Sunday, September 12, 2010
How to beat your Muslim wife
When I came across this video on Youtube I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. At first I thought it was a joke - but it's not, the man is deadly serious!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Citi Bar and Venue, Dame Street
Today I finally managed to get back to Citi Bar in Dame Street. On my last visit (see my last blog on Feb 8,2010) I was shocked at how five young American girls were refused a drink. Here is what happened.
I often heard the Citi Bar and Venue being advertised on radio and I also saw it being promoted in Airlines Inflight magazines. It is a pub/retaurant/night club and hotel, centrally located in Dublin city centre on Dame Street, which is on the southern edge of Temple Bar - the main nightlife area for tourists. It was late on a Sunday night when I went there and I was surprised to find only 3 other customers, all male in the bar area. I ordered a pint of Heiniken and was served by a pleasant barman. I sat at the bar and was enjoying my pint when five young ladies walked in. They went to the bar counter and discussed among themselves what drinks they would order. Then they asked a barmaid who was washing glasses behind the bar for their drinks. She looked at them in a very unfriendly manner and said "Have you got ID?" The girls looked a bit surprised but proceeded to look for ID in their handbags, which they produced. The "friendly" barmaid glanced at their passports and informed them that she couldn't serve them because the bar had an over 23 policy. The American girls seemed bewildered. They pointed out that they were in this same bar all night last night, but still she refused and actually walked away. The barman who had served me was standing nearby and the girls asked him if he could intervene on their behalf, saying they had come back here because they had enjoyed it the previous night, but mainly to watch the super Bowl on the television. He was apologetic but said there was nothing he could do if the barmaid had refused them. At this stage I tried to intervene on the girls behalf, telling the barman " Ah go on, give the girls a drink - they're on holidays for God's sake". "They just want to watch the Super Bowl!" The barmaid was still loitering behind the bar but was not going to budge on the issue, so the five young American visitors shrugged their shoulders and headed for the door. I was so disgusted that I picked up my nearly full pint and proceeded to pour it down the sink which was just behind the counter. I accept that it's a slightly unorthodox method of protesting, but I think it was legitimate under the circumstances. I told the bar staff that it was disgraceful to treat tourists in this manner and that I was also leaving in protest.
What also annoyed me was that the other customers in the bar made no attempt to intervene on the girls behalf.
Today I went back to Citi Bar, I had soup and brown bread which was delicious and the service was good and friendly. Afterwards I asked to speak to the manager and I outlined the story of what had happened on that night to him. I asked him what was the age policy in Citi Bar and he told me it was "over 21". He said he only worked here for five weeks and that this incident happened before his time and was unfortunate. I don't know if the "friendly" barmaid still works there, but if she does I hope the owners provide her with some basic training in common sense and good manners.
I hope Citi Bar will never again treat customers like this, especially visitors to our city.
I hope the girls got to see the Super Bowl in some friendly bar - AND that their team won.
I often heard the Citi Bar and Venue being advertised on radio and I also saw it being promoted in Airlines Inflight magazines. It is a pub/retaurant/night club and hotel, centrally located in Dublin city centre on Dame Street, which is on the southern edge of Temple Bar - the main nightlife area for tourists. It was late on a Sunday night when I went there and I was surprised to find only 3 other customers, all male in the bar area. I ordered a pint of Heiniken and was served by a pleasant barman. I sat at the bar and was enjoying my pint when five young ladies walked in. They went to the bar counter and discussed among themselves what drinks they would order. Then they asked a barmaid who was washing glasses behind the bar for their drinks. She looked at them in a very unfriendly manner and said "Have you got ID?" The girls looked a bit surprised but proceeded to look for ID in their handbags, which they produced. The "friendly" barmaid glanced at their passports and informed them that she couldn't serve them because the bar had an over 23 policy. The American girls seemed bewildered. They pointed out that they were in this same bar all night last night, but still she refused and actually walked away. The barman who had served me was standing nearby and the girls asked him if he could intervene on their behalf, saying they had come back here because they had enjoyed it the previous night, but mainly to watch the super Bowl on the television. He was apologetic but said there was nothing he could do if the barmaid had refused them. At this stage I tried to intervene on the girls behalf, telling the barman " Ah go on, give the girls a drink - they're on holidays for God's sake". "They just want to watch the Super Bowl!" The barmaid was still loitering behind the bar but was not going to budge on the issue, so the five young American visitors shrugged their shoulders and headed for the door. I was so disgusted that I picked up my nearly full pint and proceeded to pour it down the sink which was just behind the counter. I accept that it's a slightly unorthodox method of protesting, but I think it was legitimate under the circumstances. I told the bar staff that it was disgraceful to treat tourists in this manner and that I was also leaving in protest.
