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Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
'It's lovely to be able to bring something vibrant to where you live': New café opens its doors in Cork town
A new café has opened its doors on Ballincollig's main street, offering locals and visitors to the town good vibes and even better coffee in a welcoming, bright space. Mark and Fiona O'Brien, salon directors of Mark Vincent Hair and Beauty on the main street, have opened the café in the same unit as their existing business after 14 years in the hair industry in Ballincollig. The original idea was to open a coffee shop, but the idea expanded, and the café now boasts a kitchen with highly qualified chefs who prepare everything on-site using the very best of local produce. A day trade café open six days a week, there are already ideas swirling to create something special at the café to cater for the town's night-time economy. Speaking to the Irish Examiner about the café's success since opening its doors just over three weeks ago, Fiona O'Brien said: 'I've always felt that we had a beautiful space with beautiful window frontage looking onto the main street of Ballincollig. Interior of Blondie 'I had been to other towns and places where I'd seen coffee shops that had that brightness and I always felt that our unit deserved to be something more special so I suppose, for me, a coffee shop has a fantastic vibration and is alive, and I wanted to bring something special to Ballincollig. 'I have a great love for where I live, and our kids were born and raised here and have gone to school here, so that's really important. I just think it's the greatest town, and it's just having something vibrant and special that creates a community space for people to come into, where they get amazing food and coffee. It's proven to be that, so it's great.' Mark O'Brien echoed that sentiment, acknowledging the community that they have built through their 14 years in hairdressing in Ballincollig. Fiona O'Brien 'We have had an established business next to the café for the last 14 years. We've been self-employed now for 20 years, and there is a community that was aware that we were opening Blondie, and they are just delighted to be part of that and to have somewhere nice to eat with some really good food,' he said. Speaking about the chosen name for the café, Fiona O'Brien said: 'The name originates from myself, actually. It's hair-related and food-related. I was a brunette for years, copper, went through every other hair colour, and in recent years have become blonde. "Relating it to food, then, you have your blondie brownies and you have your blonde roast coffee, and there's an energy too about Blondie that's bright and that's what I wanted to draw into the unit, was a brightness and lightness.' Interior of Blondie She acknowledged the opportunity to change up the menus and to run something in the evenings as the café has a wine licence, and envisions hosting various community events in the future. 'It's just starting to bud and we're beginning to see what's possible with it. It's a real creative space. I think it will draw in different people who will probably bring other ideas to me as well, and I'm open to everything,' she said. 'I'm delighted with my business and my staff, and I'm delighted to have brought something to Ballincollig. It's a great town, and it's lovely to be able to bring something vibrant to where you live.' The café is currently open Tuesday to Saturday from 8.30am to 5pm, Sunday from 9am to 5pm and closed on Mondays.
Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Daily Record
Holidaymakers film moment tourists take every sunbed in three minutes
Mark and Karen watched as the early-morning sunbed 'war' was over in just a few seconds A couple holidaying in Benidorm filmed the moment hundreds of tourists poured out of the hotel and into the pool area to claim every sun lounger at the resort in under three minutes. Holidaymakers Mark and Karen Gregory, both 50, are frequent visitors to Benidorm and usually opt to stay at apartments. Their accommodation often overlooks major hotel pools - and they say they get to witness the morning chaos as tourists rush to secure a sunbed for the day. Mark and Karen, from Swansea, filmed sun-mad Brits racing to get the best beds during their trip in May. Mark, who runs an online sales business, said: "We saw people queueing from first thing - the queues were horrendous. People were properly running in. "One hotel we did stay in, the pool opened at 8.30am and by 8.33am every bed had a towel on. I think it happens everywhere - just because hotels don't have as many beds as they do guests. We don't partake at all, we just observe. "I know it's a bugbear for a lot of tourists - but we just find it funny."
