We're still here

Me and Aaron are always trying to figure out the best ways to spend our time...well not our time really, but our energy. It feels like you're only allotted a certain amount of creative energy each day, and the trick is figuring out when and how that energy works best for you. Example...if we want to do a new painting and we want to organize the studio as well, Aaron will insist that we do the painting first because we'll be able to put our purest, cleanest, brightest energy into it. And then way later, after a long and challenging creative day we can organize the studio without the pressure of the new painting looming over us. Because when you're an artist, your next painting is the most important painting in your life. So every other task on that given day should come second. It seems simple, and you'd think after 20 years of being a working artist you'd have it all figured out...but nope. You're constantly re-writing and reinforcing your "rules".

Which leads me to this...this blog post that I'm writing after a million months of not blogging. This blog is something I really want to do...something that both me and Aaron really want to do. But we get lost in the countless other daily tasks and the blog gets tossed on the remainder pile. And I really wish that it didn't. Because it should be a priority. It's one more extension of our creative selves that we feel is pretty vital. 

So we're really trying to get a handle on the good things lately. Like taking time to go into the city, or go to an eatery we've been dying to go to, or just to walk up to the beach after we ship out that day's stack of packages. The beach is like a couple blocks away, and regardless of the current cold temps, it's the perfect place to hit the reset button and focus on a huge expanse of sky and sea and sand, rather than the screen of a handheld device.

We're not on the ocean, we're on the bayshore. So on calm days there's barely a ripple on the surface of the water and it's as close to silent as a beach can be.

Giant hunks of stuff like this are always washing up on the shore, and you wonder when and how this massive block of wood and metal broke off of whatever it was attached to. (note: when I was typing the previous sentence I said "hey Aar, if I'm talking about stuff washing up on the beach, what word can I use in place of "stuff"? And the bookworm instantly answered "detritus". To which I answered "well, I guess I'm sticking with "stuff."' haha!)

Ok...so we're constantly referencing whatever show we're currently obsessed with. Our fave show right now is Taboo on FX. Sooooo good! It's got Tom Hardy being his usual odd self...stalking around with fierce purpose, brooding, and half the time he's grunting instead of talking. Anyway, the show takes place in the early 1800s when the East India Trading Company pretty much ruled the world. So when we saw this giant slab we of course were like "hey, this thing could've broke off some East India Trading barge like 200 years ago."

Yeah, we're dorks...I never said we weren't. 

We always walk down to this giant storm drainage pipe because...well because it's there. No other reason really. haha! 

ps. giant platform boots aren't meant for rock climbing.

I love the contrast of the bright orange rusted rocks against the wintery blue monochrome beachscape.
Also, it's kinda hard to see in these pics, but directly across the bay is NYC. At night you can see it more distinctly...to the left is Staten Island, in the middle is Manahattan, and on the right you can clearly see the colorful blinking lights of Coney Island.
Our drive to NY takes a little under an hour.

When the tide is high these rocks are almost completely submerged.

I know our beach isn't the most exciting place in the world, but I don't know what we'd do without it. There have been so many heavy times, stressful times, and also perfectly pleasant times, when just a little walk up on the beach was exactly what we needed that day. 

Anyway, to get back to what I was saying about creative energy at the beginning of this post...I'm really gonna try to make this blog one of our priorities. Also we're gonna share lots more food and recipes. We actually just started a second Instagram account that will be dedicated to cooking, eating, health & exercise, etc... This will also give us an excuse to get out more and visit all the vegan food spots we've stalking.

Hopefully we'll have so much more personal interaction with you guys in the coming months. That was sort've our only New Year's resolution...just to get out there more, be more present, and don't let weeks slip by unnoticed. We're going to try to put the good things at the top of the list each day. 

xo Jenny & Aaron 

Executive chauffeur hire in west and south west of Ireland with Dave Hogan

What a beautiful, and colorful scene.
 2017 is begining to look like a bumper year for my chauffeurdrive business, and my calendar is filling up rapidly, so if you are interested in talking to me, you should not delay. My main business comes through past customers, and that is always a good sign. I have no problem standing over that claim, as i can refer you directly to these past customers who will tell you all about me and my service. There are not many companies who can do that for you.

