My Weekend: My ideal Friday night is a good meal with good friends 

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

I’m originally from Portland, Oregon, where I lived until I was 25. I studied new media and film editing. In Portland, I worked front and back of house restaurant jobs while pursuing creative, artistic and musical endeavours. I have one sister, and she nicknamed me Sunshine Primo. Somehow it stuck. She’s the best.

Later on, I studied butchery and charcuterie in France and taught on both subjects for a bit in the UK. I moved back to Portland and was producing charcuterie and sausage for restaurants and hosting one off pop ups in gallery spaces and warehouses. Totally loose, wild fun stuff. The Salad Daze. Smiling as I write this.

Like food, music has always been a big part of my life. A few years later, I went to Saigon, Vietnam, intending to make a record with a friend living there. I had a 30 day visa. That turned into 10 years of lots of production, shows, murals and meeting my wife, Ciara, who brought me back to Cork. Her family, friends, and the Cork community have welcomed me with open arms and I am proud to call this place home.

My work is mostly videography and editing, as well as some marketing and content creation for brands. Tiger Balm Club is the cherry on my cake of work. I missed flavours I was eating daily over the last 10 years, and when profiling a Thai pop-up Mark Ahern was doing at O’Mahony’s of Watergrasshill, the idea of Tiger Balm Club was created. I too had done a few Viet pop-ups, and it just made sense.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

A good meal with good friends. Could be in a home or at a restaurant. Some drinks, some laughs, and a show if one’s on.

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

I’m a bit of a night hawk, early bird.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

All the time. I need to get better at quality me/family/friends time and lock my phone in a drawer.

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

We had to leave Saigon abruptly. Didn’t get to hug friends, eat at favourite markets, or even ride my motorbike one last time. Covid stuff. Heavy lock-in. Picked up at our door, shuttled to the airport. Left and donated all my gear to friends. A pretty heavy chapter ended. I’d go back with Ciara and soak it all up.

Second place is CDMX. Best city ever.

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

I went into a pub for a pint and walked out with a bike. Paulie’s in Mitchelstown. I’ve been enjoying letting it lead the way. I recharge my batteries in a different way. Connection and communication. I’ll walk into town and have little conversations with anyone. Run into friends. Complete strangers. The person behind a counter, ringing me up. An old man on a park bench. It feeds me, makes me laugh and puts a smile on my face.

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

I wish I got to see my family more often. That’s the one big downer to living abroad. Friends and family here, yeah, and mostly over a big meal.

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

I love seeing live music in Ireland. The talent is wild. A recent Fixity show at Savoy was a real mind-fryer. Into the sea swims, the hot saunas, and getting in the car, not knowing where we’re gonna end up. Ciara is good at making this happen.

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

Oh gosh, most of my friends are really good cooks. Better than me for sure. I don’t take that for granted. If you came over today, it would be ceviche, tuna tostadas and fish tacos. The sun is out, the beers are cold and I’m a happy boi. (It’s 7am and this sounds great!)

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

I drink iced coffee year round. Long story. I’m part pig. We buy beans at Filter. I usually get coffee at Goodhood or 3FE. Lunch is Nosh 19, Dosa Spot, or a burger at Lea’s. Special meal is definitely Paradiso, Saint Francis, or Glass Curtain. These are some of my favourite restaurants in Ireland.

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

At home, chilling with my cat, waiting for Ciara to get home from work, then some food, maybe a couple of pints. Nothing too crazy.

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

I’m awake before it. I think I usually open my eyes around 7.

Anything else you are up to right now…

Just trying to have a good time.

• Love Is A Stranger: Ballyvolane House returns to East Cork from July 17 to 19, 2026, bringing another carefully curated weekend of music, food, conversation and immaculate vibes to one of Ireland’s most luscious country house settings.
• As part of the festival, acclaimed food collective Tiger Balm Club, will host a special Southeast Asian-inspired Disco Lunch on the Ballyvolane terrace on Saturday afternoon. Mark and Bryan of Tiger Balm Club say:“For Love Is A Stranger, we’ll be cooking a long, slow lunch inspired by the meals they love most.
• Expect a few snacks, some small plates, smoke from the grill and bowls of pork noodles built for comfort.
  Seasonal Irish produce. Southeast Asian flavours. All Killer, No Filler. Fish.
• See: https://anotherlovestory.ie/liasbv26/