Late night Cafe's

Its 8pm, you'd kill for a cup of tea and a slice of cake and good old natter.
Where do you go?

Tea Garden:  located on lower Ormond quay Dublin.  An amazing selection
of teas, served in a relaxing setting.  Open till 11pm 7 days a week.
Check out the website http://www.tea-garden.eu/index.html
for the full menu on offer.

Busyfeet and Coco Cafe: located 41/42 South William street Dublin.  This popular
hotspot serves great coffee, tasty treats and beer until 11pm Thursday to Sunday.  Live music
every Saturday, this cafe is well worth checking out.  Like busyfeet and coco on facebook to
keep up with upcoming events.

Joy of Coffee/Joy of Chai: Two coffee shops in temple bar.  really good selection of teas,
coffees and cakes.  Open till 10 or 11pm.

Accents: located on Stephen Street lower, near Georges Street.  This is a new kid on the cafe
scene.  A large selection of teas, coffees and treats are on offer in a cosy, relaxed setting.  Downstairs
is particularly inviting with couches and bean bags scattered around the floor.  If you come on your own
there is a bookcase to peruse while your sipping on your coffee.  Accents is open until 11pm most
nights of the week: http://accentslounge.wordpress.com/

Moda: Art cafe located in the middle of Rathmines.  A regular haunt of library diva.  This
surprisingly spacious cafe serves tasty and reasonably priced meals and snacks during the
day.  At night, Moda serves teas, coffee and cake until 10pm.  Like needlework?  They have
a knitting club every Tuesday evening at 7pm.

Dublin Library Diva Plea:
Library Diva misses Java's in Galway, she loved the late nite cafe which
opens till 4am in the morning serving teas, coffees and snacks.  Quiet and atmospheric
this was the ideal place to set the world to right under the cloak of darkness.  Please, please
someone open up a late night/all night coffee shop in Dublin.  I would be eternally grateful...

Culture night Galway at Bell, Book and Candle

 Around Galway For Culture night this Friday?
Pop down to Bell, Book and Candle for a fantastic day of Music....

COMING UP FOR AIR
By Celine Hughes

Bell, Book and Candle Book and Music Store in the West End of Galway will be celebrating Culture Day by saying a big ‘thank you’ to everybody who is, and has been, involved with us over the years by hosting a day long event showcasing some of the best established and up-and-coming artists, independent music labels, and musicians in Galway and beyond.

The day will be run in association with Wingnut Records, an independent music shop that is ran on enthusiasm within the store itself which now hosts approximately 500 releases of new Irish music on tape, CD and vinyl.

We will be releasing a CD with booklet (limited edition and only available on the day in the store). The CD will feature 15 different tracks covering the most diverse and talented artists on this isle and the booklet accompanying it in a very old music/fanzine style gives a chance for everyone involved in the project and those represented by us to get together, tell our story, share ideas and be unified in our vision of expression. The following are the people and bands featuring on the CD:
The Driftwood Manor, Strange Crow, Squarehead, Windings, Landlovers, Lamp, Lafaro, Strider, Brain Kelly, Them Martyrs, Austin D H Ivers, Rites, Jimmy Penguin, Christians Vs Lions and Bitwise Operator.

Some of the labels represented on the CD include Rusted Rail, O.O.A.L, Richter Collective, Popical Island and Randal Records.

Also on the day there will be a showing of paintings by artist Cecilia Danell and ceramic work from Sinead O’Toole of Forge Ceramic Studio, along with some visuals by the super 8 hero Julien Dorgere of Super8 Shots who will also have a stall featuring super 8 cameras and equipment for those who may like to get interested in this medium.

The live performance aspect will be taking place in the early evening and feature live spoken word by emerging poet/writer Elaine Cosgrove and a performance by up-and-coming slam poet Lisa Keegan. There will also in the evening be vibrant live music by The Driftwood Manor, Brain Kelly of so cow, Jimmy Penguin and Them Martyrs.

Being an underground book and music store in the West End of Galway our survival has depended on the diverse community that has come through our door to support us and that we are so grateful to be a part of. The store has become a hub for all that is great about the constantly evolving art and music scene in Galway, a crossover point for all the sub-cultures coexisting in this town. The local musicians, artists and writers are the life-blood of the store, they are what gives Galway colour. On Friday the 23rd of September we will be celebrating this and coming up for air. Come join us.