I cannot promise that i will find a cow  standing on top of a stone wall like this lady, I managed to get this photo one day, as that is the wall at the end of my own garden in Kinvara. She was really enjoying a feed of Ivy, something they go crazy for. 

 The Dingle Peninsula is one of the areas i always like to include in my tours of the west and south west. The roads here are quiet a challenge, so maybe you might like to relax a little and leave the driving to someone like me. I think you just might be a lot more relaxed as you enjoy these breathtaking views.

On roads like these, there is little time to take in the view, if you are driving.

Everything about how i operate is easy. I do the planning, i book top class accommodation, i can advise on the best places to eat, the best pubs where you get the best entertainment, and i will tell you about the country i grew up in, and love so dearly, and of course, people say i am the best also. Ask them yourself.
I like nothing better than happy people touring with me, and when you book my service, you get me, not any driver pulled out of the hat.

If you are interested, please do not delay. I hate to have to disappoint anybody.

Seeking chauffeurdriven tour in Ireland.

 A old Norman tower on the edge of the Atlantic, overlooking the Aran Islands.
My business is mainly based on clients from the USA, and indeed has been since i set up Dovechauffeurdrive many years ago. My love for Ireland, its great but tragic history, our wonderful traditional music, Just another beautiful and our love of story-telling, singing, and dancing, have great appeal to our many visitors. We are a people who love to have fun, to laugh and to ignore the worries of tomorrow, but yet survive whatever they may be. There is a friendliness about our people that is contagious and i find that this is something that my customers fall in love with.
Ireland is a place that most descendants of this green isle just have to visit at least once in their lives. For many years now it has been like that, and it is a dream that has become a reality for many many people.
It has always been a great place to visit, but maybe never better value than right now. The strength of the Dollar versus the Euro is inspiring many Americans to make the move and grab the chance to make their dream come true.

The famous Castle and grand Cathedral known as the Rock of Cashel in county Tipperary. 

There is tremendous value to be had here right now. Once you have your accommodation covered, which you have when you tour with me, you can get by on very little during the day. You do not have to be eating in expensive restaurants, as the pub grub here is as good as you will get anywhere and if anything, the portions are just too big. You can have a full lunch of a roast, plus your veg and potato for around 10 Euro, and you will not need another big meal for the rest of that day. The breakfast you will have had will ensure that you have had more than enough and maybe something very light in the evening, if you are able for anything, will suffice.

A prize winning photos i snatched of this Leprechaun hiding in a bush on the Ring of Kerry.

My favourite oyster and seafood restaurant in the whole world, Moran's of the Weir, near Galway city.

Just one of the many places you can visit with me. My own very special territory is all along the Western seaboard, from Cork and Kinsale, through Kerry and the Ring, the Dingle peninsula and the Gap of Dunloe, the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands, to Connemara and on.

What are you waiting for, just send me a message, and i will give you a call.

Looking for chauffeurdrive service in South of Ireland

 I took this picture the other morning, as i took an early morning stroll near my home. This little harbour is just about a half of a mile distance from my house, and i just could not resist going home again for my camera to catch this lovely scene for my Blog. 
What a lovely spell of weather we are having, and what a shame we do not get more credit for all the nice weather we do get in Ireland.
People come to me looking for information about my service, and then then begin to try to make up their minds maybe about when might be the best time for them to come. 
One of the main difficulties here is that it is very hard to predict. We do get our share of rain, but many of the days, when we do get rain, have long spells of sunshine also. Our weather is rarely extreme. We do not get hurricanes, we do not get tornadoes, we do not get earthquakes or Tsunamis, we do not get blizzards. Our highest temperatures are high seventies or low eighties, our lowest just three or four below.  I love my Irish weather. If we did not have the rain we have, Ireland would no longer have the beautiful green landscape, nor the beautiful flowers and shrubs we have. It also makes traveling so much more comfortable.

The West of Ireland is famous for its stone walls, and i took this picture also on my early morning walk. All of these stones are loosely packed on top of one another, without any mortar being used. If you think that that is easy, forget it. It takes years to learn the art of stone wall building, and there is nobody better than the Irish at doing it.
The cattle are not mine, but they do not know that, and they talk to me all the time. 
You need to come and see this for yourself.
When to come?
I always say, anytime, but best sometime between the begining of April and the end of October. Now i suppose March will be lovely this year. Murphy's law. I had a really nice tour last year in November. Such is Irish weather.
Most of all, remember, there is a lot more to Ireland than the weather.
Drop me a line and we can take it from there.

