Monday, May 2, 2011

To the Moycullen Market and Beyond!

The Friday market in Moycullen is the happy home of Level 7+ Hippies, local farmers, continental crafties and foodies... and occasionally escaped students from NUI, Galway. I've attempted to blog on this before but my photographer let me down a bomb  and has just now forwarded the photos from our last Moycullen Market adventure. Thus I am rolling this into a super post incorporating two market trips, and an adventure extension.


Roe copyThe market runs every Friday at An Fuaran from 1 to 7. You can find them on Facebook, here. I suggest skipping lunch, because when you step out of the car the assault on your senses will make your knees weaken along with your resolve, and you WILL have a second meal. If you manage to make it past the sausage guy - who generously gave my hungry looking friend Jos a twofer (that's TWO sausages per roll) - you can choose from sushi (melt in your mouth - the crab rolls are sheer perfection), an Indian stall which also sells freshly mixed spice packs (I went back for second helpings of onion and vegetable bhaji) and for dessert Dutch Poffertjes which are teeny tiny pancakes. The jolly lady who runs this stall will helpfully advise you not to split your Poffertjes with a friend. Listen to her, she knows what she's talking about. If you're feeling fancy take a seat, and enjoy a plate of oysters and a glass of wine for mere pocket change.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Start a Feud

I have a bit of a feud going with Starbucks.

StarbucksProductRedMugOur relationship bloomed when I came back to NUIG in September and started studying again. Now I LOVE Starbucks. They are not so plentiful in Ireland, but I buy their beans whenever I find myself in their stores in Belfast or Dublin. I favour their frappucinos over ice-cream when I'm in the US. I have one of their (Product)RED brand travel cups that allows me to feel simultaneously caffeinated, socially and environmentally responsible. I bought it last summer while driving from Philadelphia to North Carolina with the Shafis. Its so water-tight and idiot proof that I don't need to stir in my milk and sugar, I just put the lid on and shake it; martini style.

The first time I visited the NUIG Starbucks and ordered my usual - good old fashioned filter coffee - the girl looked at the bottom of my beloved red travel mug for some sort of indication of what sized vessel I had presented her with. Seeing nothing, she filled it up, charged me €1.40 and conspiratorially told me to ask for a small whenever I come, because its just filter coffee and therefore not much more complicated than water, and the mug is not much bigger than a small anyway and they didn't have to give me a disposable cup every time and we just agreed that this was the best for everyone. I thanked her, and went on my way. That was the last time I saw her. Bless her cotton socks.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Pecha Kucha

Last night we went to Pecha Kucha in Kellys Bar. Pecha Kucha is a fun informal presentation of 20 slides that each last for 20 seconds. It is not to be confused with Machu Picchu which is a fifteenth century Inca site in the Andes.

This was the 2nd Pecha Kucha night in Galway and it was quite a crowded room. If it continues to be this successful they will definitely need a bigger space.

Because you can present on absolutely anything some people did comedic presentations, some presented their art, some presented a political agenda and two people showed photos of their recent travels. Its amazing how much less boring looking at peoples travel photos can be when they only have 20 seconds to talk about each one.

One guy gave advice on how to approach a DJ. Another guy presented the best and worst of housemates. Two ladies presented photography as the capture of a moment, one through fashion the other through landscape and body art. One of my favourites was a presentation on creative space in Galway. The girl presented her ideal layout of Galway city in 2040, which had several free creative spaces. She got a loud cheer from the crowd for converting the Bank of Ireland building into a music school.

The next Galway Pecha Kucha is in May. I am considering presentations on the following:

  • 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon, in which I link myself to Kevin Bacon and other celebrities in 6 steps or less.
  • The best and worst of haircuts.
  • How much does a book cost? (Read: How long is a piece of string?)
  • This blog... pending more posts, obviously.