Challenge #01 - Mushrooms

So this month's challenge (which our loyal and plentiful followers will already have read about in our previous post) is mushrooms!  All three of us (and several mushrooms) went to a well known land mark in each of our locations. All is revealed below! 

Nice, Nice, Nice – so nice I say it thrice.

Here I am after climbing the thigh-burning steps of the “Colline du Chateau” (hill of the castle) which, to my surprise does not play host to an actual castle, not since 1706 anyway. Was I disappointed with the lack of chateau-ness as I reached the summit? Absolutely not, the view from the top was worth every sweat particle shed.  Not only are there views from this height, but also a waterfall, park and roman ruins – I like to think of it as my "Colline du Bliss". You would almost skip a meal if it meant making it up here for sunset…almost. I am so happy to say that I live a mere 5 minute walk from this breath-taking viewpoint and I feel a lot of my blogging inspiration might come this year from sitting in that very place, overlooking the beauty that is my new home.

I awoke on a crisp wintery morning with mushrooms on the brain, wrapped myself in my dad's tartan scarf and wax jacket (thanks, pops!) and ventured to the nearest "bodega" (I have plenty more slang where that came from!) I chose a Portobello mushroom as a throwback to my last day spent in Dublin redeeming a free pint in a pub on the canal called "The Portobello" (the actual reason: it looked like the sturdiest of the bunch and would survive a bumpy trip stuffed into my bag on the subway). My chosen destination was Times Square. With over 360,000 visitors daily, lights that dazzle and shine and a resident Naked Cowboy nobody batted an eyelid at my humble Portobello mushroom. A stalwart and brave travel companion (and a delicious addition to my dinner later that day!)

My inspiration for this month's challenge was the 2001 academy-award nominated film Amélie. At one point the aforementioned main character places 5 raspberries on her fingers and eats them one by one, savouring every bite. Needless to say I tried doing the same with the mushrooms and as a result I am writing this while simultaneously having to google: "can you die by eating raw mushrooms?".

The pretty little lady behind me goes by the name of Ha'Penny Bridge and it's Dublin's answer to the Pont des Arts in Paris. Except it's not. So, if you are reading this while on your way there and you have a padlock in your possession, please stop immediately and turn the other way around. You are destroying the bridge. Love, Ale.

Next week our Alpha (and only) male will showcase his individual blogging talents and write a piece on a meal he had/made containing (you guessed it!) MUSHROOMS. Emma will take to the stage the week after and Philippa will do her worst the week after that. Got it? Great!
Til next time, feast your eyes on these fungus based pictures!