Elizabeth M.'s Profile

I visited Schull to work on my novel and I couldn't have chosen a better place to stay.

Firstly, the house is gorgeous. The bedrooms are huge and beautifully furnished, complete with comfortable beds and writing desks. Each room is named after a writer - and each one has its own quirks and benefits. The Carberry offers wonderful light for writing and has the added benefit of a bath, while the Ross gives you pretty views over the harbour.

Breakfast is between 8am and 10am, but if you're working on a project, Katarina will make a late breakfast for you; anything from scrambled eggs and bacon to a full Irish. It seems nothing is too much bother - Katarina's whole philosophy is to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

The house is a short stroll from the local bars and restaurants - though Katarina will set you up with a healthy and filling evening meal for just €10 a night. You can opt to eat in the dining room or in the living room in front of a blazing fire. Check out the wine list too - there are some pretty tasty choices available.

If you want to explore the local area, there are plenty of walks nearby - I'd recommend visiting Sailor's Hill. See if you can meet Cornelius Griffin and get the story of the metal cross and the watch tower. If you've got a car, there are plenty of villages or beaches to explore.

The true beauty of Grove House is that it really is a home away from home, without the interruptions! It's the perfect base for a week or weekend away. I managed to redraft half of my novel while staying here, thanks to the lovely surroundings, relaxing atmosphere and thoughtful service.

If you intend to visit this region, make sure you stay here.

I returned here for a meal on New Year 's Day - seeing as all other restaurants were closed. Myself and two friends wanted a girly catch up and no-where else would oblige. Thank goodness1 this turned out to be a great choice.

It was snug. The decorations were cute, the atmosphere festive and they even let us move because we caught a bit of a draft from the kitchen at our table.

The wine list was excellent. I was going to buy champagne but the girl behind the bar recommended a pink cava instead. It was a perfect choice.

The food was delicious. I cannot get a blue steak in Dublin - I love my steak as rare as you can get. I'm used to Argentinian steak, succulent and inviting. Guess what? They cooked it rare and it was really good. Just the right size, texture and heat. My friend loved her generous swordfish steak and the lamb was extremely tender. Even the mash was lovely - I don't normally like mash!

Service was lovely. The girl behind the bar is really helpful and sweet. The waiters were speedy. They couldn't remember which order was which, but in the scheme of things - that didn't matter because they were so efficient and friendly.

I'm so happy that I chose to bring in the New Year at Vicar Street! It was perfectly arranged so no queues to get in or at the bar, friendly doormen, happy staff and a joyful  atmosphere.

Not only was the venue packed to just the right level and snug (important when it's snowing outside), Jerry Fish and the Mudbug club had the place roaring. They threw in a fantastic support band, circus acts including a ribbon gymnast (which I didn't realize the venue could support) and free champagne and pints of Guinness handed off the stage.

The lighting, stage and sound were perfect and everyone, including the staff, were having a raucous time. It's got to be my best New Year ever - no leery drunks, no queues, no smashed glass - just rip-roaring fun. It affirmed my belief that this is the best music venue in Dublin.

I've yet to see comedy here, but it's on my to-do list for sure.

Happy New Year!

There aren't many places where you can buy coffee late at night in Dublin. Sure, there are some amazing pubs in the city full of craic, but as the nights are long and the wind is bitter, sometimes you just want a coffee and a catch-up with friends.

Butlers was closed, Bewleys was rammed with people queuing out of the doors and we thought all hope was gone - until the Starbucks signs blinked at us like a divine intervention from above BT2, that is.

It was thankfully empty and offered the full range of drinks you would expect - after all, everyone has a favourite from Starbucks. I was tempted away from my usual chai latte by a saucy gingerbread latte - and I was a happy girl. It was a warm, spicy and not too sweet hug in a mug.

I've seen it totally packed during the day, rammed with foot-sore shoppers. But at 7pm, it was a pleasant space, offering all the same people watching benefits on Grafton Street as Bewleys but with better rinks and a guaranteed seat.

After all that festive fayre, I must be on an Asian cuisine buzz! Tonight's hotspot was chosen because my friend and I both wanted "healthy, with lots of vegetables and no turkey or stuffing in sight". Oh, and warm!

The basement setting was particularly inviting amidst the windy, rainy streets of Dublin. As was the promise of steaming bowls of ramen soup! We wolfed down chilli beef ramen and a bowl of extra chillis (no extra charge). We shared perfectly al dente stir fried greens and light, crispy tempura prawns with a delightfully zingy sauce that tingled the tongue like spicy popping candy.

Seeing as we were drinking Chinese tea and tap water (this was offered - nice touch!), the whole bill came to less than €50. There were even cheaper options with one main, a side dish and a beer or wine for under €16 per person, so a great choice for the budget conscious. As an extra surprise, we each received a voucher for a free fresh juice or Kombucha next time we buy a main course during January. Kampai!

The only thing I would have changed was the amount of kids running around and the lack of hanging space. Still, you know what you're getting and the food is always quality. I'd recommend choosing a little later than 7pm though, if you don't want to feel like youre surrounded by oompa loompas.