Places to put on your list.
Connemara and Galway. The Aran Islands. The Cliffs of Moher and the Burren of County Clare. Killarney and the Ring of Kerry. The Dingle peninsula. Kinsale and the harbour port of Cove.
You can do all of that with me. I would love to be the one to take you around.

Chauffeurdriven holidays Ireland 2017

 Things to beware of when booking a chauffeurdrive service.

 Further to my previous Blog, i have had many queries with regard to the chauffeurdrive services available and how careful you need to be when booking such a service.
These are some very important things to check.

1) Are the company members of the Irish Chauffeurdrive association? If so , that is a very good start.

2) Have they the necessary insurances, and has the driver got a PSV licence (Public service vehicle licence.?)
 
3)  Is their service a touring service, or do they concentrate mainly on corporate work or transfers mainly. You need someone (like us) who do nothing other than touring.

4) I would always recommend that they are prepared to put you in touch with someone who has toured with them previously, and who can give you an honest opinion on the service being offered.

5 ) When receiving a quote, always make sure that you are being quoted for a "Like for Like " tour.
What kind of reputation have they? What is the accommodation that they are offering like compared to what may be available with someone else? I only use Tourist Board recommended accommodation, and that is all quality.

6) Are there hidden charges? Do they charge extra if they have to be available in the evenings?

7)What is their transport like?

These are just some of the things you need to watch out for.

If you have any more queries, just send me an e-mail.

Regards for now

Dave

Chauffeurdriven tours in Ireland west and southwest with Dave Hogan and Dove

 Entering the magical territory, known as the Dingle peninsula.

Planning on an Irish adventure, maybe a visit to your ancestral home? This, for many Americans is a life long dream, something they have always known that they must do, when the time was right.
Now that you can do it, what is the best way to do it, and what are the alternatives.
The three most popular ways are,
(1) A bus tour.

(2) Plan it yourself, and drive yourself.

(3) Get an expert to plan it for you, and who will drive, and guide you, around, and who will look after all of your accommodation arrangements, and just take care of you.  Now let us have a closer look at all of these options.

 (1) The bus tour
I have travelled this way, in various countries, and they were mostly fine, but they have their drawbacks. When you pick a bus tour, you must accept the itinerary presented to you. Some of it may be to your liking, but there will be parts of that tour which you may not like that much. You are stuck to a pretty regimental itinerary, and they can be pretty hectic tours. You cannot choose your company on that tour, and this can also be a drawback. If they include meals, you can be on limited menus, and that can also be a problem.Accommodation may not always be to your liking.

(2) Plan and drive yourself.
If you are coming from a country where you drive on the right hand side of the road, you have a problem straight away. The main roads in Ireland are fine, but you will still be on the wrong side. The rural roads, many in those remote areas where the real beauty is to be found, are narrow, winding, hilly, and roads i would not recommend to inexperienced drivers.
Finding your way around, even with sat navigation, is not going to be easy. You will get lost, and that means you will be losing time, and maybe lots of time.
You will have to organise all of your accommodation, and you can only rely on what you read, and where you read it. As we say, paper never refused ink.
Car hire may look like good value, but when you add on Insurance it can work out a lot more, and you better not think of getting the minimum amount of insurance, or you could end up having a very expensive vacation. More expensive than you think. My son was home from the USA at Christmas, and the insurance cost him more than the car hire. He got a bit of a shock.
God forbid that you might have an accident, then you really have problems.

(3) Get an expert to plan it for you and to take you around.