Rude Health 2011

Every September, well known and respected members of the health industry congregate
in the RDS to dispense information and advice on all aspects of healthy living to the public.
The main hall of the RDS is taken over to exhibitors selling goods and offering advice
on sports and therapies, the environment, food, skincare and complementary remedies.
Four lecture halls are taken over to speakers discussing a range of health related topics.
The main speakers at this years show were Patrick Holdford, Marilyn Glenville,
Jan de Vries, Bernadette Bohan, Karen Ward, and Jane Plant.

Rude health 2011 took place Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September.
Library Diva went along with her marginally more health conscious mother
to check out the event.

Who we met
My mother and I had the pleasure to meet Beibhinn Byrne, a Journalist who is often a guest
on TV3's Midday.   Beibhinn runs the Natural Food market at St. Andrew's Resource centre
Pearse Street every Saturday from 9.30am to 3pm.  For the past year my poor mother had
been wondering what oil Beibhinn had recommended people use as a detoxifying
mouthwash first thing in the morning.  Beibhinn was very friendly and approachable, will definitely be checking out her organic and wholefood market.  FYI: the oil is sesame oil.  I have started to use this oil myself.  Time will tell if it does me any good!.

Who we saw
Queues for Patrick Holdford were insane all weekend, i believe people had to
queue for almost an hour just to see him.  To be honest, i wasn't sorry sorry to miss
his show.  Am slightly cynical about all the hype that surrounds him.  Most of his advice
sounds good- eat well, drink water, take supplements, exercise and fresh air, but some
of it seems a little avaricious especially in his promotion of very expensive products.

Marilynne Glenville- a specialist in women's health.  Dr. Glenville uses both mainstream
and complementary medicine in her practice.  Myself and my mother went to her talk on
'7 supplements important for women's health'.  FYI: Vitamin D, Omega 3 fatty acids and
probiotics are the important ones.

Jan de vries:  A fountain of wisdom and generosity, i always enjoy seeing Jan de Vries. An expert
in herbal medicine, naturopathy, osteopathy and reflexology,  This man has written more books than he can remember and takes a very simplistic view of health and well being- good food, good water, fresh air and maybe some echinacea.  My motherand I went to see his talk on 'coping with stress and anxieties'.   Inthis talk, he discussed the
importance of sleep and relaxation.
Tip 1:
Place your left hand on your forhead, place your right hand on the opposite side of your head.
Sit up tall, breathe in to your abdomen through your nose, breathe out through your mouth.
This is a tip for centreing the body.
Tip 2:
Place your left hand under your navel, place your right hand over your navel.  Sit up tall,
breathe in to your abdomen through your nose, breathe out through your mouth.  Repeat.
This is a tip to help you to sleep.

What we liked:
Cathy's Spelt for health http://www.cathysspeltforhealth.ie/
Bread mixes to make your own spelt bread at home.  Tried out their multigrain
bread mix, very easy to make and tasty to eat.

Foods of Athenry http://www.foodsofathenry.ie/.
A Galway based family company producing natural breads and treats.
Library Diva wishes their breads were easier to get in dublin!

Natasha's living foods http://www.natashaslivingfood.ie/
Sells cakes and treats made from raw cacao, cacao butter,
agave syrup and other healthy things.  Her cakes and treats are raw and
sugar free, yet are strangely rich and tasty.  Check out her stall in temple bar market
on Saturday, in the people's park, Dun laoghaire and selected health food stores.
Library diva spotted her cakes for sale in Accents coffee shop a couple of weeks ago.

What we were dubious about:
Cherry active juice http://www.cherryactive.co.uk/
20 - 30 euro for a bottle of juice- who are you trying to kid?

Yorktest http://www.yorktest.ie/
350 euro for a blood test your doctor hasn't ordered?  Why?

Rude health 2011 was buzzing with life, and people and interest.  Its great that people are getting
more and more interested in their health and well being.  Each year, the Rude health showcases and
informs the public on a dizzying array of disciplines, principles and products.  Cant wait for next
years show!

