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Jordan Wright Photo credit ~ Jordan Wright  The coffered walls of the hotel’s elegant lobby There’s something restorative about being coddled and enveloped in the lap of luxury. Doors magically open, dark coffered wood and gleaming marble floors beckon and the soul-soothing hushed tones of a well-trained staff welcome you into a sanctum sanctorum of elegance and sophistication. It’s the rush that comes from entering a venerable five-star hotel and the Cheshire cat satisfaction of dipping your toes into its posh milieu. Arriving from beneath the colonnaded porte-cochere and swanning into the stately Hay-Adams on a rain-splattered evening, I had the immediate sense that I was entering an exclusive club. The doormen with their broad smiles and neatly tailored uniforms do nothing to dissuade you of that feeling. Cocktails were calling and the Off the Record bar below stairs was the first stop. This secluded spot is a little known bastion of journos, pols and their minions who end their day at the White House and stroll across Lafayette Park to sip and spin the the day’s news – far from the rough and tumble of the Old Executive Office’s press room. Here one is cosseted by the ornate gilded ceiling and comforted by the dozens of framed political caricatures, a priceless collection housed here under the auspices of the Library of Congress. Cable news blinks updates from strategically placed screens, and on the night we visited a great deal of attention was being paid to the primary election results filtering in. Lately, to reinforce the hotel’s connection to political life, notable political cartoonist Matt Wuerker has been commissioned to design 18 irreverently drawn drink coasters of Washington leaders and politicians. Choose your favorite candidate to cushion your drink.  Cocktails at Off the Record Keeping a low profile in this cozy, fire engine red room is easy. Wing chairs offer up a view exclusive to one’s table companions, and banquettes, sumptuously upholstered halfway to the ceiling, muffle the sound of negotiations and shared confidences. There is an air of something of consequence about to go down coupled with a calm that mitigates anything that could upend the delicate buzz. It’s positively electrifying in a genteel way.  Matt Weurker’s Bernie Sanders coaster, Kevin “Kal” Kallaugher’s Biden and Obama coasters and Ann Tellnaes’ was commissioned to do additional coasters. Once one’s appetite is whet over a drink or two, it’s time to repair to the dining room where all is calm, all is white – linens, that is. You prefer privacy? There are alcoves with a view and all the Chippendale-style chairs have comfortable arms. Settle in for a luxe meal, any time of day. Since this was my last hurrah before beginning a month-long vegetarian diet, I went big and put my trust in Executive Chef Peter Schaffrath. He should know. He’s been in the hotel’s kitchen turning out sumptuous meals for heads of state and assorted VIPs since 2001.  (L-R) Maine Lobster Salad ~ Hamachi Salad For appetizers we ordered Maine Lobster Salad enhanced with a tangy lemon curd sauce and trout roe; and Hamachi, a delicate salad of fennel, carrot, American caviar and yuzu. We followed with Black Angus beef tenderloin gilded with foie gras and served with Madeira sauce, and Diver Scallops graced with a coconut lobster sauce. Each dish was sheer perfection – exceptionally prepared and elegantly presented. To cap it off we had rich chocolate soufflés embellished with a heaping dollop of freshly whipped cream. Be sure to order these as soon as you are seated. Pastry Chef Josh Short changes the flavors from time to time, so I can’t promise chocolate. As of this writing pistachio soufflés are the thing for Spring. Special seasonal offerings for Easter and the Cherry Blossom Festival are available now.  Black Angus Beef Tenderloin Easter Brunch at the Top of the Hay, which offers a bird’s eye view of Lafayette Square with the White House beyond, is lavish. Chilled White Asparagus and Truffle Oil Soup with edamame peas; Baby Romaine Lobster Salad with boiled egg, pickled red onion and basil vinaigrette; Carved Black Angus Beef Tenderloin with Yukon gold and sweet mashed potatoes and Perigourdine sauce; Spinach Tortellini with herb roasted tomatoes and white asparagus; Baked Organic Chicken Breast with oregano and parmesan crust, fava beans, diced heirloom tomato and piquillo pepper sauce, as well as Colorado Lamb Noisettes with Spring vegetables and tarragon lamb jus complemented by either a glass of Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne, a classic Bloody Mary or a Strawberry Orange Mimosa. A dessert buffet created by Pastry Chef Josh Short includes the White Rabbit Carrot Cake; Lemon Bundt Cake with blueberries; Brown Butter Layer Cake with dulce de leche; Mango Coconut Parfait; Bunny Tails BonBons; Rhubarb Cobbler, and many more.  