Black & Black
In May 2017, while on my solo journey through Ireland, I spent Mother’s Day completely on my own—a first for me. Earlier that day, I had been exploring Dublin, soaking in the history, the music drifting through the streets, and the energy of a city that felt both foreign and strangely familiar.
That evening, I returned to my hotel and settled onto a stool at the lobby bar. There was something bittersweet about it. After calling my kids back home and hearing their voices—each one wishing me a happy Mother’s Day—I felt the quiet settle in around me. I wasn’t surrounded by family brunches or handmade cards. I was thousands of miles away, alone… and yet exactly where I was meant to be.
When the bartender came over, I asked what he recommended. Without hesitation, he said, “Guinness.”
I laughed and admitted I wasn’t much of a beer drinker. He smiled knowingly and replied, “I have the perfect blend for you.”
He introduced me to a Black and Black—sometimes called “Guinness Purple.” He explained that it was a mix of Guinness, the iconic dark Irish stout, and blackcurrant liqueur or syrup. The sweetness of the blackcurrant softens the deep, roasted bitterness of the Guinness, creating something smoother, slightly fruity, and far more approachable for someone like me.
When he set the glass in front of me, the dark stout floated beautifully above the rich purple hue beneath it. It was simple, elegant, and unmistakably Irish.
Hesitant, I took a sip.  To my surprise, I was completely enamored. The drink was velvety and balanced—bold but gentle, much like the day itself. Sitting there in Dublin on Mother’s Day, raising a glass to my children from across the ocean, I realized I wasn’t lonely. I was independent. I was adventurous. I was honoring my role as a mother by also honoring myself.
That Black and Black became more than just a cocktail—it became a toast to courage, to motherhood, and to celebrating life in unexpected ways.