Electric Picnic   

By Hayley Reynolds

Electric Picnic sadly spells the end of the summer for me. The last big event to look forward to
before Autumn sweeps in and we can no longer deceive ourselves with hope for sunny days. Still, it's hardly a bad way to
hand over the baton to the colder months.
This year I arrived bearing numerous copies of the line-up (gifts from my more organised friends), including one laminated, and proceeded to circle everything I hoped to catch. 
Sadly as a veteran festival-goer I know that to 'see it all' is simply not possible, especially on the Stradbally Estate. Performance tents spread far apart, many gigs overlapping and the inevitable bar and portaloo queues.However, at Electric Picnic, like any relationship worth its salt, compromise is key. The rules? Everybody has one 'Must-See' band, like their get out of jail free card...
'I know you have a splitting hangover and about as much energy as a tree sloth after Sunday dinner but I really wanna see this band on at lunchtime.... So gerroutta that tent!'.
The good thing is you never know where you will end up or what you may discover.
You see, it's not all about the music. Our merry little group attended a pretend wedding in the inflatable church, got our hair done in the beauty parlour, had a dance-off atThe Minutes's DJ set in the Heineken Electronica bar, hid in the trees at a rainy rave in the early hours and got sidetracked at the nice wine bar in the Mind Field area. Not to mention the numerous pit-stops at the artisan food stalls.

So it's forgivable that my list of what I wanted to see veers slightly from what I actually saw. On that note, here are my picks of the Picnic:

ARCADE FIRE:
People still talk about their amazing gig back in 2005. I just grit my teeth and try not to let my seething jealousy show. Frontman Win said it was a gig that 'changed their lives'. They weren't expecting everyone to know all the words and for the rapturous reception they received. Way to put pressure on the crowd aye? But I did my best maniacal jumping and chanting along as they played a suitably epic set on the main stage on Saturday night. Hopefully they noticed.

BEIRUT
These were my must-see pick and in the freezing cold, but thankfully dry, Sunday evening, Zac Condon and his band did not let me down. They played their Balkan folk sounds from the recently released third album and of course some old favourites. The brass section providing a welcome break from the dance and rock acts.

JAMES BLAKE
Mr Blake provided me with my gig of the year with an intimate set at Whelans a few months back and this outing at the picnic was just perfect The sun beat down strong on Saturday afternoon. Girls selling vodka jelly shots to the crowd, the heavy teeth-chattering bass reverberating through us. Mix all that in with his soulful voice and it's another top class gig.

PJ HARVEY
PJ cut a fine silhouette on her smoky stage, black feather headpiece and clutching her auto harp for a dramatic set. The wind and rain failing to dampen our spirits. Her mercury prize winning album is fast becoming one my my new most played on iTunes.

WHITE LIES
Such a great festival band, the perfect mix of nostalgic lyrics, big sounds and sing-along-ability. The excitement in the crowd was palpable and the band seemed to grin their way through their set with us.

JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW
Heartbreaking melodies and lyrics. James has made one of the loveliest albums since Bon Iver's For Emma Forever Ago. Don't believe me? Then check out If I Had a Boat and Follow You Down to the Red Oak Tree off his album Early in the Morning. His tent was full-to-capacity with people spilling out and sitting on the ground outside. Electric Picnic may need to consider bigger tents next year.

DEATH IN VEGAS
This UK psychedelic rock/electronic band have been around a while and have that perfect blend of happy and sad, fast and slow. They gave me one of the best gigs of the weekend which included much dancing.

LE GALAXIE
Performing at 1pm this Irish Electronica group were on way too early for the amount of energy they can pack in but a great kick start to our day. Whipping out handfuls of 'TUNE' signs to the audience, who didn't need much coaxing, including one massive banner which some lucky punter caught. High energy/tempo and a little bit of scaffolding scaling thrown in.

THE CHARLATANSvicinity. We may have been the happiest little section that evening.

THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY:
The Walkman
Interpol
Moths
The Drums
Public Enemy
Chemical Brothers
The Rapture
The Rubberbandits


My friend Jayne's first picnic and she was ecstatic to see her once favourite band. Not knowing many of their songs it became one of my highlights too as to see her so happy in the (friendly) mosh pit was an infectious energy booster and not just for me but for anyone in her vicinity.  We may have been
the happiest little section that evening.

The 10 Euro Challenge; 10 things to do for a tenner or less in Dublin

This is a challenge we've been talking about for a while,  and it's been surprisingly easy to come up with events, gigs, and places to visit that are free or  cost  10 euros or less. We are going to keep adding to the list. If you know of any cool happenings!, gigs, exhibitions or simply great ways to spend your Sunday evenings in the city for 10 euro or less, we would love to hear about it. 

• Hollywood Babylon - Dublin's Midnight Movie Film Club - Block T; Running Saturday fortnightly April to October 2011 and devoted to the clubs favourite 'disreputable' movies, It's 10 euros in and good fun, in Smithfield.