Metro
9 hours ago
- Health
- Metro
Feeling impulsive? This is how the warm weather is affecting your brain
The UK is melting, with heatwave highs of 33°C temperatures predicted by Saturday. Yes, we know that other countries have greater burdens to bear, but the hot weather 'hits different' here, with Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon telling Metro: 'Meteorologically, the UK air tends to be more humid compared to that in continental Europe. High humidity can make it harder for sweat to evaporate, which is how we naturally cool ourselves down.' The impact? Your body – and crucially, your brain – is under greater strain, leading to everything from sluggishness to poor impluse control. 'The temperature that the body needs to stay within is an unbelievably narrow window,' consultant neurologist, Dr Steve Allder, tells Metro. 'If your temperature rises from 37C to 41C there's a very good chance that it would kill you. Similarly, if it dropped from 37C to 33C, you would really start to struggle. 'The body really has to work hard to keep our temperature in a tight range, especially in hot weather, and that then takes energy away from the brain.' A&E doctor, Dr Mark Cox tells Metro: 'When you're hot, your body is in a constant state of thermoregulation (keeping your temperature stable). 'This burns energy and diverts blood flow toward the skin to release heat, which means less energy and oxygen get to your brain.' 'You'll notice it in things like memory lapses, poor concentration and slower decision-making,' Dr Mark says. And while we all might find ourselves getting a bit, well, aggy, in hot weather, Dr Mark says that's to do with your brain too. Dr Sameer Sanghvi, GP at Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor, warns that hot weather can be particularly dangerous for people taking antidepressants. He explains: 'Common antidepressants can all stop the temperature-regulating area of the brain from functioning as it should. Serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors(SNRIS) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIS) are some of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants.' If you are prescribed these antidepressants, Dr Sanghvi warns not to suddenly stop taking them. 'You should always consult your doctor before making changes to your mental health medication,' he adds. 'The best thing you can do is take precautions to stay cool: stick to the shade; drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol.' 'Heat can amplify reactivity in the brain's emotion centre, the amygdala, and reduce the calming influence of the parasympathetic nervous system,' says Dr Mark, co-founder of Orli Health. More Trending 'That makes people more prone to irritability, impulsiveness and even aggression.' For those with existing neurological conditions, warm weather can cause these symptoms to worsen. Dr Steve, who works at Re: Cognition, says that those with multiple sclerosis, for example, 'will have far less resilience' to cope with temperature changes. He adds: 'This is also true for something like migraines. People find that they get more migraines when it gets hot.' If your body can't cool itself down, you risk developing heat exhaustion, which could progress to heat stroke if left untreated, a life-threatening condition. Dr Allder says that those doing prolonged exercise in the sun should be careful of developing heat stroke, especially if they're not taking in enough fluids. He adds: 'Make sure to stop if you feel lightheaded or woozy.' To protect yourself from the temperature changes, Dr Allder advises avoiding the sun, hydrating and resting. Most adults should aim to drink at least six to eight glasses a day (around 1.5-2 litres), but Dr Allder advises getting an extra 500ml to 1 litre per day. According to the NHS, the signs of heat exhaustion include: Weakness Tiredness Dizziness Headache Feeling sick or being sick Excessive sweating and skin becoming pale and clammy, or getting a rash Cramps in the arms, legs and stomach Fast breathing or heartbeat A high temperature Being very thirsty If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion, they need to be cooled won and given fluids, the NHS website says. Heat exhaustion does not usually need medical help if you can cool down within 30 minutes. However, if it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ View More » MORE: Wildfire warning issued for London after city reaches 32°C MORE: Teen struck by lightning at famed park as freak thunderstorm hit New York City MORE: London's best lidos, ponds and outdoor pools to beat the heatwave Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Wales Online
10 hours ago
- Wales Online
Man with leg in plaster and on crutches missing as police launch appeal
Man with leg in plaster and on crutches missing as police launch appeal Mark Canning, from Pentre, was last seen on Wednesday, June 18 Mark Canning is missing (Image: South Wales Police ) Police are appealing for information about the whereabouts of a man who hasn't been seen since Wednesday (June 18). Mark Canning is missing from his home in Pentre, Rhondda Cynon Taf. He was last seen at 11.30pm on Wednesday, wearing grey joggers, a Nike hoodie, brown jacket, black trainers and a blue cap. Mark's left leg is currently in plaster and he is walking with the aid of crutches according to police. Mark is described as being 5ft 8 with a slim build. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Anyone who has seen Mark or has information about his whereabouts is urged to contact South Wales Police and quote reference number 2500193145. South Wales Police can be contacted via its live chat platform by clicking here or via an online form by clicking here. You can also call 101. Article continues below Alternatively, information can also be given via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or its online form by clicking here. Always call 999 in an emergency.
