Yelp August Elite Event

I was very lucky to be invited to go along to the Yelp Elite Event for August recently and when I saw that it was being held in Murphy’s ice cream shop, how could I refuse?

Although it’s a huge institution in the US, Yelp has only entered into the European market this year and has been making good progress particularly in Dublin. All that is thanks to Annie L, or as you may also know her @yelpdublin on Twitter. Annie *is* the Yelp Dublin team, all of it. And she did a great job in organising the August event. Yelpers were invited to create a sundae of their own concoction at a sundae bar at the back of the shop where an array of ice creams, sorbets and toppings were laid out for everyone to make their own. With it being one of the warmer nights of the year, ice cream was a welcome treat in between chatting to other Yelpers.

The idea of the Yelp events is to get people to new venues, get the venues some new customers and fans who will also review on Yelp.ie adding content and value to the site. If you are looking for a restaurant, hotel, bar, shop – Yelp is the kind of site that will tell you where it is, how good it is and what is good to order. You can also check-in to venues in a similar way to FourSquare, Gowalla, etc., becoming a Duke or Duchess if you check-in there most.

If you haven’t already, you can sign up for a free Yelp account here – and if you would like to read the reviews of the event in Murphy’s or add your own, you can do so here.

Many thanks to Annie for organising the Yelp events, I am sure it will be the first of many – I’m looking forward to the next one!

The Smile Off Your Face at Kilkenny Arts Festival

Rothe House, High Street, Kilkenny.
Friday 6th August 2010, 8pm.

I had read on the Kilkenny Arts website about The Smile Off Your Face and had found it intriguing, particularly “You are blindfolded, you are in a wheelchair, tied up. There is no stage.”

What could it be? What would happen to me inside the darkness of a blindfold where my imagination and senses of sound and smell were all I had at my disposal? I couldn’t not do it, so I signed up myself and Darragh. The show was free and time slots were going fast.
We arrived about 10 minutes early for our 8pm slot but there were very few people around. The serenity of the Rothe House courtyard was perfect for it, there was a spiritual, almost religious feel about everything, people talking quietly about their experience and the experiences of others. Almost immediately an older gentleman was wheeled out with a big grin on his face. His daughter was waiting for him, smiling herself with the shared knowledge and shared experience. Darragh was invited to take the now empty seat in the wheelchair, I took a quick photo of him and off he went.

August in Blanchardstown Library

Libraries – I think when most of us think of a library we think firstly (and maybe only) of books. But these days the library is a focal point for many groups, a community hub, an information point and a refuge from outside life.

You can now borrow cds, dvds, computer games and paintings to hang temporarily in your home. You can read the daily papers. You can look up local historical archives in the reference section or practice your language skills in the language room. Maybe these services are not available in all libraries but a selection of them certainly are.

Aside from these facilities, there are many other group meetings going on from day to day in the library.

For August, this is what will be happening in my local, Blanchardstown Library:

Children’s Events: Tuesday 3rd August at 7pm : Beginners Hip Hop (9 to 12 Years). Second session Tuesday 10th August 7pm.  Please book at desk.

Friday 13th August at 3pm : Puppet show with Julie-Rose McCormick (Ages 3-10 Yrs.)  All welcome.

Monday 16th August (10am to 12pm) : Party-time  with Mr. Podzo (arts & crafts, magic dress-up box, storytelling,  party games & much more (Ages 4-13 Yrs). Please book at desk.

Monday 16th August at 2 to 4pm: Party-time with Mr Podzo (arts & crafts, magic dress-up box, storytelling, party games & much more) (Ages 4 to 13 Yrs) Please book at desk

Wednesday 25th August at 7pm: Animal Magic Show (All ages) All welcome

Friday 27th August at 10am to 12pm: Party Time with Mr Podzo (arts & crafts, magic dress-up box, storytelling, party games  & much more) (ages 4 to 13 Yrs) Please book at desk

Friday 27th August at 2 to 4pm: Party Time with Mr Podzo (arts & crafts, magic dress-up box, storytelling, party games & much more) (Ages 4 to 13 Yrs) Please book at desk

The Last Airbender Movie : Look for details in your local Library in early/mid August about “The Last Airbender” competition!