What also annoyed me was that the other customers in the bar made no attempt to intervene on the girls behalf.
Today I went back to Citi Bar, I had soup and brown bread which was delicious and the service was good and friendly. Afterwards I asked to speak to the manager and I outlined the story of what had happened on that night to him. I asked him what was the age policy in Citi Bar and he told me it was "over 21". He said he only worked here for five weeks and that this incident happened before his time and was unfortunate. I don't know if the "friendly" barmaid still works there, but if she does I hope the owners provide her with some basic training in common sense and good manners.
I hope Citi Bar will never again treat customers like this, especially visitors to our city.
I hope the girls got to see the Super Bowl in some friendly bar - AND that their team won.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Citi Bar & Venue, Dame Street - fantastic pub ...
Unless you are -
(1) American
(b) Female
(c) Under 23
More later, after some research.
I went to the much advertised Citi Bar in Dame Street tonight for the first time.
What happened next?
Suffice to say that my GRUMPY blog is going to be revived....
(1) American
(b) Female
(c) Under 23
More later, after some research.
I went to the much advertised Citi Bar in Dame Street tonight for the first time.
What happened next?
Suffice to say that my GRUMPY blog is going to be revived....
Monday, September 14, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Leonard Peltier - Latest news
I wrote a blog on January 29, 2009 about Leonard Peltier. Here is a message from Leonard which I am copying from Máirtín Ó Muilleoir's "From the Balcony - A Publishers Blog"
Friday, July 24, 2009
Charter Medical Group - A Health Warning
I am a very infrequent visitor to Doctor's surgeries and can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've been in the last 10 years. So as the deafness in my left ear got worse and the 3rd trip to the Chemists brought no improvement I decided to look for a Medical Practitioner in my area. A neighbour told me that there was a new walk-in Medical Centre in Smithfield so I decided to go there. It's a posh new building in Smithfield Square and the friendly security lady on the ground level directed me to the Charter Medical Group on the 1st floor. There, the Receptionist told me I could see a Doctor, but they were busy and I would have to wait possibly up to an hour, or maybe longer. "Well OK then, I suppose I have to wait, How much is it to see a Doctor?" "Do you have medical insurance?" "No". "Well, it's €105 (One hundred and five Euro)".
I had been warned to expect to be charged fifty or sixty Euro - but €105 (one hundred and five)? They should publish a health warning on front of the fancy brochure extolling the virtues of Charter Medical Group!
Let's see - 4 patients per hour = €420. Let's say 6 hours per day. = €2,520. Let's say 5 days per week. = €12,600. Let's say Mr G.P. works 40 weeks per year (and takes a well earned break for the other three months). = €504,000. That's Half a Million to you and me! Nice money if you can get in these times of recession.
I said "no, thank you" and left.
Within 15 minutes I found another walk-in Medical Centre which charged €55. Moral of the story - SHOP AROUND ( or don't get sick too often).
I had been warned to expect to be charged fifty or sixty Euro - but €105 (one hundred and five)? They should publish a health warning on front of the fancy brochure extolling the virtues of Charter Medical Group!
Let's see - 4 patients per hour = €420. Let's say 6 hours per day. = €2,520. Let's say 5 days per week. = €12,600. Let's say Mr G.P. works 40 weeks per year (and takes a well earned break for the other three months). = €504,000. That's Half a Million to you and me! Nice money if you can get in these times of recession.
I said "no, thank you" and left.
Within 15 minutes I found another walk-in Medical Centre which charged €55. Moral of the story - SHOP AROUND ( or don't get sick too often).
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