Sunday morning in Dublin had 12 tour buses unloading on Nassau Street outside of Trinity College with hundreds of people walking on the sidewalks. My first reaction was there would be no way I would get a table at the Kilkenny Design Store upstairs restaurant where they have a jazz brunch. Working in my favor is the restaurant does not cater to the tourist. Locals eat there. A local told me about the restaurant. The brunch included a glass of juice (8 ounces, not the tiny ones in the U.S.), a glass of Prosecco, a cup of coffee, bowl of fresh fruit (a small salad bowl of fruit), 2 slices of homemade brown bread with homemade raspberry jam, and 4 hot items–a huge grilled portobello mushroom, baked mashed potatoes in squares, over easy egg, and a sausage. Other choices included scrambled eggs and bacon. My entire bill was 12 Euros. Marie took my tray to the table. She was in her 40s, wore her head slicked back in a tight one inch pony tail. Her face smiled constantly as she galloped around the restaurant (easily seating 100 guests at small 2 and 4 table tops with the tables near the windows covered in bright colored oil cloths). The restaurant has a row of glass looking out over Nassau Street and Trinity College. When the tour buses are not there, one can see the Cricket games on the green from the restaurant. Back to Marie. She looked happy to be there, happy to clean up the biggest mess, happy to run an errand. She has worked there for 2 years and is thrilled to have such a good place to work. She lived down the street so getting there was easy and she was pleased to have so many people come out on a Sunday for Brunch and to hear the jazz. What a breath of fresh air. The world is going to pot and Marie takes pride in her work. I was super impressed. The jazz musicians consisted of a keyboard player and a singer, saxophone, clarinet player who sang Frank Sinatra songs and “The Girl From Ipanema.” Both men had silver white hair, pudgy tummies under dark suits, and drank water from big mugs, which Marie kept filled. The diners were locals, some older couples, families, middle age. One couple sat right in front of the singers and were obviously big fans clapping after every number and going up to leave a tip before they slipped out. He was in bright yellow pants and wore a super large pinky ring that I could see across the room. Both had bleached blonde hair, short and not nicely styled. She was in beige with mismatched colors with purse and shoes. They looked to be in their 80s. When I sat down with Marie putting my tray in place, I realized after she left I had failed to get silverware and napkin. As I was getting up the woman behind me was also getting up. We said hello and I laughed and said where I was off to. She said no, she would get it for me. No, I argued, that was quite alright. Not at all, she said, it is no bother, she would be right back, and she did. We have a lot to learn from the Irish. I have not been disappointed with how very nice every one is and how accommodating they are without wanting anything in return. Brunch was a delight and I did not have to eat the rest of the day. Oh, and on the way to the bus stop for 39A, I saw an Irish shop, popped in and found a Mackintosh on sale that was a perfect fit. No more rain poncho. No more feeling cold in the rain. No more getting wet. It has a hood and little pockets on the inside. Brilliant.