Pastry Chef Josh Short’s Chocolate Soufflé In addition, during the Cherry Blossom Festival, The Lafayette dining room will offer a Japanese-inspired three-course, pre-fixe dinner menu in addition to the featured menu. The deliciousness starts with an amuse-bouche of cherry Kir Royal, followed by first course options such as Spring Vegetable Salad with kabocha squash puree and matcha tea powder, and Yellowfin Tuna Tartar with smoked avocado and quail egg. Entrees include Caramelized Chilean Sea Bass with seaweed salad, pickled radish, miso, and brown butter sauce, as well as Nori Wrapped Black Angus Strip Steak with steamed Japanese eggplant, matsutake mushroom, and plum wine reduction. Dessert is Caramelia Chocolate Panna Cotta with cherry marmalade and griottines. If staying at the Hay-Adams during the historic festival is your plan, a specially designed package includes a luxuriously appointed guestroom created by renowned interior designer Tom Pheasant, a chocolate espresso cake with morello cherries, the National Cherry Blossom Festival information packet, and American breakfast for two each day, available through room service or in The Lafayette. This package is available for three nights or more from March 20th 2016 through April 17th 2016. Rates begin at $469 per night for a superior room (excluding taxes) and is based on a minimum three-night stay. For reservations and information call 202 638-6600 or visit www.hayadams.com Jordan Wright  Photo by Ben Gibb, courtesy Headlong George Orwell’s classic dystopian tale is as relevant today as it was when it was written in 1948. We don’t call them the “Thought Police” today, but the concept of controlling the thoughts and behavior of the masses by government through the media, the message (cue Marshall McLuhan) and mind control still has an eerie, somewhat familiar, ring to it. We saw it recognized in The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a film about erasing memories; The Truman Show where hidden cameras were used to track thoughts; and in the film adaptations of The Hunger Games books. In this version of 1984 Directors/Adaptors Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan construct an imaginative theatrical retelling of the book – further intensified by Video Designer Tim Reid’s haunting projections and film sequences shown in wide screen above the actors. The combination of the filmed offstage events and in-the-moment onstage acting, serves to confuse the viewer as to what is real and what is imagined – the very same question protagonist Winston Smith ponders about his life. For the audience it’s equally as chancy to draw any conclusions. To add to the complexity, the plot swings back and forth like a pendulum, from World War II to 2050. It is both evocative and immediate, making for a most exciting piece of stagecraft.  Photo by Ben Gibb, courtesy Headlong Winston (played by the extraordinarily talented Matthew Spencer) works in the Ministry of Truth. Under the radar, he keeps a diary for the “future unborn”. In it he hopes to record his memories and thoughts before they are discovered, deleted and denied by Big Brother – the all-seeing, all-knowing, government agency charged with the destruction of language and memory and the obliteration of newspaper accounts and photographic evidence. In this way personal memory is supplanted by government approved memory. Citizens are kept in constant fear that they will be turned in by their neighbors, family members or even the “thought police” who surveil all activity and broadcast to citizens by way of telescreens. As a government agent of mind control O’Brien (played by the convincingly terrifying Tim Dutton) puts it, “The price of sanity is submission. We do not tolerate a rebellion.” Cue Edward Snowden. In this brave, new world of Oceania, policies are enforced through fear tactics. There is even a “Newspeak” dictionary, containing freshly minted words to diminish thought. More draconian is that, in this ruthless ideology, love and sex are forbidden and could land someone in Room 101 in the Ministry of Love – a place of terror and torture. Yet Winston finds a kindred spirit and lover in Julia played magnificently by Hara Yannas. Together they bond in their shared hatred of the system while fulfilling their desires in a love nest away from the prying eyes of the government – or so they think.  