• Milk and Cookis stories; Temple bar once a month for free!! A free story telling event in the Exchange in Temple Bar. Milk and Cookie Stories is a place for storytellers, experienced or not, to exchange stories, both traditional and innovative. If you feel like giving the TV a miss for a night, and hearing a great story well told instead, this is the event for you. http://www.facebook.com/#!/milkandcookiestories.Email;milkandcookiestories@gmail.com

• Galleries and Exhibitions Openings. The city is teeming with galleries; public and private. Most are free; IMMA, Hugh Lane, National Gallery, Douglas Hyde, Project Arts Centre. Gallery opening are also a free and a fun way to see  new exhibitions, while mingling with a glass of wine. Check out VAI and Circa Magazine for listings; http://www.recirca.com/ 

• Films and a pint at the Hacienda nights film event. This event was held monthly at the Hacienda pub off Capel street but is now a moving event. Great fun and you can vote for your favourite movie to be seen on their facebook page. haciendanites@yahoo.ie

• Bingo at the George on the Sunday;;drag, bingo and pop tunes; free in and you might win the jackpot!  

•  Hep Cat Club Monday nights in Grande Social, Free Dance; salsa and fun in the grande Social on Monday night.

• Irish Blues Club, Monday nights at JJ Smyths, opposite Jervis Center. These gigs vary in price but are often ten euros.  http://www.jjsmyths.com/gigs.html

Great music and theatre from L'Orchestre D'Hommes

New Cackle Sisters

Cape Clear Storytelling Festival

Cape Clear is an unspoilt piece of heaven off the west coast of Cork.  For the last 17 years,
Cape Clear has hosted the Cape Clear Storytelling festival.  Dublin Library Diva went along
to this years international Storytelling festival to hear some stories and check out the beautiful
scenery.

How to get there:
A ferry can be gotten from Baltimore in West Cork (the Wire reference was not
lost on me).  A pleasant 45 mins later and you are in Cape clear.  A return journey from
Baltimore to Cape Clear costs 15 euro.  A 10% discount is available if you book online.

Population:
About 130 people inhabit Cape Clear.  All of the locals i met were very friendly and
hospitable towards visitors.  The Storytelling festival attracts a couple of hundred people
onto the island every year.

Accommodation:
Visitors wishing to stay over night have a variety of options available to them.  Looking for
comfort and privacy:  B and B's and Guesthouses are the way to go.  Looking for comfort and
good value for money?  Tir na nog hostel ran by Michael O' Driscoll is an excellent Choice.
Geraldine stayed here and availed of Bed and Breakfast for 25 euro.  The rooms are basic but
comfortable and the breakfast was excellent.  Proper full Irish with all the trimmings was served
in a buzzing breakfast room.  Busy weekend in Cape Clear.  Maeve and the rest of the girls were hardier
and opted to Camp in the camp site.  Visitors to the campsite have the option to bring their own tent
or hire the use of a tipee or a yurt.  Hire of a tipee is 20 euro per person per night.

Food and Drink:
Feeling peckish after pitching your tent? Sean rua's cafe bar on the north side of the harbour
serve tasty hearty meals and delicious desserts with a friendly service.  Tip: you have to
be up pretty early in the morning to get the berry crumble which seemed to be constantly
sold out.  The chocolate fudge cake is pretty good too.

Story Telling Festival:
The festival is a 3 day extravaganza of international renown.  A great programme
of story swaps, concerts, historical walks and talks are organized every year.
Interested in history and nature?  Join the heritage walk with Diarmuid O'Drisceoill.
Want to improve your storytelling performance skills?  take part in the workshop in emotion and
intuition in performance storytelling.  Wondering how to entertain the kids?  take them along to
children workshops.  More intereted in Music and dancing than storytelling?  Banjo sessions and set
dancing afternoons abound.

Dublin Library Diva loved Storyswap at Ciaran Danny Mike's on Saturday afternoon.  Sitting out
in the beer garden, drink in hand, being entertained by talented storytellers from around the globe
who generously share their tales with the audience.  The inimitable Pat Speight presided over the
event with warmth and quick wit.  The relaxed atmosphere meant that people could come and go as
they pleased listening to a story or three on their way. Dublin Library diva loved the glamourous
Storyteller from Dublin and her rap to 50year old women everywhere.

