Opening Lines

Compiled by Nicoline Greer...

Compiled by Nicoline Greer...

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN MOW?
Lazy summer days have just got lazier. The Robomow, a robotic lawnmower, has just been introduced to Ireland. The sound of lawnmowers is the sound of summer, but could well be a thing of the past as this little grass-chomper is much quieter than conventional mowers. No petrol is needed as it runs on rechargeable batteries, so there are no polluting exhaust fumes. It is also a mulching lawnmower and returns nutrients back to the lawn, so no large piles of grass clippings at the end of the garden. You peg a single wire around the perimeter of the lawn, establishing a virtual fence for the Robomow to operate within. In very futuristic style, it uses an on-board navigation system using the magnetic field of the earth to determine the most efficient method of mowing any given lawn. The only drawback is the cost, at €1,300-€1,700. Robomow is available from Garranbridge, Unit 2, Riverstown Ind. Est. Tramore (051-390311) and Southside Garden Centre, Kilternan Rd, Kilternan, Co Dublin (01-2954353). Sutton Trading has details of stockists around the country (01-2829792), www.suttontrading.com

TALL ORDER
Most babies aren't born at six feet tall but the new arrival at Fota Wildlife Park is now seven feet, and growing. Aishling is a new baby giraffe tottering around the Cork wildlife park. She is one of 11 giraffes in Fota, which has the biggest herd in Ireland and Britain. Other very cute youngsters are Impie, Tombie and Zulu, cheetahs born last October - they are three of 176 cheetahs born in the park since it first began rearing cheetahs in 1984. Other animals there include monkeys, zebras, a panda, kangaroos, ostriches and flamingos. Fota Wildlife Park is a charity and not-for-profit organisation with an emphasis on animals being able to wander freely. The Park is 10 kilometres east of Cork city, just off the N25, and is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sundays, www.fotawildlife.ie, (021-4812678)

GET SET, GO
Running the women's mini marathon is a very achievable goal. But, if you need a bit of motivation, join the Nike weekly training sessions which begin this Thursday and continue for the next six weeks. A trained Nike runner will lead the training runs, as well as demonstrating warm-up and cool-down techniques. They will build you up gently, starting with one-mile and three-mile runs, increasing to a five-mile run. Of course, as this is run by Nike, they will also be encouraging runners to buy into the "just do it" lifestyle. There will be video analysis and footwear advice available and a 15 per cent discount for the women-only shopping night in Champion Sports on Thursday, June 3rd. Women interested in joining the training run should meet at Champion Sports, 40 Upper Grafton Street, Dublin every Thursday at 6 p.m. Changing facilities, storage of belongings and refreshments will be provided, and it's all free of charge.

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SPEAK NO EVIL
Actions speak louder than words at Dublin's Alliance Française this week as mime artist Marcel Hanesse makes his first trip to Ireland. The 73-year-old will be conducting a three-day workshop, followed by a free show. Hanesse started miming in 1955 under Yves Dupuis's direction. In 1968, he started his own mime school, where he taught Sylviane Randall, who later became his work partner. The workshop costs €75 and runs from Monday to Wednesday. The mime show will follow on April 30th at 8 p.m. Café des Amis, Alliance Française, 1 Kildare Street, Dublin 2,(01-6761732).

WINGING IT
Patrons of trendier bars and shops might have noticed a new set of cards printed with fashion, art and photographic images. These postcards make up a kind of magazine, called Wingding. Every two weeks, 16 new double-sided cards come out. The idea also is for the whole thing be anonymous (but we can tell you they are produced by the people behind the magazines Foggy Notions and Homage). There are no credits for clothes, models, make-up artists, photographers or artists. Instead, each is represented by a graphic symbol in the corner of their card. It sounds pretentious - and it is a little. Text and advertisements are on the way. Find them in Tower Records, The Globe pub and Costume; in London at The Pineal Eye; and in Paris at Collette. Eoin Lyons

In the Bag....

SOPHIE'S CHOICE
To spark our imagination and conjure up that springtime feeling, we need astonishing splashes of colour in our accessories. These bags by Sophie Williams are colourful and fun, perfect for this spring's frilly, feminine mood. For this collection, Williams used the film City of God for her inspiration: "I wanted to use the street feel of Brazil," she explains, as well as a touch of 1930s Jean Harlow elegance. The result: bags like bonbons, soft pinks and blues matched with flashes of gold and playful bobbles. Launched this season by Brown Thomas. Christine Madden

IT'S A STEAL
Anya Hindmarch is responsible for the trend in taking baby photos down off the shelf and slapping them on a bag or a wallet. Bagtalk.com is a web-based company in the UK that creates the same thing - but for less. The company delivers to Ireland and you can either post or e-mail the photo that you want to use. If your photo is old or scratched, there is a technical service to digitally repair any marks. While the real thing takes up to four months for delivery, bagtalk delivers in less than six weeks, for at least half the price. www.bagtalk.com, orders@bagtalk.com, 00-44-1932-862585.