Remember this Basho haiku?

By lonely roads
this lonely poet marches
into autumn dusk.

Well, that was me after a week of country air and the space to sleep, read, plan and dream. Feeling a little deflated after the charms of Christmas (and knowing I was returning to work today), I was a solitary and wistful character wandering around Ranelagh, desperately seeking solace and inspiration in a fistful of thai take-away yumminess.  

Thank goodness for Diep at Home. The place was warm and welcoming as the mists settled in for the night, making the place pitch black. My order took around ten minutes and i was only one luas stop from home.

The salt and pepper squid was delectably fresh, while the Tom Yam Goong had the right mix of hot and sour tastiness. A delicious combination - it fed my soul and left me feeling both angelic and sated. Poetry in a bowl.

Having dreamed of a country cottage for Christmas for many years now, Sheepwalk House had a lot to live up to. I was looking for log fires, country walks, hot showers and home comforts - luckily, Reggie (Regina) McCabe was on hand to make sure everything was perfectly magical.

From the start, the service was five star. Knowing that we didn't have a car, Reggie asked us to email a shopping list of everything we wanted and collected all our supplies for us, including local produce, wine and fuel for a week. She decorated the cottage with a Christmas tree and decorations, and even made us mince pies. It didn't stop there; she drove us to a mushroom farm and into the town to get our bearings. At all times, Reggie was professional and helpful, without being overbearing. Perfect!

We stayed in The Coach House which was warmed for our arrival. Although it was perfectly kitted out with everything we needed for cooking and baking, Reggie invited us to tour her kitchen for any additional items we might like. The bedrooms were snug and the beds really comfortable. The real fire was a delight, creating a lovely cosy atmosphere in the cold, frosty nights.

Located between Avoca (home of TV series Ballykissangel) and Arklow village, it's also just ten minutes drive from the stunning shoreline and sand dunes of Brittas Bay. The cottages are difficult to find on the night time because they're set back from the road, but the directions on the website are perfect.  

We got a peek into all the other cottages which ranged from for two people to six. Every one was carefully decorated and well stocked to create a home away from home. We had visitors over the week and each one loved the setting and the cottage. If you want personal service, comfort and a real country feel, then that's exactly what you'll find. I'm already planning to return for a weekend writing break at the end of February.

I love exercising and consider the gym a wonderful place where I can beat out the stress of daily life and come away feeling almost angelic but definitely fired up and happy. I was a member here for six months and it was my idea of gym hell. Run down, unfriendly and with broken machines that took far too long to get fixed, coming here became a real chore.

The changing rooms are scruffy and dirty and the showers were usually freezing cold. I hired a locker for the duration and every month I'd receive texts saying my locker had to be paid for about one week after paying - highly irritating. The staff weren't particularly friendly or knowledgeable and it came across like you were interrupting their social time if you asked a question about technique or a particular machine.

The exercise classes are reasonable and they do have an excellent Body Pump class. But it's generally unpleasant, difficult to get on the machines and not much cheaper than the 5-star gyms in town. I guess it must have a decent student offer or else it's the location that sells it - that's why I joined initially. Personally, I'd much rather walk an extra 20 minutes and get a decent service where exercise is the focus.

I love this gym. It's my purple chandeliered haven which looks like Café en Seine but without the alcohol. Offering everything from FitLinxx cardio machines and Body Sculpt to a stunning swimming pool and decadent changing rooms, this is the best gym I tried out in the city. And believe me, I shopped around.

If you've not used FitLinxx machines before - they're great! It records your programme for you and guides you on the weights machines so you know you're doing everything right. You log all your exercise each time and then receive a monthly email report which is really detailed - it even tells you how many ice-cream Sundays you've worked off. Admittedly, my last month was embarrassing...but it is Christmas!

Crunch Fitness also runs free yoga and pilates classes, only charging you if you sign up and don't go, which is a great motivator! The range of classes is impressive, starting from 7am and varying from summer to winter. The staff are friendly and the instructors always on hand to help out.

If you're going to get fit anywhere - it's here. It's also no more expensive than the other city centre gyms - it's just better. Now I just need to get back to work off all that pudding before I become one!

Every time I escape to Howth for a weekend, I stay here. Sean who runs the place for his mum, Kitty, is friendly and helpful. Call him from the station and he'll come and pick you up. If you want to go for dinner in the town, he'll drop you off and collect you. His only concern is that you have a great time and keep warm!

The rooms are clean, bright and comfortable. There's a garden which you can sit in where Sean grows a few fruit and vegetables which turn up in the form of thick, sweet jam on the breakfast table. Kitty also makes her own bread and makes sure you eat wads f it in the morning.

My room was 50 euro for the night. If you get a room without a bath, you can use the bathroom I the entrance hall without feeling rushed. I've holed myself up in here with a good book and plenty of lush products for over an hour without being disturbed. It's exactly what you want from a bed and breakfast and remains an unknown gem.