Photo by Ben Gibb, courtesy Headlong This is intense theatre, thought-provoking, brave and electrifying with a bold supporting cast. Expect vividly portrayed violence enhanced by explosive special effects lighting by Natasha Chivers, and hair-raising sound design by Tom Gibbons. Highly recommended, yet not for the faint of heart. At the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Lansburgh Theatre through April 10th at 450 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20004. Presented in collaboration with British theatre companies –Headlong www.headlong.co.uk, Nottingham Playhouse www.NottinghamPlayhouse.co.uk and Almeida Theatre www.almeida.co.uk. For tickets and information call 202 547-1122 or visit www.ShakespeareTheatre.org. Jordan Wright On March 8th The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced its 2016-2017. The Center announced plans for a yearlong celebration of the centennial of President Kennedy’s birth, offering a wide range of programs reflective of Kennedy’s vision, ideals, and legacy.  Yo Yo Ma ~ Photo by Jason Bell In addition they have announced three newly appointed roles and key relationships with legendary cellist and humanitarian Yo-Yo Ma (Artistic Advisor At Large), superstar soprano and arts advocate Renée Fleming (Artistic Advisor At Large), and renowned Hip Hop artist and cultural pioneer Q-Tip (Artistic Director for Hip Hop Culture).  Hip Hop – Q-Tip, Courtesy of the Artist As artists, curators, and thought leaders, these three new advisory roles will advance important institution-wide initiatives and explore new facets of the arts.  Renee Fleming ~ Decca Photo by Andrew Ecoles The Kennedy Center’s diverse theater season features the work of some of the most acclaimed directors working in theater today, including Sulayman Al Bassam (Petrol Station), Peter Brook (Battlefield), Carlos Díaz (Antigonón, Un contingente épico), Lev Dodin (Three Sisters), Robert Lepage (Needles and Opium), Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall (Cabaret), Richard Nelson (The Gabriels: Election Year in the Life of One Family), Jack O’Brien (Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music), Bartlett Sher (Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I), and Susan Stroman (The Last Two People on Earth: An Apocalyptic Vaudeville), among many others. The season also includes an array of hit musicals and plays, including The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Into the Woods, Wicked, Chicago, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The Performances for Young Audience season includes seven new Kennedy Center commissions, highlighting work from icons in the fields of jazz, classical music, Hip Hop, dance, poetry, and theater, as well as a wide variety of other performances that will present young audiences with challenging ideas in an accessible and entertaining setting. Jordan Wright  Thaddeus McCants (Avery) and Evan Casey (Sam) in The Flick. Photo by Margot Schulman Playwright Annie Baker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a series of conversations between three movie theater workers. You know, the silent, near invisible youth who sweep up the spilled popcorn and sticky candy wrappers between showings. In Baker’s imagining two 20-something young men, Sam played by Evan Casey, and the new hire Avery by Thaddeus McCants form an unlikely friendship. The third member of this incongruous wheel is Rose (Laura C. Harris), the projectionist, a green-haired, self-absorbed, utterly conflicted lost child who changes the reels in this repertory cinema. The trio form bonds, sometimes strong, sometimes tenuous, as do most people who work together. Maybe they’re light-hearted connections and maybe a romance blossoms, as it does here – but they’re just as complex and bittersweet as any other in the known world. In this absurdist comic drama James Kronzer gives us a simple set – rows of red theater seats and a projection booth facing us, the audience, all the better to focus on the evolving relationships. As the men push their brooms and mops through the aisles, perfecting their technique, they begin to form a friendship of shared labor and mutual loathing of the theater’s owner, Steve, interrupted only by Rose, who Sam is obsessed with. To keep Avery at bay he tells him Rose is a lesbian and introduces him to their scam of robbing the till for “dinner money”. “It’s a tradition,” they insist.  Laura C. Harris (Rose) and Thaddeus McCants (Avery) in The Flick. Photo by Margot Schulman Avery, a terminally shy college student between semesters, is a film geek with relationship issues. Little by little Sam begins to pull him out of his shell, by playing to his strengths – primarily his ability to connect movie stars through the game of six degrees of separation to which Avery is a near autistic savant. The young men bond over their love of 35mm film and their loathing of digital film. “I think the phrase digital film is an oxymoron,” Avery contends, drawing on Steven Spielberg’s continued use of 35mm film to make his argument. Ultimately Steve sells the theater to a hard-nosed businessman who plans to go digital. At this point the new owner believes Avery (who is black) has been robbing the till, a scam Sam and Rose instituted and insisted Avery go along with. When they turn on him as a college elite to take the fall, Avery goes ballistic. Director Joe Calarco divides