Adult Events:

Heritage Week: Monday 23rd August at 11.30am:

‘Your Story, Your Place’ : Story – telling with Brenda Nolan

Wednesday 25th August at 7pm: Old Photographs of the Dublin 15 area : a talk by Jim Lacey

Tuesday 31st August at 7pm: Grow it Yourself: The Co-operative Group to support growing your own food meets. All welcome

Readers Groups: Adults

Readers Groups: The Morning Book-Club meets again on the 19^th August at 11am. A selection from the shortlist of the Impac Award will be discussed. The evening  Book-Club meets again on the 9th of September and the book choice is The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Grow it Yourself: The Co-operative Group to support growing your own food meets on Tuesday 31st August at 7pm. All welcome.

Book Crossing

Feel free to avail of our free selection of books at the entrance to the Library and help to track the book’s journey around the globe as well as its variety of readers

“Europe Direct presents Travelling in Europe”

This helpful exhibition about travelling in Europe will be on display in the Reference Section during  August.

Questions about Europe? Visit the Library’s Europe Direct Centre – your local link to Europe.

Local History

South-West Fingal Heritage Society / Cumann Oidhreachta Fhine Gall Thiar-Theas meets once a month on the last Saturday of each month from 2pm to 3.30pm. Enquiries to Aingeal on 0868438812.

Conversation exchanges:

New Conversation Groups in Spanish and French have been set up in the Library: (i) Spanish Conversation meets each Monday at 7pm and (ii) French Conversation meets each Tuesday at 7pm. All are welcome to practice their language skills.

The Irish Conversation group meets every Saturday at 12 noon and the English Conversation Group meet on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. All are welcome.

African Literature

Our dedicated collection of African Literature includes fiction and non-fiction by African writers and also subject-matter on  Africa. Art, poetry, memoirs, biographies, travel writing and fiction are all included

Photography:

St. Brigid’s Photography Group meets every Wednesday in the Library at 7 p.m. New members welcome.

Parent & Toddler Group

The parent and toddler group  meets each Tuesday from 11am to 12 noon and each Wednesday from 11am to 12 noon.

Also, the Irish Multiple Births Association meets each Thursday from 10.30am to 12 noon as a venue for twins, triplets and other multiples

Support Groups

GROW – mental health movement in Ireland.

Are you feeling depressed, anxious, lonely, panicky or just fed up? GROW is here to help. The group meets every Wednesday at 11 a.m. All are welcome. For more information phone 873 4029 or 087 229 1718 or log on to www.grow.ie

Library on the Radio

The Blanchardstown Library Show is broadcast every Friday evening at 7.30pm on Phoenix 92.5 FM, with a new edition on the last Friday of every month.

Do you know?

Borrowers can now renew and reserve their books online. Ask at Desk for your Pin Number to avail of these services. Also if you wish to be on our monthly listing of events please add your name at the Information Desk or e-mail charlie.quinn@fingalcoco.ie

Follow our events on Twitter:http://twitter.com/fingallibraries

Oh and the most important part of all this? It’s all FREE.

Booze and Schmooze is back

After a bit of a break, the Booze and Schmooze networking events will make a return next week. Booze and Schmooze is run by Alan Duncan and they are primarily aimed at those in the media and PR industry though this net is now widening to include marketing folk this time round. I have yet to attend a Booze and Schmooze event so perhaps next weeks will be my perfect opportunity.

So what’s changed?

Much like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly (or for my fellow nerds, Gandalf the Grey becoming Gandalf the White), we’ve changed a few things with the aim of making these events even more worthwhile.

1) No longer will our events be confined to just one venue. Unlike the Government we’re here by the people, for the people. The democratic state of Booze ‘n’ Schmooze (more commonly known as Inebriationland) will vote on venues and we’ll do our damnedest to organise them there.

2) There are no more presentations – these interfere with the boozing and the schmoozing. We will strongly encourage as much mingling as possible though.

3) While Booze ‘n’ Schmooze is primarily for the media sector, we’re going to open our doors up to those from the land of marketing too, as we believe they’ve got something to bring to our proverbial table.

What’s the same?

The reason for Booze ‘n’ Schmooze’s existence has not changed. Below are a few key points about us.

• Free monthly networking event for young journalists, PRs, other media workers (and now marketing folk).
• The aim of Booze ‘n’ Schmooze is to provide a relaxed environment in which to make useful and interesting contacts – essential to their success in the industry – without the awkwardness involved in formal networking.
• Targeted at professionals, who are starting out or about to start out in their chosen industry and, of course, anyone who can employ them.
• Lots of free finger food and great drinks promos.

So what are the need to know details?

Booze and Schmooze will take place next Thursday at 6.30pm in The Sycamore Club on Sycamore Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

All you need do to attend is RSVP to Alan, letting him know how many friends or colleagues you are bringing with you (if any) at booze.n.schmoozelives@gmail.com

I might see you there 🙂