Saint patrick's day/Irish Coffee

When I was growing up, Saint Patrick's day was in fact a big deal.But not in the ways you might think. First of all, it was always a holiday----nice--no school. Next it came in the middle of lent. And usually we had given up sweets (candy) for lent. But St.Patrick's day was a dispensation---we could eat our hoarded Cadbury's chocolate, Mars' bars, Smarties, and Liquourice Allsorts. We eagerly looked forward to digging into the stash. So imagine my rage one year to discover that my 2 brothers had broken into my carefully hoarded pile of sweets before Saint Patrick's day. And they had eaten the lot! (I think they left some mints----not a favourite) Grrrr.....I will spend the rest of the day figuring out how I can retroactively punish them!

Irish Coffee: Again when I was young---well in this case I was in my late teens---I used to work at a very fancy hotel in county Kerry---during the summer. I had 2 jobs: one was to make Irish coffees----see I am very experienced---the other was to sit at my Irish harp and to sing a few ditties. If you come to our St. Patrick's day party, you will sample my Irish Coffees but you will not be "treated" to the other part of my former job!


Please do come

To read details about the party go HERE

Food tours/parties at the studio and....I am too tired to think

Sile and her brother Frank who was visiting from Ireland

Eoin and Kofi celebrate on Eoin's birthdaay

I started teaching at UC this week. And I know all the teachers out there will relate when I say I am exhausted. But it is so fun to be with all of the many colleagues with whom I have taught for years ---we really are like family to one another. And my students---from Italy, Russia, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Holland---are super smart, very engaging and so excited about being in Berkeley for the summer. And we used the studio for pre-program meeting last week. Imagine---the studio works well for meetings that are not "craft" in nature!

Family of another sort.......

Nora and Ainate arrived yesterday---Nora being my daughter and Ainate her girlfriend. Today after our knit-out they and I went on a food tour of Berkeley so we are quite sated right this moment. We kept bumping into our friends
Chris Stark and Steve---Chris is my photographer friend who took all those great pics of the studio. It turns out that they were on this side of the bay pretty much doing the same thing. (In case you are wondering---here is our intinerary---The Berkeley Farmers' Market, Sweet Adeline Bakeshop, The Cheese Board, The Cheeseboard Pizza, Masses' Bakery, Peet's.) We got a fabulous little fruit pie at Masses' but the opera cake we got tasted stale---or to clarify--- the cake part tasted stale. So after much talking, we decided to return to the bakery with our 3/4 eaten opera cake. (All 3 of us had tasted to make sure) When we voiced our concerns to the baker/owner ---sotto voce--we didn't want the other patrons to hear---the owner started arguing with us and saying that the cake was meant to be eaten at room temp---it was!----or that the butter cream might have been too cold for us----it wasn't! etc. The Cake was just STALE. They did refund our money-----$4. 75----but I have to say that the exchange left a bad taste in our mouths---OK Ok I know---a bad pun.

Oh but this is supposed to be about knitting! Tomorrow knit-one-one is hosting
a baby shower
knitting party after the Diamond Back Class--can't wait to see how far the great knitters in the class have gone. Back to the party. WE are expecting 15 people including the 2 pregnant guests of honor. There are about 9 non- knitters in the group so Kate and Zoe G will cast on for them before the party and teach and hold their hands during the party. The beginners will knit one square but the more experienced knitters will knit 2 or 3 squares--we are guessing and hoping on that last number After the party we finish the blankets and send them to the guests of honor. If I remember, I will post pics next week