the vignettes with sweeping sound track endings of the greatest known classic flicks – putting punctuation to each scene and affording us the time to reflect on the nuances of the unfolding relationships. It takes riveting performances by an excellent cast to pull off three hours of conversation. So settle in, sans popcorn, for an honest depiction of the curious art of the mundane. Through April 24th at Signature Theatre (Shirlington Village), 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. For tickets and information call 703 820-9771 or visit www.sigtheatre.org. Jordan Wright  Along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way County Donegal, a windswept land of mountains and coastal cliffs, meadows and quaint fishing villages is finally getting its due as one of the most beautiful and unspoiled destinations in the world. Not only does it offer up its mysteries to those interested in probing its rich heritage, but it affords a myriad of activities for those seeking adventure.  Pastoral Scene of the Fanad Peninsula Depending on your interest, in a single day you can take in a night of music in a lively pub, explore ancient ruins, hike a mountain passage or loll about at tea time in the posh drawing room of a turreted castle.  Eventide in Moville For some it’s a round of golf with sweeping sea views, a feast of mussels and lobsters from the daily catch, or surfing the waves along a Blue Flag beach. Others are drawn to the music. Donegal is where New Age songstress Enya launched her career in a pub owned by her musical family the Brennan’s, and a place where on any given night, fiddlers and balladeers still raise the rooftops at local watering holes. There’s so much to enjoy if you remember that getting there is part of the adventure.  The blue waters of Mulroy Bay You’ll find the Irish are genuinely keen to meet strangers – like our chance encounter with a pair of octogenarians who giggled like schoolgirls and chatted us up when they heard our American accents, or the shopkeeper who poured generous shots from a bottle of homemade poitín, Ireland’s answer to white lightening.  Wild crocosmia Traveling along well-paved highways the land spreads out like one great patterned tablecloth – the undulating hills and roadsides ablaze with color. Mile after mile claims great swaths of purple heather, vivid orange crocosmia and bright yellow gorse bowing to the breeze. Sheep are ubiquitous dotting the fields under a vast horizon bisected by impossibly blue skies. Even on a misty day it’s beguiling.  Sheep graze atop the headland on Arranmore Island It’s a mystical land of ancient Druids and conquering Vikings, of ruling dynasties and the chieftain families of the O’Neills and O’Donnells. From the sea we get tales of Spanish Armada ships wrecked on northernmost shores and from the land mystical histories of burial mounds older than the pyramids of Egypt are revealed. It is known to travelers as the Wild Atlantic Way. And it is where our adventure unfolds. Oh, the things you can do in five days! It is wondrous.  The Grianan of Aileach From Dublin go north through County Meath and its alluring horse country, and beyond through the counties of Monaghan, Tyrone and Strabane, to make your first stop at the Grianan of Aileach, a stone ringfort built in the Neolithic age and linked to the Tuatha de Danann. A short walk down the hill beside a small spring, will take you to a small wooden cross that marks St. Patrick’s Well, a spot it is thought that St. Patrick visited in the 5th century.  Connemara ponies beside the bay Overnight in Moville at the oceanfront 17th century Redcastle Hotel. The property features a luxury spa that uses 100% organic seaweed-based Voya beauty products, a 9-hole parkland golf course and an indoor Thalasso pool overlooking the waters of Lough Foyle. Its in-season menu highlights locally sourced food elegantly prepared. www.RedcastleHotelDonegal.com  View from the greens at Greencastle Golf Club along Silver Strand Beach In the morning set off along the windswept northern coastlines across the Inishowen Peninsula between Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly, stopping first in Greencastle. Here you can visit the local Moville Pottery, play a round of golf at the Greencastle Golf Club on Silver Strand Beach at Sweet Nellie’s Cove (call ahead to pre-arrange) and tour the Inishowen Maritime Museum & Planetarium. www.InishowenMaritime.com  Brian McDermott’s Cooking School Lunch brought us to the outskirts of the small town of Carrownaffe where well-known BBC-TV chef Brian McDermott, fondly known as the “No Salt Chef”, welcomed us to his cookery school in a charming clapboard cottage surrounded by herb and vegetable gardens. McDermott triumphs a no-salt diet created as a result of personal health issues.  (L-R) Fish course at the cooking school ~ Berry crumble for the class Focusing predominantly on seafood, the chef also offers a “Catch It, Cook It” experience that combines a kayak or canoe fishing trip with a hands-on demonstration on how to prepare your catch. Don’t be surprised to see playful porpoises, dolphins and whales breaching along the coastline. The subsequent three-course luncheon is the main attraction. www.TheNoSaltChef.com www.InishAdventures.com  Fort Dunree Known as “Grey Fort” or “Fort of the Heather”, Fort Dunree is a former coastal defense fortification in nearby Buncrana overlooking the Lough Swilly fjord. Built by the British in the early 1800’s, it offers a small, yet fascinating, military museum that spans the period from Viking invaders to present day.  The 90 cm carbon arc searchlight Of special interest is a large collection of artillery guns and a 205-year old carbon arc searchlight, still in use today. www.Dunree.pro.ie Stop in the pretty village of Buncrana where you’ll find plenty of pubs and shops and the restored St. Mary’s Hall Cinema built in 1904.  Potted agapanthus at Rathmullan House Listed in Ireland’s Blue Book of Irish Country House, Historic Hotels and Restaurants is the four-star Rathmullan House, a stunning Georgian manor with bespoke gardens, modern amenities and an exceptional cuisine.  A view of the gardens at Rathmullan House Breakfast is a stunner with Irish cheeses, fresh ham, homemade brown bread, flapjacks, bowls of fresh berries and house-made granola. www.RathmullanHouse.com  A pub in the wee village of Buncrana Before leaving Rathmullan take a tour of the Kinegar Craft Beer Brewery. One of the founders of the Wild Atlantic Way Craft Beer Trail which boasts 13 small craft breweries, it is located at the end of a narrow country lane surrounded by fields, farms and horses. This small but productive popular brewery is the epitome of a family-run operation. www.KinegarBrewing.ie  (L-R) Off to market ~ The barns outside Kinegar Brewery Traveling along the Fanad Peninsula to the lighthouse, stop at Ballyhiernan Bay. Over a mile long, the dune-backed beach is the perfect stroll before lunch.  The dunes leading to Ballyhiernan Bay Though Donegal features 11 lighthouses, the one on the Fanad Peninsula is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Perched atop the heart-poundingly spectacular cliffs of Lough Swilly and Mulroy Bay, the iconic lighthouse has its own heliport.  The Fanad Lighthouse and heliport With advance booking you can overnight in the cozy efficiency and awake to the sound of giant waves crashing up against the rocks plus a vista of unimaginable beauty. www.FanadLighthouse.com On the way to Churchill and Glenveagh Castle note the Derryveagh Mountains rising in the distance. You’ll be passing thousands of acres of bogs where turf is still harvested to heat homes. Set on a high promontory along Lough Veagh, the castle is part of the Glenveagh National Park and the Donegal Garden Trail.  The walled gardens and greenhouses of Glenveagh Castle Once there, take a guided tour of the antique-filled rooms of the Scottish baronial style mansion house, the Victorian walled gardens and the greenhouses. The former estate and hunting lodge of the heir to the McIlhenny Tabasco fortune, it was constructed in 1869 and visited by American film stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo and Charlie Chaplin.  One of the drawing rooms at Glenveagh Castle This 40,000-acre setting, framed by the Dooish and Staghall mountains, has its own herd of red deer who drink from the clear waters of the lough. You can learn more at the Visitor’s Center about the park’s recent project to reintroduce the Golden Eagle to Ireland. Take time for a spot of tea and freshly made scones at the café where tiny birds flutter in and out among the tables. www.GlenveaghNationalPark.ie www.DonegalGardenTrail.com On Main Street in the former fishing village of Dunfanaghy is Arnold’s Hotel, a cozy, well-located, family-run hotel with views of the bay. After check-in head off for dinner at The Singing Pub and Ocras Café in Downings on Sheephaven Bay.  The daily catch served in copper-lidded tureens at the Ocras Cafe There you’ll find a welcoming peat-burning fireplace, seafood fresh off the boat and lively music by local bands.  (L-R) A typical jam at The Singing Pub ~ The peat burning fireplace at The Singing Pub Nautical décor includes a lifebuoy from the Titanic. On the night we visited, bracketed between traditional Irish folk music and American country ballads, we heard a beautiful young lass sing a haunting rendition of Patsy Cline’s “I Can’t Help It”. www.ArnoldsHotel.com www.SingingPub.ie  Riders head out to the shoals of Killahoey Strand After a traditional Irish breakfast, walk behind the hotel to find the stables. Snag a helmet and boots from the tack room and saddle up to take a guided group ride into the shoals of of Killahoey Strand along Dunfanaghy Bay. www.DunfanaghyStables.com  On the ferry to the island Heading off to Burtonport the Errigal Mountains loom largely over the bucholic terrain. At the harbor catch the 15-minute ferry ride to Arranmore Island, a scenic island boasting a population of around 600 residents, which swells to nearly a thousand in summers as visitors come to the traditional Gaeltacht schools to learn the Irish language.  