Category Archives: Random

Random

Getting to the Irish Blog Awards 2010

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G-g-g-galway!
G-g-g-galway!

A weshterner living in Dublin for a number of years sans automobile I’ve tried pretty much every form of public transport between Dublin and Galway. If you haven’t decided how you’re getting to this year’s blog awards yet then this may be useful:

Train

Goes from Heuston, about 5/6 services per day. You can nab some nice €10 fares online in either direction but only on selected services. Otherwise it’s about €50 return for an adult. Journey takes about 2.5hrs on average.

Bus

Thanks to the opening of the motorway from Galway to Dublin late last year the bus journey between the cities has been made super comfortable and as fast as the train. It’s also more affordable than the train so all round win. Buses will drop you at Galway’s Coach Station which is a stone’s throw from Eyre Square and IBA2010 partytime.

GoBus

GoBus offer a non-stop service with 14 buses a day between the cities. Here’s the timetable, you can book online here and for those of you who need to escape Galway early there’s late night services at 01:45 and 03:45 from Galway. It’s €20 return to Dublin City, also serves the airport for an extra few quid. Pick-up is at the Ulster Bank HQ on the south quays in Dublin City Centre.

Citylink

Citylink offer both direct and in-direct services between the cities (take care when hopping on that you’re on the correct one!) and there’s heaps of times to choose from. Here’s the timetable (PDF sadly), you can book online at the website and like GoBus  you can do a late nighter run back to Dublin at 01:15, 01:30, 03:30. Pick up is outside Bermingham’s camera shop on the south quays. They’re around the €20 return mark too. Some services run double-decker coaches on the service – awesome if you’re on top deck, not so awesome on lower deck.

Bus Eireann

It’s been about 8 years since I took a Bus Eireann bus to Galway, largely due to the half hour pitstop in the middle in Athlone that they used to do making the journey ridiculously long. I don’t know if they do direct services via the motorway – never seen them on it – but I’d avoid them anyway.

Fly

If you’re flush you can go by air via Aer Arann – it’s like getting a flying minibus but it’ll get you there super quick.

Lost?

You shouldn’t be coz Galway is real small and friendly but if you are feel free to tweet me @cloudsteph at any stage.

Random

Irish Blog Awards nominee badges

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Badgey goodness

I know delighted and proud some of the good bloggers of Ireland are to be on the longlist for this year’s Irish Blog Awards so why not show it off with a little badge on your blog?

I’ve slapped together a few varieties for your downloading and uploading pleasure. Hopefully the brand guidelines police at Mulley Corp won’t nuke me for my lack of precision tracing in Illustrator on my lunchbreak :)

For those not fortunate enough to make the list (sniffle) I’ll happily put together a few alternatives – gimme your suggestions!

ZIP here containing black, blue and red versions in JPEG and PNG formats.

Happy badging and see you in Galway at the end of the month :)

Random

Oddest newsletter ever or just spam?

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I’m on the mailing list for a local off-license that specialises in wine. The newsletters are often quite long-winded and text-only but during lunch today this fell into my inbox and I still don’t know what to make of it…

Greetings dear friend,

My name is Dr. Abu Ali Summons-Walsh. I am a corrupt banker in the Central Bank of Burkina Faso. I chose you from the list of esteemed customers of Sweeney’s Wine Merchants to receive a business proposition. (Yes, only you, nobody else on the list) An American customer died in a nuclear explosion leaving the sum of ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX GAZILLION AMERICAN DOLLARS in a dormant account. Fortunately, everybody in his family, and also anyone that ever knew him, also died in the accident. Now, as I am so high up in the Central Bank of Burkina Fasoe to have access to this account, but so ignorant of how the banking system works to transfer money across accounts (I am but a humble banker), I wish to transfer all this money into your bank account. I know we have never met, but I trust you. Please trust me back. I will give you half of the ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX GAZILLION AMERICAN DOLLARS if you give me access to your bank account. I will transfer the money into your account. [Note to self -Ooops - already said I don't know how to do this - remember to edit this note out]

So for untold wealth just send me your details :-

  • Bank Account number
  • Name
  • Sex
  • Occupation
  • Credit Card number
  • Expiry Date
  • Those three little numbers on the back
  • Any Pin numbers you have and what they are used for
  • Email passwords

And, dear friend, as I am trusting you with ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX GAZILLION AMERICAN DOLLARS I need a sign of trust from you. Please send all your cash to my Irish bank account no 12345324123346282184645728 . I remain your humble servant. Abu Ali Summons-Walsh

Afternoon, all,

Two tings. Firstly a heads up for the tasting next week – the wines of Argentina. An interesting selection, mostly reds, but not all Malbec. So bring your steaks on Thursday 4th March (how time flies). Secondly, for the fine winos, Finian has done a deal with a large importer (the company, not the guy). Sweeney’s now have a special deal on sets of four wines. These are Jaboulet AC Hermitage La Chapelle 01; Trimbach Frederic Emile Riesling 04; Latour AC Chassagne-Monrachet 1er Cru 05; and Chateau Laforge St. Emilion Grand Cru 05. Here’s Robert Parker’s notes :-

Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage’ La Chapelle’ 2001 Parker Points 90 -92

The 2001 Hermitage La Chapelle looks to be a strong effort, perhaps the finest since 1997. This is welcome news as this can be one of the world’s greatest wines. After an extremely severe selection (something that may have been lacking in previous vintages), the 2001 boasts a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sweet nose of creme de cassis intermixed with licorice and earth. Full-bodied, sweet, rich, and moderately tannic, it should merit a score in the low nineties, a good sign after a succession of uninspiring efforts. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020.

Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling 2004 Parker Points 92

Grapefruit zest, chalk dust, truffle, sassafras { Kevin’s note – what the heck is this? } and must inform the nose of the 2004 Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile. Overtly chalky and palpably extract-rich, with illusive floral inner-mouth aromas, this penetrates with almost severe intensity, leaving the palate saturated with citrus and minerals and, frankly, a bit wrung-out. Don’t look for this wine to rebound for another couple of years –in fact, don’t look for it at all until 2009, when it will be released.

Louis Latour Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru 2005 Parker hasn’t reviewed it since 92

Chateau Laforge Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2005 Parker Points 95

Tasting far superior than it did from cask, the bottled 2005 Laforge is fabulous. Moreover, there are 2,500 cases of this offering from the brilliant Englishman, Jonathan Malthus, who has proven he can turn quite a qualitative trick in both Bordeaux and Australia’s Barossa Valley. This dense purple-hued St.-Emilion offers up a glorious nose of graphite, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, licorice, and a whiff of acacia flowers. Full-bodied, thick, and juicy, this blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc possesses terrific purity, an extravagantly rich mouthfeel, and wonderful precision. The result is a provocative, compelling wine that should be drinkable between 2013-2028.

Now the catch is you have to buy one bottle of each – a set of all four usually costs €220; to you, and you only, €150. Save €70. Only 24 sets available. Rush in now and make Lynda do some work for a change.

BTW, just met the nicest man. He gave me his email address, and said he would send on this message to you all to save me the bother. Hope this gets to you OK.

Kevin.