                                                                   David Holt 


Saturday Evening Concert:
Mc Jack Lynch presided over the evenings entertainment.  Roy Arbuckle, Graham
langley, Kate Corkery, David Holt and Sheila Stewart performed to a full house.
Unfortunately Geraldine missed half the concert because she was doing her make up
and trying to decide what shoes to wear, leading Maeve to quip that she was the
'champagne backpacker'. At the intermission mugs of tea, glasses of wine and tubs
of goats milk ice cream were served for a small donation.
The secound half of the Concert was brilliant:  David Holt entertained the
crowd with his stories and his banjo playing.  The song 'let it slide' entertained
an appreciative crowd who empathised with the advice on how to deal with a marital skirmish.
David Holt travels around the world with his Banjo and his tales.  Join him for an evening
of entertainment this Saturday at the Odessa.
Sheila Stewart comes from a long line of scottish travellers and regalled the chrowd with
ancient ballads when are in danger of being lost forever.

Nightlife:
Cape clear was buzzing this weekend, there are two bars on the island, Ciaran Danny
Mike's near the South Harbour and Sean Rua's cafe bar on the North Harbour.  Both bars
were hopping to the early hours.  Sean Rua's bar had a brass band pumping out tunes,
Ciaran Danny Mike's had an impromptu sessiun with a few guitars.  Dublin library diva
hopped between venues via a vino fueled ramble down the harbour.

Walking:
The island is an area of great beauty and it would be a shame to go home without
seeing this part of the country properly.  Sunday was spent hiking round the majestic
gleann rua loop.  The rocky landscape and the panoramic views were awesome.  After
packing up our bags we wandered uphill towards the lake at the centre of the island.
The rocky, hilly landscape may be great for walking but cycling would not be advisable.

Tempted:
Tempted to check out cape clear?  Library diva recommends checking it out at festival
time.  There is the storytelling festival on every September and a Walking-talking festival on
every may.

Dublin Fashion Festival at Beaux Bows

Dublin Library Diva cant wait to See White Collar Boy at Beaux Bows on Friday.
20% OFF Fashion on Friday Evening between 5.30 and 6.30.
See you there!

Festival Fever for September

September,traditionally the month for returning to school and routine,is buzzing with festivals and events in Dublin and beyond. This is quick round up of whats happening in Dublin and around the country. Library Diva will be doing her best to visit as many festivals and events as possible.

Your Festival Guide:

Sept 1st - 11st  Mountains to Sea; Book festival in Dun Laoghaire ; talks, workshops, readings etc; http://www.mountainstosea.ie/

Sept 3rd - 5th  Cape Clear Storytelling Festival; stories from around the world on a beautiful west Cork island.

Sept 4th - 11th Waterford Harvest Food  Festival; markets and dining events


Sept 6th - 31st Oct Dublin Contemporary; over 90 contemporary from 5 continents in venues all over Dublin for 8 weeks.

Sept 8th - 11th Dublin Fashion Festival; shows, catwalks, designers, fashion and fun

Sept 9th - 11th  Clarenbridge Oyster Festival; Oysters, drinks and craic in Galway


Sept 11th - 17th  Listowel Races; Horse racing, craic, drinking, music and chat..wild...


Sept 10th - 25th Absolut Fringe; 16 days and nights of cutting edge theatre, comedy, music and spectacle


Sept 22nd Arthurs Day; music, pints of the black stuff and craic


Sept 22nd - 9th Oct  Oktoberfest; 18 days and nights of Bavarian madness


Sept 23rd Dublin Culture Night; 156 cultural venues welcoming over 100,000 free visitors; all Free


Sept 29th - 16th Oct Ulster Bank Theatre Festival; 553 performances of the best theater from Ireland and beyond.

Great Big Mountains to Sea Book Swap Dun Laoghaire

Love Books- Love telling people about your favourite books?
Love Free stuff-  Love doing something for a good cause?
Love meeting new people and sharing common interests?
Not going to Electric Picnic and looking for a way to distract yourself on Saturday?

If you answered yes to any of the above,
Then come along to the Great big mountains to sea book swap and join Paul Howard,
Marita Conlon McKenna, Declan Hughes and Martina Devlin as they discuss their
desert island books in the pavillion theatre.  After the talk everyone gets in on
the fun, bring along your favourite book, with a note attached telling the new reader why
they have to read the book, accost a stranger, recommend your book to them and swap.
Meeting new people, chatting about books, getting a new read- what could be better?
and you never know who you might meet.....

Fun kicks off at 11am in the Pavillion Concourse, Dun laoghaire.
Event is free, donations may be given to National Adult Literacy Association (NALA)