Free Date in a Five-Star Michelin Restaurant

30 DAYS OF GRATITUDE | DAY 30

Since it's our sixth year anniversary today as a couple and we didn't have any fancy celebration (hint: we're saving up for a house), let me just reminisce the only romantic date we had this year after Zeya was born. I'm grateful for this date because of three things: 1) it marked the end of a difficult season at work for R; 2) it's our first time to dine in a 5-star Michelin restaurant; and 3) it's FREE! (sponsored).

We found Chapter One tucked in a basement under the Writers Museum on Parnell Square. The interior was minimalist but elegantly decorated. R forbid me to take photos inside using our trusty DSLR, so the rest of the photos were captured via iPhone. :)

It was the 26th of May. I was still deep into the fog of the newborn stage whilst a foreboding fog at work had lifted over R. Having said that, we both needed a little break, and to drink and be merry even for just a night. 

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The first order of business---menu. We decided to try the tasting menu which consisted of sample portions of many different dishes served in several courses. We loved the idea of satisfying our palette with a little bit of the restaurant's bests and a glass of varying wines after each course. 

However, R was driving. U-huh! Our mistake, we should have taken a taxi. Now that meant I was the only one who indulged in wine! Poor lad went the non-alcoholic way. 

First course: Japanese pear tapioca with St. Tola goat's cheese, organic spinach, mushroom juice and Irish shiitake. Chapter One is known for showcasing the best of Irish produce. So each menu features a local produce. Thumbs up to this cause and to the food.

And in case you're wondering, no, I didn't memorize the menu. It's here. We were googling them away while eating away. :)

And the wine that went with it:

Second Course: Charred cured mackerel and packed Carlington oysters with apple and lovage dressing and oyster cream. Another thumbs up. 

Only my second and I was already tipsy and goofy.

Third Course: Wood pigeon terrine with pickled damsons and mirabelles, foie gras parfait and warm brioche. Whew, these terms here!

My wine glasses. As much as I wanted to remember the beautifully named wines while they were being served, I couldn't. They all sounded French to me. :)

Fourth Course: Pig's tail stuffed with Fingal Ferguson's bacon and lobster, basil puree and mustard fruits with the wine. Of course.

Fifth and Sixth Course: At this point, I couldn't pair the menu names to the actual food anymore so I would just post the photos of the remaining courses we devoured.

But the dessert? This was a piece of heaven!

And I managed to snap a photo of us at the dining table ever so discreetly.

Also, we managed to ask a staff to take a photo of us just before we left.

The best part of this dining experience was being told after that all was taken care of and paid for. The fruit of my husband's hard work and dedication. 

Truly grateful for this experience which just about covered all the other monthsaries and anniversaries we celebrated simply and quietly this year. Grateful for the past six years. Grateful for R. :)

Four Years Married

30 DAYS OF GRATITUDE | DAY 10

This 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge has been a good exercise for me in counting my blessings this year and in documenting the milestones in my married and mommyhood life. I'm glad I'm doing this although I'm a little behind. I've been trying my very best to sit and type away whenever I have the time. Between trying to keep Zeya alive and taking care of myself and R too, I have very little time.  But let's do this.

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We celebrated our 4th year wedding anniversary on June 30th this year. I am forever grateful to the Author of Love and Life for weaving my life with R and for the past four fantastic years of being married to him. Unlike the previous years when we decided to celebrate our wedding anniversaries by traveling and ticking off our travel bucket list, this year's was celebrated simply and quietly. To be able to get out of our apartment is already a reason to celebrate!

It was a lovely summer day, a sneaker-dress-jeans kind of day, a perfect day to celebrate love and life. We drove to Ardgillan Castle with our  then 3-month old baby. R and I were both wishing the same thing: for Zeya to be good and stay calm so we could walk and take time to smell the roses. Literally as there were thousands of them in the Rose Garden.

But how do you celebrate anniversaries with a newborn in tow? Well, you take turns pushing the stroller and taking photos and being "in" the photo. We didn't bother to bring a tripod as it would add up to the things we would be carrying around.

First things first. Photos from that day:

Here's the view you will enjoy as you enter the huge castle area:

Bubba Zeya sleeping for most of the time we were in Argdillan. Hurray!

To the castle we went to eat our anniversary lunch.

Sweet moments with my Isaiah Patrick by the window. He's in my tummy on our third wedding anniversary; he's in my arms on our fourth. What could be lovelier than that? :)

Pushing the pram with a sleeping baby:

The castle at front. We used 35mm lens thus, I didn't capture the whole structure.

Towards the Rose Garden:

Now the lush and beautiful Rose Garden of Ardgillan. We will come back next year to pay another visit because it's just worth it. 

Being married is an adventure like no other. I always say this during bridal showers when I have the chance to speak, "Marriage is a beautiful gift." Because it is. It was designed by God to last a lifetime after all. And because it is a gift, it is to be taken care of with the most delicate care. You just don't treasure it, you fight for it too, and you work hard for it. You don't give up on it because the road is rough. You keep that gift still close to your heart because you know what? When years add up to your marriage and the list of the things you hurdled together successfully gets longer and longer, that's when you will know, the working hard part is worth it. That to be able to do life with someone through it all is indeed a gift. 

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Married now for four amazing years with you R. Cheers to 4 years of struggles and successes we've hurdled together, to 4 years of laughter and tears we shared together, to 4 years of smooth and rough roads we traveled together, to a lot more in the future. And we're talking about forever here! :)