AsiaOne
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Not nominated for Star Awards' Best Audio Personality but Dennis Chew says The Breakfast Quartet 'should be confident of ourselves'
They've won Best Radio Programme for four years consecutively, but the four DJs in local radio station Love 972's The Breakfast Quartet were surprisingly left out of the Best Audio Personality nominations in Star Awards 2025. Two of the DJs, Dennis Chew and Mark Lee, told AsiaOne in a recent interview that it's not something they worry about. The other two DJs in the team are Marcus Chin and Chen Biyu. Mark, 56, shared: "I feel that the main reason for us not being nominated is because the judges have different preferences for the styles that each DJ presents. "It could be a coincidence that this year's judges are a little 'stricter', so 'innocent and cute' DJs like us are not nominated. But it's okay, because the judges are different every year." Dennis, 51, said: "I feel that it doesn't matter whether we are nominated or not. Most importantly, we should be confident of ourselves, just like how the four of us feel that we are good enough and that's sufficient." The nominees this year are Yes 933 DJs Chen Ning, Hazelle Teo, Kenneth Chung and Zhu Zeliang as well as Capital 958 DJ Pan Jia Biao. In response to queries from AsiaOne, a Mediacorp spokesperson said that as with all Star Awards' programme and performance awards, the nominees for Best Audio Personality are determined by a panel consisting of industry veterans and established media practitioners who would evaluate everyone who is eligible with a standard set of criteria. They added: "Given how competitive this award is, not being nominated in any given year does not necessarily take away from the calibre of their work nor their popularity. "The Breakfast Quartet remains a contender in the Best Radio Programme category, testament to the enduring excellence the show continues to deliver daily." The quartet won the above category for four consecutive years from 2021 to 2024. This year, Dennis' programme Mr Zhou's Ghost Stories is also in the running. On whether they feel pressured to continue winning the award this year, both of them said the achievement doesn't affect their emotions. Dennis shared: "To be honest, we didn't expect to go on stage to receive the award. It's a surprise to us every year. So whether or not there is any surprise this year, we would feel the same way." "If we can receive it for another year, it's the best, but even if we didn't get it this year, it's okay also. Most importantly, it's whether the judges like it or not, because the judges are different every year. If we are awarded again this year, then 'Oh dear, we are the first again!'" Mark quipped. Both Mark and Dennis received their All-Time Favourite Artiste award in 2010 and 2022 respectively. The award is given to artistes who have won the Top 10 Most Popular Artiste honour 10 times. When asked which artistes they wish to see joining them at the 'altar', Dennis shared that he hopes actor-host Guo Liang — who has been in local showbiz for three decades — would bag the award soon, because he "truly deserves it". For Mark, it would be Marcus, 70, who debuted in local showbiz in the 1970s. He quipped: "I looked at his fortunes before and concluded he can live till about 95 years old, so if he receives his 10th Top 10 award before 90 and goes up the 'altar', I think it's not bad because he is really very hardworking." You can vote for the Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male and Female Artistes from now till July 6, 7.30pm on the Mediacorp website. Voters can make up to 10 votes per account, per award category, per day. On July 6 from 12am to 7.30pm, voters can make unlimited votes for each category. Star Awards 2025 will be presented on July 6, starting from Backstage Live at 3.30pm to 10.30pm, Walk of Fame from 5pm to 6.30pm, the awards show from 7pm to 10pm and Post-Party from 10pm to 10.30pm. Backstage Live will air on Mewatch and the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube channel, while Walk of Fame and the awards show will air on Channel 8, Channel U, Mewatch and the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube channel. [[nid:719280]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
