Notes for the season

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

Whether packing for a festival or business trip, taking stock of your wardrobe, and editing ruthlessly, is ultimately a cleansing and worthwhile chore. Every item in your wardrobe should only be there if it is working hard for you, on a regular basis.

Do you have a pair of denims that are flattering? A wardrobe staple, denims are always worth some investment when you consider PPW (price per wear). Denim experts at Brown Thomas recommend that you bring at least four pairs into the fitting room, and ask for advice. When pressed, they all agree that J Brand and Victoria Beckham’s are the most dressy jean, and Salsa the hardest working (clever engineering can either hide your tummy or lift your bum). For sheer value, Dr Denims wins. The jeggings (a cross between jeans and leggings) in that range are so comfortable you will not want to take them off. Virtually all cuts are on trend, so long as you keep in mind proportion (your own in particular). Your silhouette is always far more important in fashion than your size. Truly, size is just a number. Silhouette can be manipulated, and that’s where good clothing comes in.

Cupán Tae Restaurant and a great deal in Bankx Restaurant

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

Having driven past the newly opened Cupán Tae restaurant several times over the past few weeks and noticed that it seemed to be a recreation of a typical English tea room with lots of colourful cups, I decided to see if it tasted as good as it looks. I thought that ‘retro kitchen’ look had disappeared, but I can see the appeal of drinking out of real china cups and being served your scones/cakes on a tiered bonbon dish. The interior is spotless with lots of different china patterns in evidence. The menu includes breakfast, snacks, several types of cakes, lots of different teas, and of course afternoon cream tea.

Treat stress, anxiety, and depression with Chinese acupuncture

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

The internal imbalance caused by the exposure to external stress can lead to what is called an energy blockage, resulting in difficulty sleeping, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Acupuncture treats the root cause of this condition.

Open day at Care Cure

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

Care Cure Chinese Acupuncture is a European leader in bringing acupuncture and Chinese medicine into Europe's mainstream healthcare market. With the support of the Chinese government and a wealth of highly respected experts, the company wants to share its comprehensive medical system with all who seek a natural and safe treatment for their ailments and disabilities.

Help for hearing loss, the hidden disability

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

Hearing loss can cause a wide range of problems, from an inability to hear words clearly to a lack of awareness of the surrounding environment, leading to social isolation and, in severe cases, depression. Hearing loss often develops slowly, so the individual with the loss adjusts to living life at reduced sound levels. Family members or friends often first notice the loss, and alert the individual to the problem. The signs of hearing loss include misunderstanding words, having to frequently ask others to repeat what they said, raising the volume of the television excessively, and difficulty hearing group conversations or hearing over background noise. Hearing loss can occur at any age, and it is becoming more prevalent in younger generations due to exposure to daily levels of excessive noise from work, music, concerts, and MP3 players. Hearing loss is a hidden disability and society in general can be unaware of the severe side effects of hearing loss. It is estimated that 17 per cent of Irish people suffer some form of hearing loss. The good news is that hearing loss can be helped by a few simple measures.

Enjoy lighter life with LighterLife

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

The country is in the midst of an obesity crisis, with obesity affecting one in four women and one in five men. According to the National Obesity Forum many of us have a healthy body mass imagination and what we see in the mirror is not an accurate reflection of our true weight. The forum has been urging people to avoid risking their health for the sake of vanity and to get a real measure of their body mass index (BMI).

Hypnosis and panic attacks

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

Irish Hypnosis is one of the few hypnosis companies in Ireland that can claim to significantly reduce if not totally eliminate negative symptoms associated with panic attacks after one single session. If you are one of the many people who suffer from anxiety or panic attacks then you know the detrimental impact they can have on a person’s life.

Last chance to create a Super Garden

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

The popular gardening show Super Garden, co-sponsored by Woodie’s DIY and Growise from Bord na Móna, is returning to RTÉ this May and is seeking the last entries for amateur gardeners and garden makeover candidates for the series. All applications must be in by February 13.

Easy peasy at Red Barn

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

Summer is fast approaching, and we are getting ready to freshen up the house and the garden. New paints have arrived at Red Barn, with a selection from the Little Greene Paint Company that are washable and wipeable, ideally suited to kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways, and a quick wipe of a damp cloth can remove any dirt. It also has the bonus of being low in solvents and environmentally friendly.

