Avoca

Dear Ladies,

Do Not Die until you have been to Avoca

I am going to try to give you a glimpse

of this Retail Heaven

but there is one small problem...

You are NOT ALLOWED to take photographs

and there is a VERY SCARY security guard.

So I will have to be creative

to give you the full Avoca experience.

After admiring the eye watering window display

you wander into an explosion of colour,

scarves, throws and shawls artfully displayed

on distressed French dressers and hat stands.

Which scarf to choose?

The agony!

The ectasy!

of being surrounded

by so many beautiful colours...

The green and grey wins - after much deliberation.

And then upstairs to the children's department

Who could resist the fairy dresses?

The kindly shop assistant

let me take a photograph for my little girl...

Up another flight of stairs to the friendliest of cafes

and delicious Roast Parsnip and Apple soup.

And then back down the creaky stairs,

all the way to the basement,

where the lucky people of Dublin

queue for their handmade bread

and Broccoli, Feta Cheese and Cherry Tomato salad.

The Smoked Chicken and Brie baguette

with Rocket and Roast Tomato chutney

did not survive long enough to be photographed

But the famous Fruit Scones did.

This post is dedicated to Kristina

without whose recommendation it would not have happened.

Kristina, a bottle of the infamous Salad Dressing awaits you...