Tips for Visiting Kylemore Abbey

I've seen a lot of gorgeous old buildings in my travels. And I've seen a lot of beautiful, natural landscapes too. Rarely have I been lucky enough to witness the two merge together quite like they do at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, Ireland.

The Abbey is nestled into the bottom of the Twelve Bens, a mountain range in this northwestern part of the country. As if the building and its setting at the base of a mountain that is blanketed in green trees weren't enough for your eyes to feast on, it is situated directly in front of a lake. I think Mother Nature knew this view was so special, it needed to constantly show off its own reflection.

Visiting Connemara, Ireland

If I were handing out awards Oscar-style to the different portions of our trip to Ireland this summer, here's how it would go:

Most Luxurious Moment: Adare Manor
Best Cinematography: Cliffs of Moher
Best Surprise Performance: Connemara Region

My husband wanted to visit the Connemara region because he never had the chance to come when he spent a semester living in Ireland. It was the one part of the country he hadn't been. Quite honestly, I assumed there was a reason for that, and thought we might be a bit underwhelmed by what we found there. And because my husband requested that I not plan too much for our days there, I hadn't even read much about it in advance (somewhat unheard of for me).

But take a look at what we found. And I think you'll agree that it was definitely worthy of our three days there.

It was everything you hope for in an Ireland vacation: remote villages, charming cottages, rolling hills that fall into deep blue water, sheep dotting the fields. We even saw mountains and beaches.  It even rained the entire time we were there! And what we loved most is that it still seemed a bit undiscovered. Sure, there were fellow tourists there admiring the views just like us. But it wasn't overrun with travelers like some areas of Ireland.

More on the rain and how we didn't let it stop us still to come...

This post is a part of Friday Postcards at Walking on Travels.

Cliffs of Moher: A Dream Fulfilled

I'm not really big on regrets.

But if I could do my college years a bit differently, I would have studied abroad. In fact, sometimes I think that this opportunity to live in England is my second chance at having that experience (albeit with two little kids instead of a carefree college lifestyle...)

When my husband returned home from his own study abroad experience in Ireland, I spent a lot of time looking at his photos. Of all the amazing places he went, I got completely fixated on the Cliffs of Moher. We hadn't been able to travel to this spot on the west coast of Ireland when I visited him because the logistics just didn't make sense. But ever since, I have longed for the chance to see it.

5 Things to Do at Adare Manor with Young Kids

If you're a lover of Ireland travel (and who isn't?), you may have heard of Adare Manor. It is widely considered to be one of the finest hotels and resorts in the country... a country known for its fair share of fabulous places to stay. When I had the opportunity to experience a stay at Adare with my family in July for a review at Ciao Bambino, I was a bit intimidated at first. My boys don't exactly sit still with their hands in their laps for even 5 minutes. I wasn't sure we belonged in a property as luxurious as this.

Wild Wicklow Tour, #TBEX Dublin

I have made plenty of travel mistakes (I'll be writing about our recent string of bad travel luck soon, actually). But sometimes, a little mix-up leads to the most wonderful discoveries.

When I had originally planned my travel to Ireland for a conference I wanted to attend, I had assumed it would take place on Friday and Saturday. Perfect schedule, as my husband would only need to take one day off from work to cover childcare. I even booked my flights without double-checking. Turns out, the conference started a day earlier, on Thursday, and ended Friday. Even if I could have adjusted my flights, my husband had work commitments on Thursday.

Oops.

But this left me with a free day to explore Ireland after the conference ended. Fortunately, the conference organizers had connected attendees with several group tours, allowing us to experience more of the country without having to do a lot of planning. I happily signed up for the Wild Wicklow tour, and I couldn't have been happier with my perfect day in Ireland.

Some places defy words, and the beauty of the Wicklow mountains is one of them. So I put together this little video. I think it should be titled 1 Minute of Irish Heaven.

Love O' Ireland

I've always had a bit of a love affair with Ireland. Although not merely for its sweeping landscapes and what I consider to be the best accent on the planet. My romance started about 12 years ago when I visited my then-boyfriend/now-husband, who like many American college kids was studying abroad in Dublin.

In My Kitchen: Beef and Guinness Stew

I tackled another travel-inspired recipe this week that I'm thrilled to share with you. This recipe for Beef and Guinness Stew was sent to me by a new friend of mine, Amy Lynch. I met Amy on the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau holiday tour that I've written a little about (here and here). Amy has a great food-focused blog, called Amy's Adventures in Food. Her culinary prowess is really impressive (as is her writing), and I know I have a lot to learn from her. Her husband is Irish, and she is well-traveled around Europe.

My husband spent one semester in college living in Dublin and attending University College Dublin. I was lucky enough to spend about 10 days my senior year visiting him there. I fell in love with the beautiful scenery, the friendly people, and just the overall spirit of this country (my husband was already head over heels in love, having had a 3 month head start on me). There's not a doubt in my mind we'll return there, hopefully soon and hopefully often. Much like the time we spent there together in college, I envision long walks and bike rides through the lush, green countryside, followed by hours spent sitting in charming pubs, listening to live music, sipping pints of beer. And this is just the type of dish they'd serve me up in my Irish dreams.

Since much of the country, including my home, has been buried in snow the past few weeks, let me assure you that there's never been a better moment to whip up this delicious stew. Thanks so much, Amy!

2 lbs lean stew beef
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp flour, seasoned with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of cayenne
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
1 1/2 to 2 pints Guinness
3 or 4 medium carrots, cut into large chunks
1 cup fresh button mushrooms, halved
1/2 tsp thyme

Toss the meat in a bowl with 1 tbsp. oil, then sprinkle the seasoned flour mixture over the meat and toss to coat with the flour.

All ready to go in the pot!

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large stewing pot over high heat. Brown the meat well on all sides. Add the onions, garlic and tomato paste. Reduce heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, mushrooms and thyme, then pour in enough Guinness to cover everything. Stir well, gently scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover the pot and simmer gently for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender. Salt and pepper the stew to taste.

In goes the Guinness!

Serve with roasted or mashed potatoes and a hearty bread to sop up the gravy. (This is also great to make in a crock pot-just throw everything in and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours).

This was the perfect recipe for me, because I could prepare it while the arrow napped in the afternoon, and then just had to stir every once in a while as we waited for dad to get home from work. The best part about this recipe was the smell. I texted my husband around 4 p.m. with this: "It smells like Ireland in here."  Now that's traveling from your very own kitchen.

Steamy goodness on a cold, snowy day.

Slainte!

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.