Conor's Bandon Blog

Running, Food and Local stuff from a blow-in

Maps in Blogs

If you want to try out the world of blogging, I highly recommend the new free Windows Live Writer tool for creating your content. It works with almost any blogging site. Check out Wordpress.com to get an actual blog (also free). One of the main developers is from Cork you know! Just to show one of the neat things that Live Writer can do, I was able to insert this map of Bandon with a few simple clicks.

Farmer's market on tomorrow

Do make it down if you haven’t been before or haven’t been in a while. There are a bunch of new great stalls. Julian from Bubble Brothers also pointed out in a comment on the Ummera Blog that there will be wine tasting in Urru on Saturday too. So maybe wander down there after the market and check it out. tags = Bandon+Farmer’s+Market, Ummera, Urru, Bubble+Brothers

Yayyy Nokia, Boooo Vodafone

I was all excited for 20 minutes today. Nokia have released a free tool to enable you to upgrade your own phone firmware. I grabbed the one for the N70, backed up the phone, installed the software and waited for it to analyse my phone. Result? I have the latest available Vodafone branded firmware so no upgrade is possible. The Voda numbnuts haven’t released an upgrade since last September! Meanwhile I have a good phone which would be far far better with the improved firmware.

I only want more

We took a day trip to Killarney for some ice-cream yesterday. The drive down is always longer than the distance would indicate. Is there any hope the Cork to Killarney road will ever move from being of third-world quality from Ovens to Ballyvourney? It took a bit of circling but we found the fabulous playground mentioned by Kieran and all had a fantastic time. That climbing web is awesome and the zip-line was very tempting.

It took me a second to get this

But when I did, I laughed out loud. Courtesy of marketing guru Seth Godin.  Human beings have short memories: German appliance maker Bosch introduces the Axxis™ washer. On the topic of marketing, we spotted a sign for a restaurant on the way back from Killarney yesterday. It said “Muesli Restaurant, Vegetarian Italian”. I can’t think of a better way to ensure you get zero customers than to include the word muesli in your ad.

I think I know why the ambush went badly

Forewarned is forearmed eh? Top tip for future signs like this - maybe give two hints on the sign: [1] Which ambush [2] Which war I was sure we were heading towards Béal na mBláth. We got there and it was Kilmichael. Obviously put up by the same guys who did the signage in Killarney. Every single junction there has signs for City Centre for all of the directions in and out.

Bandon Farmer's Market quiet last week

I finally made it down to the market last week after missing three in a row. A lot of the usual stalls were missing presumably due to holidays etc and it was a quick dash and grab by Fionn, Sibéal and I. More stunning steaks from Aherns, some interesting and tasty Portuguese salt from Ummera, some veg from the veg man and some brot from the Baking Emporium in Dunmanway and I was done.

Gleeson's back on top form

Gleeson’s Food style/ethnicity: Modern Irish Map Price: 32-60 (Euro) Location: 3 Connolly Street, Clonakilty, Co Cork, Ireland Food rating: 5 out of 5 Gleeson’s has been one of our favourite places to eat since we moved to Cork. Not only was the food always excellent but you were always made to feel extremely welcome. However, our last meal there late last year was not fantastic. It wasn’t bad, just not great.

The Swarm

What in the name of god is this yoke?    And no, it isn’t a wasp, just look at the size of it compared to the ivy leaves. [tags]Killer Bee, Flying Killer Insects[/tags]

Forde's somehow manages to get worse

Forde’s Food style/ethnicity: Modern Irish Map Price: 35 - 45 (Euro) **Location**: <p>Crescent Quay Wexford, Co Wexford Ireland Food rating: 2 out of 5 Decor rating: 3 out of 5 Service rating: 0 out of 5 I completely slated Forde’s last year after the utterly mediocre overpriced meal we had there. It was on my permanent blacklist until today. My parents stepped once more into the breech and babysat the recovering nutters so that myself and Catherine could go out for a bite.