublin I love to go to the Shelbourne for high tea, located right on St. Stephens Green. My 5 sister-in-law's brought me there for the first time eight years ago and I have been hooked ever since. My husband and I even considered having our wedding reception there but decided the country was a better fit for the style and feel we wanted. But, I did have my bridesmaids tea there before our wedding! I hope that if you ever have a chance to visit Dublin, Ireland that you will stop by the Shelbourne for an afternoon cup of tea and that you will love it as much as I do.

Below is a description of the tea room from the hotel's website, which can be found here:

Lord Mayor's Lounge
"Timeless elegance in a luxurious setting, the lounge offers the perfect opportunity for quiet discussions and deep thoughts, all enjoyed around the aroma of the freshest whole leaf tea. Famous for serving Dublin's only true Afternoon Tea experience. "


Doesn't that sound inviting? I have not been back since The Shelbourne was bought by Marriott, but I am heading to Ireland in May and will certainly have to make a stop there to check it out.

Style me Pretty!

I just found out that one of the weddings I did favors for was featured on Style me Pretty today! Check it out here..... I am beyond thrilled! You can see my previous post on the favors here.

luck of the Irish

My husband is from Ireland... so March and St. Patrick's Day are reason enough to celebrate in our house. For this reason, I have decided to designate my March posts to all things Irish. I'll share favorite recipes, places to visit in Ireland, some of my favorite designers and even a tradition I created for my kids on St. Patrick's Day, so stay tuned! To kick it off right I wanted to have a give away to welcome all of my new followers and to thank everyone for their kind words and support last week. When I do have a moment to myself I like to relax in a bath. I am giving away this petite bag of "morning rose" bath salts that I bought on a recent trip to Ireland. To enter, please comment below on how you like to spend your free time. All comments must be made by midnight EST on March 3. A winner will be chosen at random and announced on Thursday, March 4. Good luck!


** Loralei who wrote "In my free time, I enjoy finding delightful blogs on the Internet that amaze and inspire. Congratulations on making the list!" Today is your lucky day! You have won these lovely Bath Salts from Ireland. Please e-mail me at nina.healy@yahoo.com with your address and I'll pop them in the mail. Many thanks to everyone that commented- I wish I could send all of you something. I'll just have to have another giveaway soon so that you can try again!

jelly beans

Can't decide what to get from the Little Red Wagon? Laurie also has gift certificates! I designed these packages, which are little clear pillows filled with jelly beans and a gift certificate in any amount you choose. What little girl wouldn't want one of these in her Easter Basket? Candy and the opportunity to pick out an adorable hair clip or head band, awesome! Contact Laurie for more details.