My Weekend: We are happily living in a place we consider paradise

About to turn 70 next month, Dr E Alana James, a digital artist who lives in Kinsale, tells us her plans for the last third of her life: Many new adventures

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I’m happy to report that I’ll be 70 this April, and just coming to grips with what the last third of my life will have to offer in terms of new adventures. I was born in California, spent most of my life in Colorado, and then my wife and I transported ourselves to Kinsale almost 20 years ago. Irish now, but still sounding like yanks, we are happily living in a place we consider paradise.

I’m someone who has had many careers, the last one was as an academic and entrepreneur, which I recently have given up to pursue my first love, as a visual-arts professional.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

Friday is a great evening to decompress, so you’ll find me holding hands with my partner, watching something like Greys Anatomy or, alternatively, playing DEMEO with friends around the world on my VR.

Lie-ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

I’ve always been a fan of ‘early to bed and early to rise….’, although I can’t attest to it making me healthy, wealthy or wise! I confess that in Ireland, early up means with the sun, so now that means 7am, or so, to meditate and then do yoga in time to take our two puppies out.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

I prefer to say I live a modular life. So when I work and when I play is fully a matter of what needs done when. I try to balance the two and every day sees a good amount of both.

If money were no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

Christmas before last, we were able to take a getaway break at the Hayfield Manor in Cork — I think there or the Lake Hotel in Killarney make the perfect break — close enough to home to be easy and luxurious enough to feel pampered and fully relax.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

I’m blessed to live right behind the Dock Bar in Kinsale, right by the beach. Every day, every dog walk gives me a little recharge and during Covid being able to go in the sea was all that kept me sane some days.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

Friends absolutely! Family takes a bit of travel, so, for instance, we spent a week in San Francisco in December and the full week was a catch-up. I have friends I have known for over 60 years that I talk to every month or so on Zoom.

I’m fortunate to work with some of my best friends in the academic business; they are also my VR gaming partners. I think when we love people, no matter where they are in the world, it’s important to figure out how to keep in touch.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

VR is my biggest indulgence and if you have never heard of DEMEO, let me tell you about it. Picture a board game with three layers and you and three others all choose a character to play; each has their own strengths and weaknesses. Your crew take your four turns, playing the cards you want and implementing the strategies you agree on and then the game plays the moves of all the bad guys. Your team is frequently in trouble! Each section takes an hour or so, so many nights a game is saved for the next time. The last layer has super bad guys and everyone feels totally refreshed when we finish. Never have I found something that so completely takes me out of this world into another.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter, do you have a signature dish?

I love to cook for others! Ottolenghi is my favourite chef, so any night you’ll see me looking up what he might do with whatever I have on hand and then improvising from there. I’m also good at homemade pasta noodles, with whatever type of sauce comes to mind to top them off.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork: Where are your go-to spots for coffee/ lunch/ special meal?

The Marina Market is a great place to drop in, meet friends for a bit of craic, and catch a quick coffee or bite. For a sit-down breakfast or lunch, we like the Spit Jack. For lunch or a dinner with friends, you can’t beat Man Friday, here in Kinsale. Of course, if we are going to splurge on time and money, we’d stay here as well, as Bastion is seriously on our bucket list.

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it?

Sunday night early is a great time to chill with friends, check in on how the kids are growing, etc. Otherwise, there is always Netflix, a new movie, and a great homemade meal.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

7am every day. Those puppies! They run our lives these days.

See https://ealanajames.com/