twinkle toesOur Irish summer (now there's a contradiction in terms) may not have materialised.
But you can trick the brain into thinking otherwise when you look down at a pair of gorgeously summery feet. The Buff Day Spa, beside the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin 2 (01-6774624), is offering a "fabulous feet" treatment. First, feet are cleansed and soaked in a relaxing foot spa. Then they'll be treated to a scrub and complete pedicure with invigorating massage, and polish to finish. Sounds heavenly, doesn't it? To show off your perfect tootsies - flip-flops may be out as September rolls in - there are plenty more glamorous options available, such as the Gina Naomi model in pewter leather (left, €565), from Brown Thomas, Dublin 2. Gillian Hamill
wines that shineGreenacres, the Wexford-based merchant, has come upwith an offer for wine-lovers with exceedingly deep pockets. It is offering six vintages of the legendary Château Pétrus from Pomerol, including the 1989, 1998 and 2005 vintages. Prices range from a mere €10,995 for a case of the 2004 and 1994 vintages to a whopping €37,500 for a case of the epic 2005 vintage. Prices exclude duty, VAT, transport and insurance - but that shouldn't trouble you too much if you can afford a case to begin with. See www.greenacres.ie.
The less affluent among us interested in enjoying the 2005 vintage might prefer to look at the selection available in November from Mitchell & Son. Joachim Lefaure, its en-primeur specialist, trawled through some of the less renowned houses in Burgundy last March, in search of bargains in bond, and came up with some very fine wines at relatively attractive prices (although, again, they exclude duty, transport, insurance and VAT). These are uniformly small producers working on tiny holdings, such as Dom Edmond Cornu's seductive Aloxe Corton 1er Cru Les Moutottes 2005 (€155 for six bottles). The same producer's Grand Cru Corton Bressandes 2005 (€230 for six) is elegance personified. See www.mitchellandson.com. Joe Breen
beauty sleepIt's well known that sleep is an important factor in the eternal bid to look young and beautiful. As we are devoting more and more money to facial treatments and products, we need to ensure that we get the maximum benefit from them. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is the latest beauty aid that is said to help lock moisture in and protect the skin from developing lines or deep creases. Silk contains proteins and amino acids identical to those in the skin, and it also has the same pH balance, which helps to protect and maintain moisture levels. And there is good news for your hair, too. Using a silk cover allows hair to glide across the pillowcase and is said to condition and shine the hair follicle. A Silkskin pillowcase (below) costs €55 from Harvey Nichols, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16. Phyl Clarke
mine's a pintIf you're tiring of Guinness, Smithwick's or one of the other big brands, pick up a copy of The Complete Guide to Beer and Cider in Ireland. Iorweth Griffiths's pocket-sized book should tempt you to try something more interesting the next time you order a pint or pick up a few bottles on the way home from work on a Friday. It has details of all of Ireland's microbreweries, from the tiny to the increasingly prominent - such as the Porterhouse Brewing Co chain, whose founders included Oliver Hughes (above) - as well as tasting notes. You can't yet use it in quite the same way as you can a restaurant guide, as only a few of the beers in the book are widely distributed, but it's still worth the price of a couple of pints. It's published by Liberties Press, €11.99. Liam Stebbing
timeless eleganceFinding the right face for a fragrance is a tough task for any brand, but Chanel seems to have got it in one with its new campaign for Coco Mademoiselle. Kate Moss, who fronted the original launch, would be a hard act for anyone to follow, but Keira Knightley (below) handles the task with aplomb, looking every inch a modern incarnation of Coco Chanel. If you can't manage the price tag on a Chanel bag, this range includes a limited-edition purse and solid perfumes, which give us an opportunity to buy into the magic of this classic scent. The Collection Cambon is available from Chanel stockists, priced from €86.50. Phyl Clarke