Great dining in the Square

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

Cafe Express is situated in a prime bit of Galway retail space, in Abrakebabra's old location on Eyre Square. The previous menu of doner kebab, chip butty, 'special' pink sauce, and the ever popular taco fries (imagine an Irish version of the French Canadian 'poutine') has been pushed aside for something completely different. While Abrakebabra surely has its fans, Cafe Express, it has to be said, is a vast improvement and a welcome addition to Eyre Square. On the corner, this is fast becoming the coffee destination for city centre workers commuting from the outskirts and tourists on sightseeing excursions. With the trains, buses and taxis all feeding into the square, the Lavazza sign over this door acts like a beacon that draws coffee lovers like moths to a flame, and it's certainly hard to fault their real Italian-style coffee.

G Furniture and Carpets summer sale ends this Sunday

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

The G Furniture sale has been very successful so far but all good things must come to an end. Many items have been further reduced to make space for more stock. There is especially good value in leather, eco leather, and fabric suites.

Seven ways to boost your immune system

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

Our immune system is our body’s defence mechanism. When our health is threatened it works at full power to fight off any invaders, such as bacteria or viruses.

Well known nutritionist and best selling author Patrick Holford says people should think of their immune system as their personal medical team.

Ashe Road, sixty years

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

An important stage in Galway’s housing drive was reached in 1952 when the Minister for Local Government, Mr P Smith, opened three housing schemes comprising 142 new houses, 12 at Ballybrit, 30 in the Claddagh, and 100 in Shantalla.

The man who sold Ireland to millions

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

‘The Claddagh at Galway is one of the most remarkable sights in Europe. I find it almost inconceivable to realise that a man can breakfast in London, and lunch the next day within sight of this Gaelic village....

The colours of autumn

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

A love of intense colours was seen on the autumn collections. From powerful purple and passionate red to cobalt blue and the return of black, autumn shades are going to revive our wardrobes and make us look forward to the arrival of the new season.

Luxurious and powerful, purple is the colour of the season. A great alternative to black, wear it head to toe from your trousers to accessories and shoes, or pair it with less intense shades such as taupe or black for a safer yet trendy colour combo choice. Try shades of magenta, grape, or violet — choose the one that suits you best. French Connection has this cool amethyst tunic dress that works wonders paired with black biker boots and tights.

Summer sale ends at Furniture Connexions

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

Furniture Connexions’ summer sale ends this weekend at its Briarhill (Ballybrit) showroom. Make sure to call in and avail of super reductions on all models and ranges with Furniture Connexions’ favourites all available to order at sale prices until the end of the week. Indulge in the luxurious Salerno and Embrace sofas, available in a wide range of contemporary fabrics, or the fine Italian Calia Italia leather suites, choose from the classic Chesterfield style Georgio, or the contemporary corner sofa Barletta, available in your choice of size and colour. New additions such as the Dordogne dining and occasional range and the stunning, versatile, Morgan fabric sofa are all reduced and waiting for you, not forgetting the exclusive TV bed in full leather from sizes 4’6” to 6’0” with optional packages available to include a 32” LG flat screen TV.

Spruce up your home with Galway Stone

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

Call to Galway Stone for great value in stone and brick paving. See also the great range of building stone, coloured chips and pebbles.

Elves and Fairies Day at Brigit's Garden

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

The Fairy Queen made her way to Brigit’s Garden with her fairies and elves for a day of fairy magic and fun in the beautiful Celtic gardens last Sunday. There was storytelling, games with the Elf King, fairy dancing, and a treasure hunt, along with face-painting, kids’ disco, and crown-making.

Weed control with Gardener’s Choice bark mulch

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

Gardener’s Choice is the safe solution to the problem of weeding. A layer of Gardener’s Choice bark to a depth of 4in (100mm) will prevent the emergence of weeds.

Create a dream kitchen with Comer Granite and Marble

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

Established in 1990, Comer Granite and Marble is the leading supplier of granite and marble bespoke kitchen worktops, vanity units, and stairs for the domestic and commercial markets in the west of Ireland. The company manufactures and installs worktops to a high standard at an affordable price while also providing an aftercare service for cleaning and resealing granite worktops.

Learn to swim with Braemor Swimming Club

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

You can learn to swim at any age. Braemor SC’s swimming course for adults and teenagers will begin next week with classes nightly at 8pm from Monday August 20. This is a quick and easy way to learn to swim.

Embrace every hair trend this autumn with added nourishment from Viviscal Maximum Strength

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

Every woman likes to experiment with her hair, and what better time to try something new than at the start of a new season.

Lose two stone in ten weeks with diet, exercise, and metabolism correction

Thu, Aug 16, 2012

There are three keys to a genuine weight loss (real fat loss) plan — diet, exercise, and metabolism correction. All three keys interconnect — one will not work without the other.

The nine to five

Thu, Aug 09, 2012

We all experience the feeling first thing on a Monday morning, dragging yourself out of bed, jumping in the shower, and then opening the wardrobe doors asking the same question: What will I wear? The traditional work wear attire consisted of the standard suit, for both men and women. For women, that has changed somewhat; the suit is disappearing and in come dresses and separates, which in essence, are far more flattering and comfortable to wear all day. That is not to say that dress policies specify what we can and cannot wear to work, so make sure you familiarise yourself with this before taking on any fashion experiments at work.

Paraffin – Galway’s newest menswear store

Thu, Aug 09, 2012

Paraffin Store, Galway’s newest menswear store, has landed in Galway. First established in 2009 in Tralee, Paraffin Store quickly established itself as a leading outlet for men's clothing. Paraffin Store is known for its cutting edge products that are offered at realistic and affordable prices. The Galway store can be found on Level 1 in the Eyre Square Shopping Centre.

Notes for the season

Thu, Aug 09, 2012

Lisa Lane
[email protected]

What to wear now: trans-seasonal looks

Thu, Aug 09, 2012

It is always exciting to see the new collections arriving in the shops, especially when they boast interesting and exquisite trends and silhouettes. What better time than now to update your wardrobe with some key pieces that you can wear now and which will see you through the autumn and winter.

Quality and value at Rouge

Thu, Aug 09, 2012

Open over a year now and a firm favourite with many a Galwegian, Rouge is the hottest ticket in town at the moment, and understandably so. The €15 for two courses price tag alone would be enough to get people in the door, but the fact that the food is fantastic has something to do with it as well. A small menu is usually a promise of good things to come in my eyes, a few things done right is far better than a long list of potential disappointments and Rouge has the shortest and sweetest menu of them all. I went at the weekend with some old ex-Galway friends (who must now regret leaving!) and we had a very lovely evening there.

Le Petit Rouge opens in ‘the dining district’

Thu, Aug 09, 2012

Le Petit Rouge, directly across the street from its ‘maman’ restaurant Rouge, has just opened, bringing yet another option to the West End's thriving 'dining district'. This is a more than welcome addition, as currently there are few places for the thirsty and peckish to go. This style and standard of wine, cheese, and charcuterie is really only available upstairs at Sheridan’s Cheesemongers, since Sheridan’s on the Docks was so cruelly taken from us before its time.

Intimate and rustic, Le Petit Rouge is a small but perfect wine bar with a strong personality. The long, narrow, space here is pure theatre, carefully considered lighting highlighting areas of a room that just stops short of being a stage set, with balconied shuttered windows and vintage posters adorning the exposed brick walls around the centrepiece, a gleaming cherrywood bar.

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