Straight away there are major advantages.
Now you will have a plan that you can rely on, and one you yourself will have had an input into. You will have flexibility.
Now you will have somebody who knows their way around without sat navigation, someone who will never get lost,who has all the insurances to cover you while you are traveling, who is a qualified chauffeur and who has the licenses to prove it,and who will be relating the historic detail, and a whole lot more for you as your travel.
Someone who has stayed many times in the places you will be staying in, and who is known and respected by the owners or the management. Someone who knows the best places to eat and to shop, who knows the best pubs, and where you will find the best entertainment. Someone who will look after you. Someone who can refer you to people on your side of the Atlantic who have toured with him, and who will be only glad to recommend him.
And finally, you may be pleasantly surprised by the cost of my chauffeurdriven tours. When you add it all up, you will agree that it is the way to go.

 Would you like to cuddle a lamb? I think i can find a smaller one than this guy for you if you do. This lady toured with me this past year, and i took this picture on the Dingle peninsula.

 Here we have the full party, sitting on a low wall with the famous Inch beach in the background, and the mountains of the Ring of Kerry in the distance.  Yes, that is yours truly in the middle. These ladies were a lovely group, and we had a wonderful time together.

 Slea Head, at the tip of the Dingle peninsula, is a really beautiful place. Here we have the ruins of an old house, once owned by farming and fishing people, the occupation of the vast majority of the people on these peninsulas.In the background, we have the famous Blasket Islands, now abandoned since the mid nineteen hundreds when many of them found life just too difficult, and followed their relatives, mainly to the USA, and to Springfield Mass, and Hungry Hill.
I could keep on writing, i have so much i could tell you, but maybe the best way to find out a lot more is to come and travel with me. I am sure that you will enjoy the experience, and i will enjoy being the one to help you to make your dreams come true.
Send me a message and we can take it from there.

Chauffeurdriven vacations Ireland West and South west of Ireland 2017 with the experts.

My lovely holly tree, pictured in the sunshine in my garden. It really does make it feel like Christmas here.

One of our lovely comfortable touring cars pictured on the harbour front in Kinvara with the ancient Dun Guaire castle in the background. This is a family sized vehicle , also suitable for a golfing group. We cater for groups of varying sizes, from singles and couples, to family and larger sized groups.
We concentrate out touring on the western seaboard mainly, all the way along the Wild Atlantic way, the area i grew up in and love most of all. Our tours always allow for a couple of days in Dublin, if required, and also special requested visits to areas of special interest to our clients, such as areas with an ancestral history.The west, and south west is, for me, the most beautiful part of Ireland. This is an area which was devastated by our terrible famine, the area from which hundreds of thousands of people fled, mainly to the USA, in order to escape disease and hunger, an area blessed by the wonderful rugged Atlantic coastline, offshore islands, magnificent mountain ranges, quaint small towns and villages, where you can still listen to people speak our native Irish language, listen to their songs and their traditional music, and enjoy their Irish dancing, and sit in an Irish pub and enjoy a pint of Guinness with native people who will always make you feel very much at home.
Come and enjoy it with us.

I spent a good deal of time in the Killarney area over the Christmas, and i took this cute picture of a decorated horse with his jaunting car.

 My son was at home for the Christmas from Chicago, and here we are pictured together in the main street of Killarney, waiting for Santa to turn up with a little something for us.

 Another one of our happy groups who toured with us this Summer, pictured in front of their bus.

 The Gap of Dunloe in county Kerry is one of my own favourite areas. Not an area to drive through yourself, eventhough some people do. The roads are extremely narrow and dangerous, and, if you do drive, you miss out on the part of the journey where you travel down through the lakes in the open boats. By driving yourself you also put the lives of people traveling in the jaunting cars, at risk, along with your own.
In this picture, the horse is begining the journey to the Gap, an opening between the mountain tops which was carved by an ancient glacier in the ice-age.

 One of the bridges you cross on your way to the top.

 This horse looks like he is very happy to have reached the summit. the views from here are just breath-taking.

 Now, at last, on the way down through the lakes in the open boats, and on the way back to Killarney and Ross castle on Lough Laune.

 All happy together in the boat, and wrapped up in their life jackets. Not to worry, it is a very safe journey indeed.

 I just had to add this picture of this little baby donkey, just a couple of weeks old, and being well watched by Mom.

 One of the views of the many small lakes you pass as you look  back down from the Gap,

 Finally for today, the awesome Cliffs of Moher.
What more do you need to make you come to Ireland?
Just send us a message and we will take it from there. When you have the right people working with you on your plan, you can rest assured that all is well.