Plaid fabrics, fresh colours in check and plaid, and linens are very much in this spring, which as curtains always hang beautifully, and are both stylish and timeless. Irish linen is currently on sale in the Red Barn for €19.99.

Health on a plate

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

Do you sometimes despair about ever getting your family to eat healthy foods? You make all the effort and stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables yet they invariably turn up their noses at your offerings.

Executions in Galway Gaol

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

This photograph of the main entrance to Galway Gaol (facing the Salmon Weir Bridge) was taken in 1903. It was an imposing and intimidating building. The execution chamber was just over the main gate, and many prisoners perished there.

Fred Diviney’s ‘Cinema paradiso’

Thu, Feb 03, 2011

One of Fred Diviney’s scariest moments (Fred was a cinema projectionist in Galway for almost 40 years), was in 1978. The Deerhunter, with its haunting theme, and stars Robert de Niro and Meryl Streep, was the must-see movie of the year. There was huge excitement when the Claddagh Palace announced that it would show the film on Friday. The queue was down to Murray’s at Nile Lodge, but there was panic in the tiny projection room at the Palace. In those pre digital cassette days, the film arrived in 12 reels, late that afternoon. As Fred lined them up for the projector he saw that reel five was missing. He phoned the film distributors, Ward Anderson, in Dublin. They told him not to worry. The missing reel would be sent down by taxi.

New menu offerings in Asian Tea House and €500 for a Boogaloo Burger invention

Thu, Jan 27, 2011

I visited two city centre restaurants last week to see what changes they were making for their menu in 2011.

European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week — time to get tested

Thu, Jan 27, 2011

This week is European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. Organised by the European Cervical Cancer Association, this Europe-wide event aims to raise awareness about cervical cancer and the preventative value of having a regular smear test.

Aisling Connolly Plexus Bio Energy clinic

Thu, Jan 27, 2011

Aisling Connolly’s Plexus Bio–Energy clinic is the perfect place to revive your health and vitality. Plexus bio energy has achieved exceptional results in the treatment of a diverse range of conditions including back pain, digestive disorders, stress, headaches, grief, depression, asthma, and sports injuries.

Key looks for spring/summer 2011 at BORN

Thu, Jan 27, 2011

It’s a mixed bag of looks this spring with glamour and punk pushing forward, so keep in style with key looks from Debbie Norman, manager of BORN Clothing in Newtownsmith, winner of Galway’s Best Fashion Retailer 2010.

Sixteen ways to kickstart your confidence

Thu, Jan 27, 2011

1.Try to beat self defeating thinking. Many of us hold very negative opinions of ourselves and bombard our minds with these images. It is important to establish if these evaluations are based on fact, most are not. Then, make a conscious decision to try to stop putting yourself down mentally. People offend in this regard regularly, they tell themselves they are stupid/useless/talentless.

Aim to focus on your skills and talents instead. Place a value on yourself and refuse to allow yourself or others chip away at it.

Memories of the Hangar

Thu, Jan 27, 2011

What we know as Salthill Park was originally a large field with a small lake. It was landscaped in 1907. In 1925 the Salthill Development Organisation (SDO) asked the corporation to clean up a cesspool there, but that took some years. In 1924, three councillors, Mr Bailey, Eyre Square, Martin Cooke, and John Coogan, bought an aeroplane hangar for the urban council for £400. It had been used by the RAF in Oranmore and was re-erected it in the park. It was called the Pavilion Ballroom, but everyone knew it as ‘the Hangar’.

The school under the railway bridge

Thu, Jan 27, 2011

Apart from the profound influence that teachers had on their young students at Crumlin National School, Ballyglunin, Co Galway, the passing trains on the old Claremorris-Limerick line told them all the time of day, and the seasons of the year. The old school was located practically under the railway bridge. The train passed only yards from the classrooms. “We would wave out at the trains passing....” recalls Phil Forde, who stared school there when she was three years old in 1935. “There would be extra trains during the beet campaign. The beet would all go to the station in the horse and cart, and there would be about 20 wagons after the steam engine.”

Coping with depression

Thu, Jan 20, 2011

The word depression is a much misused term. When people are feeling a little sad, moody or down for a short period they often say they are depressed. But in reality they are really just having an “off” day or week and their mood will lift shortly.

However, clinical depression is different, explains Dr Stephen Critchlow, a psychiatrist who will give a free talk on “Coping with depression” tonight (Thursday) at the Clayton Hotel, Ballybrit at 8pm.

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