The harbor at Burtonport Aboard the ferry you’ll probably share a bench with adorable Irish-speaking children who make the daily round trip to schools on the mainland. For daily ferry schedules visit www.ArranmoreFerry.com.  Jimmy the Sheep Once on the island you’re in the town of Leabgarrow. Head to GrassRoutes to rent electric bicycles to reach the headlands on self-guided tours. www.GrassRoutes.ie. Keep an eye out for Jimmy, the cutest black-faced sheep on the island. Scuba and sea angling charters leave daily from the harbor. And if birding’s on your agenda, tour the neighboring chain of islands by charter boat. www.DiveArranmore.com Once back on the mainland it’s time for a pint of Guinness or a perfectly made Irish coffee topped with soft whipped cream at Leo’s Tavern in Meenaleck.  Making the perfect Irish coffee at Leo’s Tavern Named after Leo Brennan, an accomplished musician and father of the iconic singer Enya, the large pub is lined with her celebrity photos and framed platinum and gold records. www.LeosTavern.com  Harvey’s Point Lodge For timelessly elegant dining and world-class wines, make reservations far in advance for the ever-popular Harvey’s Point Lodge. Situated along Lough Eske, the hotel’s restaurant, calls its dining experience, “Cuisine Art” and offers a dinner cabaret on Wednesday nights.  (L-R) Local fish and clams with oranges and roasted beets ~ Irish beef with foie gras and local vegetables at Harvey’s Point ~ Meringue atop coconut pie with lime and strawberry sauce Should you choose to overnight here, the suites in this award-winning hotel are spacious and luxurious. www.HarveysPoint.com  Solis Lough Eske Castle Solis Lough Eske Castle is framed by the Blue Stack Mountains on one side and the lough on the other. A five-star property, it is a peerless example of a Tudor-baronial castle.  Tea time at the Solis Locke Eske Castle Take time to stroll the 41-acre woodlands and enjoy the spa and indoor pool. Breakfast is lavish and features fresh fruits, locally smoked salmon and made-to-order omelets. www.SolisHotels.com/lougheskecastle/  (L-R) The manor at Salthill Gardens ~ Guarding the manor at Salthill was this terrifying clutch of tailwaggers A half-hour’s drive away outside the village of Mountcharles, lie the perennial-filled gardens of Salthill with its striking seaside views and fields of meadow grasses overlooking Donegal Bay.  A riot of color in the gardens at Salthill Wander through mown paths lined with ferns and wildflowers and take in the aroma of 19th century roses that flourish on stone arches in the walled gardens.  A bowl of shells adorns a window ledge inside the potting shed These exceptionally curated gardens with charming potting shed for visitors, are overseen by Elizabeth Temple who resides in the mansion house and can often be found tending to its glories. www.DonegalGardens.com  (L-R) Eithna’s ~ The dining room at Eithna’s By the Sea Traveling to Mullaghmore in nearby Sligo County is Eithna’s by the Sea run by Eithna O’Sullivan and Prannie Rattigan of Prannie’s Irish Seaweed Kitchen. Rattigan is a medical doctor by trade and an expert in edible seaweed who lectures at conferences around the world on the benefits of algae, more familiarly known as seaweed.  A bounty of seaweed ready for the kitchen Over 600 species of marine algae can be found off Irish shores. Here they are sustainably harvested along the Atlantic coast where their vitamin and mineral-enriched flavors appear in delicately prepared seafood dishes.  (L-R) (L-R) Crab and seaweed with lemon foam ~ Crab and seaweed with lemon foam ~ Fish and shellfish form a delicious relationship Be sure to sample one of her homemade cakes and take home a bottle or two of hand-harvested dried seaweed. Nori, kombu, sea lettuce, dulse and wakame are available for purchase. www.EithnasRestaurant.com  The Spanish Armada Trail After lunch tour the Spanish Armada Trail on foot, on horseback or by kayak along the tidal lagoons with Maritime Archaeologist Auriel Robinson of Sea Trails. www.Seatrails.ie Close by Dublin’s airport in Meath, but a world away from the hustle and bustle, is the opulent, Georgian period Dunboyne Castle, a magnificent property with spa and lovely gardens. Relax in this former home of the Lord of Dunboyne before your flight home.  Courtesy of Dunboyne Castle Hotel For direct flights to Dublin from Dulles Airport visit www.AerLingus.com. For further information on traveling the Wild Atlantic Way, visit www.WildAtlanticway.com. |
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